cooking with mara and blair
Chef Mara Jernigan, president of Slow Food Canada, was in Edmonton as part of a country- wide tour to visit different Slow Food chapters. Edmonton’s chapter organized a friendly cook off with chef and NAIT culinary arts instructor Blair Lebsack. Blair put together a black box of ingredients, relying on greenhouses to fill the gap until fresh field vegetables are ready. “I popped by Strathcona and picked up some bison tri tip from Larissa Helbig at Thundering Ground. At Gull Valley Greenhouse the tomatoes were spectacular, also some green beans there, two cheeses from Lacombe’s Sylvan Star, some Irving’s dried cured pork and, at Sunrise, daikon sprouts and a pumpkin. Alan Dumonceaux (NAIT baking head) made couche (artisan method of proofing in mats, then baking in a hearth-style oven) with local Red Fife wheat. The mystery ingredient was salted freshwater lingcod liver. “It was salty and soft-textured, somewhat like an anchovy,” said Blair, “which Mara put to good use in a warm potato salad using some luscious fingerlings.” Visit slowfoodedmonton.ca for the next impromptu food get-together. Cook with Mara: Culinary Boot Camps at Foxglove Farm; farmchefblog.com.
sunday supper at the blue chair
Harold Wollin of the Blue Chair emailed to say, “Our Sunday dinner is starting to gain momentum. We started simply with roasts and potatoes, but have progressed to creations that my cooks, under the leadership of Karolina Kwaitkowska, learn to use different ethnic cooking styles and techniques to make great dinners. For instance, this week was a Moroccan theme with free-range bison keftes in lemon lime sauce, eggplant, zucchini and okra tagine with spicy tomato on couscous, with a salad and tea or coffee all in for $20. It’s a lot of fun and a great learning experience for all. We are going to try to keep it approachable and affordable. That’s our way here.” Look for the Sunday specials and musical guests at bluechair.ca. Blue Chair Café 9624 76 Avenue, 780-989-2861.
looks good, does good
Groovy industrial designer Karim Rashid is responsible for the great look of the Bobble, the new BPA-free, recycled plastic water bottle. Not only does it come in six different colours, the carbon filter is good for 150 liters. Replacement filters are only $9.50. At Dansk, 335 Southgate Shopping Centre. Bobble bottle with filter, $13.50.
it’s artichoke season somewhere
We’re starting to see the beautiful olive green globes in stores now, and yes, they are good for more than gilding — not just edible, they are delicious. We asked the Italian Centre for their spring newsletter’s recipe for Stuffed Artichokes:
| 1 c | bread crumbs |
| ½ c | grated Pecorino Romano Cheese |
| 2 | eggs |
| 1 T | parsley, chopped |
| 1 clove | garlic, minced |
| salt and freshly ground pepper to taste | |
| 6 T | olive oil |
| 4 | artichokes |
| 2 clove | garlic, sliced |
Combine bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and two tablespoons of olive oil in a medium bowl.
Mix together well. Wash the artichokes under cold running water. Cut the stems off, flush
with bottom. Cut pointy leaves off the top of the artichokes. Spread leaves of each artichoke out and push bread crumb mixture in between them.
In a pot just large enough to fit the artichokes, add the sliced garlic, two tablespoons oil and the artichokes. Drizzle the remaining two tablespoons of oil over the top of the artichokes. Add water to reach half way up the sides of the artichokes.
You can flavour the broth with peas, green onions and parsley. Cover and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the artichokes are tender and a leaf is easily pulled out, about 45 minutes. If liquid is evaporating too quickly, add a little more water. Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle a little of the liquid over the artichokes and serve. Serves 4.
find in the drawer
These colourful, non-stick coated knives with a superior hollow ground cutting edge come in two styles: a paring knife and a santoku. They have a handy matching sheath which means you can keep them safely (both for you and the knife) in a drawer. By Scanpan, at Dansk, 335 Southgate Shopping Centre: paring knife $14; Santoku $16.
our feelings exactly
Tania from Everything Cheese sent us this happy little video, of Dutch Beemster cows released from the barn for the first time in spring. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikfg6jW6Zbk.