For Christmas this year I received a new rolling-pin. It is no ordinary rolling-pin, it is a balyunONE rolling-pin designed by Canadian designer Tahir Mahmood. I had been coveting this handmade, european style rolling-pin for some time, so naturally I was beyond delighted when I found it under the tree on Christmas morning! I have since been trying to devise the perfect way to christen my rolling-pin. But inspiration eluded me, all I could come up with was cookies or pie. Delicious as they may, be neither was what I was looking for. I was bemoaning this fact to Ginger the other night and she struck gold when she suggested that I should make noodles. Noodles, what a spectacular idea! I had never made my own pasta before and it was a challenge that I was up for.

I turned to google, my trusty source for all things I don’t know and began reading about fresh pasta. This is where I ran into a little conflicting information. Who would have thought that I would find conflicting information on the internet! Some said “no” to hand rolled pasta, some said “yes, but it is a little tricky”. And finally I found a recipe from Jamie Oliver and he seemed to give hand rolled pasta a whole-hearted “yes”. I was in, if Jamie says it is ok, then I should be fine right?

The noodle dish that I wanted to make is a dish inspired by a udon noodle dish featured on the menu of one of my favourite neighbourhood Japanese restaurants. The original is a luxurious combination of noodles and wild mushrooms, dredged in a sauce of miso and butter. For my version, I decided to give the recipe a little italian flare, replacing the udon noodles with fresh pasta. Let’s get back to the making of the pasta, as it is a bit of a tragic tale that needs to be shared so that no one else makes the same mistakes as I. So pasta dough, simple right? A little flour, some salt and a few eggs. It was easy, it mixed up nicely and after a little kneading, turning into a lovely smooth dough. I slipped it into the fridge and prepped up my sauce ingredients. Here is the tricky part, some people think a machine is a necessity if you want to get the pasta to a nice thinness, others like Jamie say that all the old Italian grandmas never use pasta machines, so with a little extra elbow grease, it can be done. I forged on, rolling my pasta to what I thought was a lovely thinness, cutting into wide noodles, sprinkling with semolina and repeating. Easy peasy. Perhaps I should have realized that it was just a little too easy.

I started my pasta water to boil, sautéed my garlic and mushrooms, things were going along just tickety boo. Calamity struck when I dropped the noodles into boiling salted water and virtually immediately the noodles doubled in width and thickness! Seriously what the heck  is up with that. No one mentioned anything about the noodles “rising”! Be warned, the noodles rise. When all is said and done, I think that with a little more practice and finesse, hand rolled noodles aren’t that big of a stretch, they just take a little patience.

Handmade noodles with wild mushrooms & miso butter sauce
Serves 4

For the noodles:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semolina flour
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt

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2 cloves garlic
8-12 oz wild mushrooms sliced (I used a blend of Chanterelle, Brown hon shimeji, white hon shimeji, baby blue oyster, hen of the woods, king erengi and nameko mushrooms)
3 tablespoons butter
3 green onions, sliced, whites and greens separated
3 tablespoons miso paste
1 1/2 tablespoons sake
1 1/2 tablespoons soya sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds for garnish

Preparing the pasta:
On a clean workspace, mix together the two flours and salt forming into a mound. Make a well in the centre of the mound and crack the three eggs into the well. Whisk the eggs lightly with a fork and then begin mixing the mixture together with your hands. Once the dough comes together, knead for 10 to 15 minutes until you have a nice smooth dough. Shape the kneaded dough into a dish, cover completely with plastic wrap and allow dough to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. *Most recipes don’t recommend letting it rest overnight as it can turn a grey colour.

Cut the disk of dough into 4 pieces, as it is easier to work with in smaller amounts. Lightly dust a work surface with semolina flour and begin to roll out the dough. Roll the dough out as thinly as possible, mine was about 3 mm thick and it would have been better if it had been about  1-2 mm thick. Use a knife to cut the pasta into your desired noodle shape. Set finished noodles aside and sprinkle with more semolina to avoid sticking. Continue rolling and cutting pasta. Cover the finished pasta with a damp towel to avoid drying.

Preparing the sauce:
Cook the noodles in boiling salted water until al dente. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your noodles, so check for doneness often.

