Just the two of us
by Leanne Smoliak
“Just the two of us, building them castles in the sky, just the two of us, you and I.”
–Grover Washington Jr.
Getting old. Most people dread it. The Smos are loving it.
It is the time of year where houses are bursting with the craziness of the holiday season. It starts in November and doesn’t end until the last of the holiday ornaments are put away. Crazy with the insanity of baking, decorating, shopping, wrapping, cooking and entertaining.
Not at the Smos.
Yes, the Smos bake, decorate, cook and all the rest, but it is slow, steady, quiet and relaxing. Best of all, it is just the two of us. There is something to be said about having no kids around during the holiday season. Yes, we know Christmas is for kids. Perhaps one day we will have kids around again. For now, we are enjoying this time where it is just the two of us.
We are at that time in life where we don’t need to go out every night during the holiday season, a few well-chosen parties are all we need. Dressing up is still nice and seeing our friends is great but bedtime is 11pm at the very latest. Brad always laughs because it takes me an hour to say goodnight.
Our favourite part of the holiday season is staying in and having our own mini-cocktail parties. We pull out the stops and open our finest wine (especially bubbles) indulge in chilled oysters, paté or a classic jumbo shrimp cocktail, or feast on one of our favourite meals, cioppino, with an entire baguette. We are at a lovely stage in our 32-year marriage where we are never short of conversation. We still make each other laugh and love to talk about past trips or trips to come. The two of us are still making memories with each other and look forward to what 2024 has in store for us.
Cioppino for Two
This is the easiest, most romantic dinner dish we make.
| 2 T | extra-virgin olive oil |
| ½ | medium yellow onion, peeled and diced medium |
| 1 rib | celery, chopped medium |
| 1 clove | garlic, peeled and finely chopped |
| few | chili flakes |
| ¾ c | crushed Italian tomatoes |
| ½ c | water |
| 1 | bay leaf |
| 1 t | dried oregano |
| ½ c | dry white wine |
| 6 | large sea scallops |
| 6 | large shrimp, peeled and deveined |
| 12 | cleaned mussels (optional) |
| ½ lb | cod filets/white fish* cut into large pieces |
| 2 T | chopped fresh herbs (fresh basil, parsley) |
| kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper |
*any firm white boneless fish that is quite thick
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté, stirring often until translucent. Add celery, garlic, and chili flakes, continue to sauté for a further 5 minutes over low heat. Add tomatoes,½ cup water, bay leaf, oregano and wine. Season to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low stirring occasionally for ½ hour. Turn down to simmer, add the scallops, then the shrimp, then fish and the mussels if using. Give a stir and let simmer for about 5 minutes, or until seafood/fish has changed colour. Stir in fresh herbs. Serve in heated big bowls with a warmed baguette or Italian ciabatta bread and a crisp green salad.
Serves 2.
This is a mild, smooth paté, ideal with a fig jam-type condiment. Double the recipe and give some away as a hostess gift.
| 1 lb | chicken livers chopped in half (often found in the frozen section) |
| 1 stick | butter (chilled) + 2 T |
| 1 clove | garlic |
| ½ | white onion med dice |
| ½ t | thyme leaves |
| ¼ t | sage powder |
| 1 | bay leaf |
| 1 t | kosher salt |
| ½ t | pepper |
| 1 t | Worchestershire sauce |
| ¼ c | medium sherry or port |
| ¼ c | whipping cream |
| ¼ c | pistachios (optional) |
Melt 2T butter into very large sauté pan. Add chopped onions and smashed garlic. Sauté until translucent.
Add the chicken livers (take off any white fatty or gristly bits), thyme, sage and the bay leaf. Sauté for 7 minutes on medium low. Do not get any brown on the livers. Add seasoning, Worchestershire, sherry/port, and let reduce on low for 3 minutes. Add whipping cream, let reduce for 5 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes (no longer). Take out the bay leaf and place the mixture in the bowl of a food processor. Blend for 2 minutes, scraping down once. Add butter ¼ amount at a time blending in between. Blend until smooth scraping down twice. Taste for seasoning.
Add ¼ cup pistachios if using and give a quick whiz.
Pour into 2 medium short mason jars. Melt ¼ cup butter and skim any foam off. Gently pour clarified butter on top of paté, until it just covers. Leave behind any of the milky bits. Place a decorative pistachio on top. Put lids on top of the jars and refrigerate. Pate will last in the fridge for two weeks if it is not opened.
Leanne Smoliak’s greatest compliment came from her father-in-law: “She’s the perfect Ukrainian wife, she keeps a full fridge and a well-stocked bar.”