Heat a medium sauce pan over medium heat, once the pan is hot melt the butter. Add the garlic and the whites from the green onions to the pan and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and just starting to turn golden on the edges. Add in the miso, soy sauce, sake and oyster sauce and stir until well mixed. Combined the noodles with the mushrooms and toss together until the noodles covered with sauce.

Garnish with the remaining green onions and black sesame seeds and serve!

We’re bringing Valentine’s in-house this year. I know there is a case to be made for a lovely evening out, but this year, I think dining in is going to be just as much fun. And let’s be honest, finding a babysitter on Valentine’s evening is no easy task! At the request of a three-year-old, we’re going to “build” a raclette. He’s still working out the details of the accompanying meats and vegetables he’d like to cook, but I think he’ll come up with a good plan. And with a starting point of melting cheese and crusty bread, it’s hard to go wrong.

My son has always been accustomed to time in the kitchen. His first baby swing was set up in a corner of the kitchen and stayed there throughout his infancy. As a result, he has become keenly interested in what is going on—what is being prepared and more importantly, when can he have a taste of it? I take full responsibility for making an occassion out of every treat in the oven—turning on the oven light, and “voila,” pulling back the tea towel curtains with a grand flourish. Any baking process that involves a mixer has him standing at the kitchen counter, tightly gripping the rail of the chair, mesmerized by the spinning beaters. It hasn’t taken him long to learn the location of the baking staples and he dashes back and forth from the pantry, retrieving sugar and flour. He takes great pride in the moments when he alone holds the whisk over the bowl, attempting to stir with as much bravado as he can muster. I couldn’t be more pleased.

As he has gotten a little older, I’ve been looking for ways to get him a little more involved with whatever I am working on. It’s no surprise that he is more willing to try things he has had some hand in. Try as I might, I can’t get him interested in salad. But put him at the sink with a head of lettuce to wash, and suddenly the boy is crunching through leaves with the enthusiasm of a small rabbit! And while I generally don’t have to do much to get him interested in treats, I’ve been trying to include him in more of the baking steps. The gingerbread twigs I baked at the holidays were perfect for him and the inclusion of sparkles made them that much better. For Valentines, I’ve been looking for something that we could make together. This holiday is rich with fancy sweet treats, but what about something for a three-year-old to get involved with? How about some no-bake bars that require little more than a few swipes of the spatula through the melted chocolate, mingling marshmallows and crunchy nuts in a few deft movements? Sounds like a plan to me!

I hope your day is sweet, whatever your plans may be!

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Rocky Road

There are hundreds of Rocky Road recipes out there. This version uses dark chocolate, 60 to 75 percent cocoa is a nice range, for a rich flavor without quite as much sweetness. I added salted pistachios to bring a little savory note to these treats and a bright pop of color when cut into squares. A sprinkle of salt adds sparkle and brings balance to the rich chocolate. Perfect for assembling with children and sharing with sweethearts.

11 oz of good quality dark chocolate, chopped
10 oz. mini marshmallows
2/3 cup pistachios, shelled
Sprinkle of flaky salt, optional

Line an 8×8 baking pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.

Melt chocolate in a large bowl over a pot of steaming water. Remove from heat. Stir in the nuts and marshmallows. Place mixture in the prepared pan and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for at least two hours to set. Lift foil from pan and cut chocolate mixture into small squares. Wrapped tightly, squares will keep for several days.

Makes about 16 squares.

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Tuckers
Recipe from Dorie Greenspan

I made the cookies exactly as the recipe specified and they really are absolutely perfect. Apparently the trick to making these cookies is to not rush them. “…go low and slow—both on the stove-top and in the oven—to prevent the egg whites from scrambling.” Dorie says.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
4 large egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon food-grade pure rose extract (not rose water); optional
Red liquid food colouring
White sanding sugar

Preparation
In a medium sauce pan, cook the coconut, egg whites and sugar over medium-low heat. Stir the coconut mixture occasionally until it feels hot and dry to the touch, this should take about 10 minutes.
Now it is time to flavour the coconut! Turn the mixture out into a heatproof bowl, stir in the vanilla, rose extract and one drop of red food colouring. Mix well resisting the temptation to add more colour. Cover with plastic wrap patting it right on top of the dough to prevent it from drying out as it chills. Cool for 5 hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with a double layer of parchment paper or two silicone baking mats. Form dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls, shape into hearts and dip in sanding sugar.

Put cookies in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until they are lightly golden and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.

There’s a low-lying fog that has wrapped up our valley for the past few days. Maybe it has been even longer, as I tend to forget those details. It’s almost mysterious in the way that it seeps in overnight and envelops the morning horizon, muting the sun to a vaguely bright spot in the fog. Depending on the day, the thickness of the fog varies—sometimes so thick that I can’t see much more than a car or two in front of me on the street. Other times, it is wispy and soft, bringing a romantic blur to the horizon. At night when I walk the neighborhood streets, sometimes I can see the stars through holes in the fog while street lights glow orange with fluorescent halos. The fog never fails to make me feel cozy, wishing for a blanket and a cup of tea.

On foggy days, I search for brightness elsewhere, like on my plate. While I can’t control the weather and shaking my fist at the sky has brought little result, the meals on my plate are completely under my control, so I adjust as needed. For some reason, the weather has me reaching for the vinegar. The bright acidity brings life to some warm comfort foods and an irresistible sharpness to crunchy salad greens.

The flavors of this salad are not ones that I would readily dreamed on my own. The pairing of quick-pickled red onion with the candy sweetness of Medjool dates is brilliant and I knew immediately I would love it. It’s just one of those combinations I could already imagine before putting vinegar to onion. The recipe jumped off the page as I was browsing through my new cookbook, Jerusalem, this weekend. I know the book has been out for a while, but sometimes I have to pace myself through the myriad of new cookbooks released every fall, adding some of my top picks to my Christmas list, then stacking them up beside the bed for evening reading. (Tell me I’m not alone in this little habit.) There are plenty of dishes I am hoping to make from this book, but this was the one I had to make first while I plotted out my plans for the next dishes.

Spinach salad with almonds and dates

Adapted from Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
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1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup whole raw almonds, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons sumac
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or chile flakes
5 oz baby spinach
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt, to taste

Combine the vinegar, red onion and dates in a small bowl. Sprinkle with a little salt and stir to combine. Let sit for at least 20 minutes. When ready to use, drain and discard any remaining vinegar.

In a small pan, combine the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped almonds and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Once almonds are toasted and golden, remove from pan and set on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with sumac, pepper flakes and a little salt and allow to cool.

When ready to serve, add the spinach to a large mixing bowl and top with the almonds, red onion and dates. Dress the salad with lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Toss to coat and add a little salt, if needed. Serve immediately.

Pause with me for a moment and reflect back, 31 days ago to be exact. Yes, the day we made all those resolutions that we have either long since forgotten about or are seriously regretting ever making. That might be a little harsh, but this week I have rather unintentionally found myself revisiting those plans that I made. But instead of focusing on what I haven’t done (not to brag or anything but, I have been doing pretty well) I have been focusing on fine tuning, devising ways to keep my plans on track and perhaps making them more realistic. I am notorious for taking on too much, planning too big and getting side tracked.

This year I hope to learn to focus on being present and in the now. This week I have been reminding myself that life is made up of little details, in-between stages and stolen moments. It is so easy to get caught up in the big picture and forget to enjoy the moments that we have right now. We forget to admire the purple stock of the thai basil that went into last nights dinner or the fuzzy silver sage leaves that I really need to figure out how to use up before they go to waste or watch the milk as it swirls into a cup of tea. All of these lovely moments meant to be enjoyed to the fullest and remembered.

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While plenty of food was made this week; recipes tried and modified, some saved and others quickly forgotten. This week I want to pause… pause and remember to enjoy every bit of it.

Standing in front of my jam-packed fridge this weekend, I don’t think many people would have confused me with a minimalist. I love the clean and spare look of a carefully curated kitchen counter or a meticulously arranged fridge, but admire as I may, I can’t maintain that look for more than three hours. The cleaning itch hit me this weekend and I swept the countertops clear—mixer tucked away in the pantry, cutting boards oiled and cookbooks tidied away. I even dove deep into the crisper drawers searching for forgotten bits. This is where I unearthed the beets.

A handful of beets had been languishing for more than a few weeks. But the good news is that beets tend to store pretty well tucked away in a cold dark corner. There were a few desperately pale slips of leaves sprouting from a beet or two. Otherwise, they were no worse for their time waiting. Once found, I knew I’d better not stow them again. So in the midst of my kitchen makeover, I pulled the beets out of their bag and dropped them into the sink for a good scrub.

I don’t know too many people who are ambivalent about beets. This humble root seems to divide people into two camps—those who eagerly search them out or those who would rather keep them off the plate. It might just be my experience, but it seems to me that people usually have an opinion about beets. I fall into the first camp, a beet lover. Since I’m still working on a few members of my household, I usually look for ways to add beets into a dish without making them the main flavor. For that reason, beet salad tends to work out really well for me! I roast the beets whole with their skins on. A pan readily fits alongside most anything else I might be baking. And after an hour or so in the heat, they slip easily from their skins. I tuck them away in a jar, just waiting for my next salad.

But no matter what your thoughts might be on beets, you’ll want to hear about my crispy-delicious salad addition—spicy candied walnuts. This recipe has been with me for years, likely shared in some variation by a friend who would whip up batches to feed the masses. I’ve played with the spices, subbing in smoking pimentón and chili powder or even a fancy curry blend, depending on what flavor I’m going for. Sometimes, if my pantry is looking well-stocked, I’ll add a little maple syrup in place of the corn syrup. No matter what the variation, these candied nuts will be a star in any salad, making it substantial enough to feel like a meal. And don’t just save them for salads, they also make a great cocktail snack or a super-luxe addition to a custom nut mix.

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Candied Walnuts

2 cups walnut halves
Scant 1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Preheat oven to 325º. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well to coat. Place walnut mixture on baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes until fragrant and the sugar mixture bubbles.

Remove from heat and stir nuts to separate any large clusters. Allow to cool on the pan and store in an airtight container. They’ll keep for several days.

Would You Rather, have you played the game before? It is a game of comparison that we often play on road trips or a warm summers eve surrounding a campfire. Food is not the usual topic for Would Your Rather, but if it were, this is how it would go. Would you rather: a light, leafy, green salad or something stewed, steaming hot and smothered in sauce?

Here in Vancouver we are just coming out the other side of about 5 straight days of fog. No joke. Before that we had about 2 months of rain! Couple that with the fact that we are smack dabb in the middle of winter and the only thing that I want in my mouth is either braised, stewed, roasted, piping hot… you get my drift. Leafy greens aren’t going to cut it right now and let’s face it, they aren’t at their prime right now. I am not a salad hater, I just don’t want one that was cooked up in some hothouse and picked 4 weeks before it was ripe. Needless to say, a salad has to be some kinda wonderful to catch my eye.

So what does this mythical salad look like? It has to have a little staying power, nothing too light and fluffy. Bold, full of flavour, crisp and finally it needs to feel like comfort food. I like to think of this salad as all the fix’ns from Christmas dinner brought together into a salad. A vivid, crunchy, salty and sweet winter panzanella salad hits all the right notes and leaves you feeling like you have just eaten a meal.

This is a very flexible salad. Every time I have made it I have tried different variation and loved them all the same. The original recipe calls for panettone or raisin challah, however, if you can’t find any, switch it out for a nice french bread and 1/4 cup of  dried fruit, such as dried cranberries or raisins. If you don’t happen to have a pomegranate on hand, try adding some additional dried cranberries. I would recommend putting in the extra effort to get your hands on one, as the little seeds bursting with juice are a real treat. My final motification was to the brussels sprouts preperation, I have a preference for roasted brussels sprouts but if you are interested in speeding things up a little you can dunk them into a pot of salted boiling water for about 7 minutes. However, speaking from experience don’t skip soaking the radicchio in ice water. It helps to remove a little of the natural bitterness and leaves the radicchio crisp and plump. On a side note the recipe does half well. I like to prepare a full recipe of the apple vinaigrette and save half for a later dinner.

Winter Panzanella with Pancetta & Brussels Sprouts
Adapted from Bon Appetit (serves 8 as a side or 4–6 as a main)

Ingredients

Apple Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 Granny Smith apple cut into slices
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
8 tablespoons (about) apple juice
Course sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Croutons:
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1/4 cup butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Coarse sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Salad:
1 head of radicchio, halved, cored, thinly sliced
12 ounces 1/8-inch-thick slices pancetta, cut into 2×1/8-inch strips
1 pound small brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved lengthwise
Seeds from one fresh pomegranate (optional)
Dried cranberries (optional)
Coarse sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

For the vinaigrette:
Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt, then add the apples. Sauté the apple over medium heat, stirring occasionally until they are golden brown and have softened throughout. Scrap the apples and all of the remaining pan juices into a blender and allow them to cool.

Once the apples have cooled add olive oil, apple cider vinegar and shallots and purée until smooth. Slowly add the apple cider a tablespoon at a time until vinaigrette reaches a desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

For the croutons:
Preheat oven to 400F. Warm a small sauce pan, add butter and allow it to melt. Once the butter has melted add the garlic, sage and thyme and allow to cook for about a minute or until the herbs become fragrant but do not brown. Place bread into a large boil, evenly pour the butter mixture over the bread, tossing until all the cubes are evenly covered. Spread the cubes out onto a baking sheet, top with grated parmesan, salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 6 minutes stirring occasionaly until the croutons are golden brown. Set aside and allow to cool.

For the salad
Place the halved brussels sprouts onto a baking sheet, lightly toss with salt and pepper and a little olive oil if you like. Place in the oven which is still heated to 400F and roast for 15-20 minutes turning about half way through the roasting time. Remove from oven and allow to cool. In the meantime saute the pancetta in a large pan until crispy and lightly browned. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a paper towel.

In a large salad bowl combine croutons, brussels sprouts and pancetta. Remove radicchio from its ice bath, drain thoroughly and add to salad bowl. Add vinaigrette to salad, mixing well. Top with pomegranate seed and dried cranberries if desired.

You’ve seen those kits for homemade cheese, right? You buy the little box and make yourself some cheese? They have a few variations on these, I’m pretty sure I saw a mushroom kit as well as a few other fun options. Well, if you’ve been thinking about taking the plunge, I’ve got the perfect starter recipe for you today. Let me introduce you to paneer cheese, a mild Indian fresh cheese that you can make and eat in a couple of hours. It might be a gateway drug, I don’t know, but I’ve always had a taste for it that leaves me skimming the menus at Indian restaurants looking for the paneer.

At this time of year, I always seem to find myself with a myriad of ambitious ideas, “I’m going to do this, try this and cook this…” etc., etc. But this is one of those great ideas that you can tackle pretty easily. See, this cheese is simple. Chances are, you already have everything you need to make this cheese. All you need is about an hour or less of working time and the magic of cheese making could be all yours.

I often find myself thinking about Indian dishes in the winter. Something about the warm and spicy flavors always feels most satisfying to me during cooler weather. It’s also a pretty convenient time to try your hand at cheese making. I know you really don’t want to be outside right now, especially if you live in my part of the world. So a warm bowl of spicy vegetables with fresh cheese might be just what you need.

I count myself lucky to have spent time around several great home cooks who had a passion for Indian food and sharing the experience. It’s given me more than a passing interest in Indian food. But one of the most mouth-watering experiences I’ve ever had was at Rangoli in Vancouver. It is a casual Indian restaurant and they have this delicious mushroom and cream dish that I still dream about. Their plates have great combinations of flavors and textures and their starters are too good to be true—yes, I’m looking at you, cassava fries. So, when my sister, Tina, bought me Vikram Vij’s cookbook from his restaurants, I was understandably delighted. But she even outdid herself by buying me a spice box, full of all of the specialty ingredients listed in the book. Genius, I’m telling you!

Notes: I love the flavors of this dish with some plain white basmati rice. The vegetables have plenty of salt, so keep that in mind as you taste this dish. Once cooked, the salt balances out nicely with the mild cheese and some unsalted rice. Most of the spices in this dish are likely already in your pantry, and if you find yourself missing the asafoetida called for in this recipe, you can leave it out. It is also readily available online and is a good addition to your spice rack if you cook many Indian dishes. And while I’m suggesting that you make your own paneer, it can also be found in plenty of well-stocked grocery stores. 

Brussels Sprouts with Red Pepper and Paneer

Adapted from Vikram Vij’s cookbook

2/3 cup raw unsalted cashews
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
12 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1 large tomato, finely chopped, about 1 cup
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 pieces
3/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
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Preheat the oven to 375º. Place the cashews on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 3 minutes. Stir the cashews thoroughly so they do not scorch and bake for about another 3 minutes until golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts, cutting them into quarters length-wise. Prepare the tomato and bell pepper, chopping and setting aside.

In a large, shallow pan, heat the oil over a medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the brown mustard seeds and cook until you hear the first seeds popping, about one minute. Quickly sprinkle the asafoetida and cumin seeds in the pan and continue cooking about 30 seconds more. Turn heat down to medium, add turmeric, salt and cayenne pepper, stirring well and cooking about another minute. Be careful not to burn the seeds.

Add in the tomatoes and Brussels sprouts and stir well to coat. Cover with a lid and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the red peppers about cook for another two to three minutes, until the vegetables are just beginning to get tender. Remove from heat.

Just before serving, stir in the cilantro and paneer and top with the cashews.

Paneer

Also adapted from Vikram Vij’s cookbook

Makes about 1 1/2 pounds

1/4 cup water
1 gallon whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
Cheese cloth

Pour water into a large, heavy bottom pan. Slowly add in milk and sugar. Turn heat to medium-high and heat milk to a boil, stirring frequently. Since the milk can scorch quickly during this process, don’t leave it for long without stirring. Depending on your heat, this can take between 15 to 30 minutes. Once the milk is about to boil, quickly remove from heat and add vinegar. Allow milk to sit for about 5 minutes while the solids separate from the liquid.

Line a large colander or strainer with three layers of cheese cloth. Place the strainer in the sink and carefully spoon in the milk solids. Leave the paneer to sit in the sieve for about 5 to 10 minutes so it drains completely. Carefully gather up the edges of the cheese cloth and tie them together nice and snug to seal the cheese inside.

Place the paneer on a large clean plate. Fill a large heavy pot with water (I like to use the one I cooked with as it soaks) and place on top of the paneer to flatten it. Allow it to sit like this for about one hour.

The paneer can be used right away or will keep in the fridge for about four days.

Charlie and I are gunning for frozen peas to be officially named the best thing since sliced bread (here’s hoping that frozen peas actually came after sliced bread). In any case, I do believe that peas are the answer to most any weekday dinner conundrum. Charlie on the other hand just thinks they are a tasty snack for cats and will hightail it into the kitchen when he hears me removing the package from the freezer.

Lucky for me frozen peas aren’t as labour intensive as I remember them being when I was a kid. We used to pack-up and head out to the Robertson’s farm for what seemed like a full day affair. I have a bit of a mental block around how the peas were collected, that could indicate one of three things, firstly it was a labor intensive project and I really hated it. Secondly, I had nothing to do with it and finally, shelling peas was so much fun that I have blocked all other memories from my mind. The latter is likely where the truth lies.

Shelling the peas was by far the best part, not because we would all sit on a porch for hours manually podding peas, but because someone had managed to turn an oldtimey ringer washing machine into a pea podding device extraordinaire. In my mind I always credited this invention to my grandpa. He was crafty that way and it seems like a good fit. The whole process unfolded as follows; you would feed a whole pea pod in between the two ringers the peas would pop out of one side, falling into a big vat and the empty pods would come out the other side. It was like taking your life into your own hands every time you shoved a pea pod into that contraption! A small child could very easily get caught up in the ringers and I thought it was fantastic.

In my mind some of the greatest comfort food features peas. Mac & cheese with peas, spaghetti and sauce with pea, fried rice… you name it and I’ll likely want to have it with green peas. One such recipe that I often make is this quick and easy risotto. The peas and lemon bring a wonderful brightness to the dish and the bacon adds a crispy, saltiness that make this dish an ultimate comfort food around here.

Lemony Bacon & Pea Risotto
adapted from Gourmet | Serves 2 

3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
3 bacon slice, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2/3 cup Arborio rice
3/4 cup frozen peas
5 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
juice from half a lemon
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

In a medium saucepan bring chicken broth and water to a boil. Once the broth mixture has boiled reduce heat to low.

Cook bacon in a pan over low heat until crispy. If you rush this process on a higher heat the bacon fat will brown and leave your risotto a darker colour. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.

Quickly add the garlic to the bacon fat, stirring until it is pale golden, about 30 seconds. Stir rice into garlic until nicely coated. Begin adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time to the rice and stirring occasionally. Once all the liquid has absorbed, add an additional 1/2 cup of liquid to the rice. Continue adding liquid, simmering and stirring until the rice is al dente and the dish has a creamy texture, about 18 – 20 minutes. Reserve the remaining broth mixture. Add the peas to the rice and cook for about 2 minutes.

Mix in the grated Parmigiano, butter, lemon zest and juice. Stir until incorporated. Adjust the thickness of the risotto with the reserved broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with bacon and parsley.

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I can turn down a baked potato any day, but a potato baked in butter is another matter entirely. Make that a crispy stack of thinly sliced potatoes, scented with thyme, sprinkled with coarse salt and pepper and suddenly I’m rummaging through my potato bin looking for supplies!

True, I am not a potato fanatic most of the time. The main exception to that rule is early summer when the season’s first potatoes start showing up at the local farmers market. I sort through the baskets, looking for the smallest tubers to bring home for dinner. With new potatoes, the simplest preparations win my heart every time. But in the dead of winter, potatoes need a little help making it onto my menu. Mashed potatoes make a few seasonal appearances on our table. Sometimes they’ll show up in a soup or curry but not much else. But not so long ago, I saw a lovely little recipe by Molly Stevens on Bon Appetit. Cue the lovely, layered and crispy mini Pommes Anna. And let the potato rummaging begin.

Aside from the crispy bits of potato, which I will admit I do have a love of, these potatoes feature thyme. Thyme might even be the star of this recipe. Wispy little sprigs adorn the stacks of potatoes, as well as flavoring the butter. Thyme’s subtile earthy flavor seems to go with everything right now. Squash, sure. Anything with melted cheese? Yes, please. I can’t help myself from adding it to most anything I might be baking this winter. My poor little plant is barely keeping up with demand.

The classic French dish, Pommes Anna, is usually a larger cake that is sliced into pieces before serving. And it doesn’t get all fancy with the addition of herbs. But I loved the individual feel of these little stacks, which makes for a little more fussing while baking, but a lovely presentation at the table. And truth be told, these little bundles do pack a fair bit more crunch per serving!

A few notes: The key to success in this recipe comes down to equipment. A mandoline will slice the potatoes perfectly so arranging them in the pan is easy and pretty. It’s also helpful to choose small potatoes. I just went with stock on hand, but I think a little smaller potato would have looked nicer. And please don’t save these delicious bundles up for a special dinner, I loved them heated up and served with Sunday brunch.

Mini Pommes Anna with Thyme
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Adapted from Molly Stevens recipe on Bon Appetit

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
12-24 small thyme sprigs plus 2 teaspoons leaves
1 small shallot, chopped finely
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds small waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), the smaller the better
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Generously brush muffin cups with butter. Line the bottom of each cup with parchment-paper rounds.

Arrange a couple small sprigs of thyme in the center of each round of paper. Drizzle a little butter into bottom of each cup.

Add thyme and shallots to remaining butter in saucepan. Cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes until you can smell the herbs.Remove from heat.

Using a mandoline, slice potatoes into very thin rounds and place them in a bowl, discarding the ends of the potato. Pour the herb butter over the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss the potatoes to coat. Divide slices among muffin cups, building overlapping layers in a circular pattern. Gently press the center of each stack to compact and don’t be afraid to continue a little above the rim of each cup. They do shrink when they are baked. Drizzle any remaining butter and seasoning from bowl over the potatoes. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake until potatoes can be pierced easily with a toothpick or knife, about 35 minutes.

Remove foil and place a rimmed baking sheet upside down on top of the muffin tin. Carefully turn both pans over so the potatoes fall onto the baking sheet. Lightly tap the pan on the counter if needed to release the potatoes. Rearrange any slices that may have some loose. Using a metal spatula, carefully turn cakes so the thyme sprigs face down. Discard parchment. You can do this in advance, covering and chilling the potatoes for one day.

Increase heat to 425°. Uncover cakes if prepared in advance. Bake until bottoms and edges are golden and crispy, about 20 to 25 minutes. Check frequently as they can darken quickly. Carefully turn potatoes so the thyme sprigs facing up. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm.