Phyllo Chicken Prociutto Margherita

 

Another great dinner party idea that can be prepared in advance and popped into the oven when drinks and nibbles are served. I served this one with penne pasta and the terrific Roasted Fennel and Tomato Sauce shown in the photo.

Serves 4

1 pkg frozen phyllo pastry, thawed

4 large boneless chicken breasts

2 cloves minced garlic

1 cup melted butter

salt and pepper to season

fresh basil leaves

6 ounces fresh mozzarella

8 thin slices prosciutto

Begin by butterfly cutting the chicken breasts and laying them flat on the cutting board. Alternatively you can place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound the chicken out to a half inch thickness with a flat mallet. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and rub the minced garlic over the surface of the chicken.

Lay the prosciutto on top of the chicken, almost covering it, then cover the prosciutto with fresh basil leaves. Place a 1 1/2 ounce rectangular piece of fresh mozzarella at one end of the chicken and roll the whole thing up.
 
The phyllo sheets I use measure about 12x18 inches which I cut in half to make 12x9 inch sheets; I use 4 of these half sheets per chicken breast. Brush each sheet with melted butter and stack 4 of them together. Place one rolled chicken breast in the center of the shorter side of the phyllo sheets near the edge. Bring the two longer sides on the phyllo up over the ends of the chicken breasts and then roll the chicken breast up. (Similar to the method used to make spring rolls.) Place the wrapped chicken breast, seam side down, on a silicone or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes depending upon the size of the chicken breasts you use. I use a meat thermometer to test them and make sure that the temperature at the center of the chicken breasts is 175 degrees F or greater before taking them out of the oven. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with the roasted fennel and tomato sauce and your favorite pasta.

Roasted Fennel and Tomato Sauce

8 large ripe tomatoes diced
1 large fennel bulb diced
1 medium red onion diced
4 cloves chopped garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp crushed chillies (optional)
Salt and pepper to season
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 tbsp chopped chives
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Toss all ingredients together in a shallow baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F. Cook for about 60-70 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the fennel pieces are very soft and most of the liquid has cooked off and the sauce reaches a good chunky consistency.

Cashew Five Spice Baklava Bundles

   

This experimental twist on baklava was the result of trying to find a use for some phyllo pastry that was leftover from making my Phyllo Chicken Prosciutto Margherita. (Look for that recipe in the coming days) The only nuts I had left in the house were salted some toasted cashews, so in they went after a rough chop with a knife. They were absolutely amazing served warm out of the oven,

Makes 12

one pound frozen phyllo pastry
2 cups chopped toasted cashews
aprox 2 tsp five spice powder
aprox 1 cup melted butter

Brush melted butter onto a sheet of phyllo pastry and continue alternating the layers of butter and pastry until the stack is 8 layers thick. Cut into 3 inch squares and press into buttered muffin pans. Add about a couple of teaspoons of chopped cashews and a pinch of five spice powder to each pastry shell.

Create another stack of phyllo pastry brushed with butter, this time using only 4 layers. Cut this stack into 1&1/2 to 2 inch squares and place one square on top of the nuts and spice. Continue layering the nuts and five spice alternately with the pastry squares until the muffin pans are filled to the top. Brush the tops of the baklava bundles with butter and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops are evenly golden brown. Spoon the warm honey syrup over the bundles while still hot and allow to sit in the pans for about 20 minutes to allow them to cool and absorb the syrup before serving.

Honey Syrup

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Boston Cream Pie

 

Okay, so I cut this one a bit prematurely before the vanilla custard mousse was properly chilled but as sometimes happens, my anticipation got the best of me. I had been thinking of making a version of Boston Cream Pie based upon, as some of our Facebook Page members guessed, the one made famous by the Bread and Chocolate Bakery featured on one of Bobby Flay's Throwdowns on Food Network TV.

I don't have their recipe but used my own recipes for the different components of this now classic dessert. I was quite impressed by the eye catching inventiveness of the presentation and construction of their version and I've set out to replicate that vision in this adaptation. Here I've used my recipe for Perfect Sponge Cake as the base for this recipe because I love the lightness of the sponge with the custard mousse filling but you can easily substitute my very popular Best Vanilla Cake for a more traditional rendition of a Boston Cream Pie.

Recipe makes one large 10 inch cake or two 8 inch cakes.

Sponge Cake

Sift together and set aside:

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder

For the meringue base of the batter you will need:

6 eggs separated, room temperature

1/4 tsp cream of tarter

1 cup sugar, separated in 2 half cups

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon flavoring (optional)

Beat egg whites and cream of tarter until foamy. Add ½ cup sugar gradually until egg whites are stiff.

Beat egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until foamy and thickened.

Fold beaten egg yolks into the beaten egg whites along with the vanilla (and lemon) for only a few turns before slowly and gradually folding in the flour and baking powder mixture very gently BY HAND using a rubber spatula until just incorporated into the meringue mixture. I mix in the dry ingredients in 3 equal portions. Do not over mix, you just want the flour to be incorporated; over mixing will deflate the egg whites and result in a tough textured final product.

Pour into greased and parchment paper lined 10 inch x 3 inch round cake pan (or 2 eight inch cake pans) and bake at 325 degrees F for 30 - 40 minutes (25 -30 minutes for smaller pans) or until center springs back when touched. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Custard Mousse

Scald over minimum heat

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split with the seeds scraped out

You can add the vanilla pod to the milk as it scalds for extra vanilla flavour and take it out when the time comes to mix with the flour and sugar mixture.

In a small saucepan combine

4 tbsp all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt

Over medium flame slowly add the scalded milk whisking constantly.Continue to cook over medium heat until mixture begins to slightly thicken. At this point remove from heat and pour about a half cup of this mixture onto

2 slightly beaten extra large egg yolks

whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture immediately back into the pot, continuing to constantly stir. Cook for an additional minute or two until pudding consistency and remove from the flame.

Stir in

2 tbsp butter

Chill completely in the fridge.

Whip together to firm peaks:

1/2 cup whipping cream
3 tbsp icing sugar

Gently fold the whipping cream through the chilled custard until smooth.

Chocolate Glaze

10 ounces chocolate chips

3 tbsp butter

3/4 cup whipping cream, at room temperature

1 cup icing sugar

Melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat before stirring in the whipping cream until smooth. Finally, whisk in the icing sugar until smooth. 

To construct the cake, create a cavity in the top of the cake to hold the custard mousse. To do this, run a sharp knife all the way around the perimeter of the cake, about 1 inch inside of the edge, but only cutting half way down the depth of the cake. Similarly, cut a grid of lines in the circle created by the first cut. Using a fork, lift out the cubes of cake created by the cuts, leaving a solid base of cake underneath. Save these cake cubes for the top of the pie.

Spoon the chilled vanilla custard mousse into the cavity and arrange the cake cubes on top of the mousse.

Transfer the warm chocolate glaze into a large measuring cup and drizzle slowly all over the cake in a thin stream, taking care to ensure that all the cake cubes and sides of the cake have been covered. I stick strips of parchment paper around the edges of the cake plate to catch the excess, then remove them when the glaze cools. Chill the cake for several hours before serving.

Spicy Orange Fennel Salad

 

Through weeks of rain, drizzle and fog I still hold out hope that our barbeque season will start soon and put an end to what is shaping up to be the wettest June in St. John's since 1982, according to CBC weather-caster Ryan Snodden. When that day comes, this simple orange and fennel salad/slaw is great beside your favorite grilled chops or chicken; heck I'd even serve it with burgers. You can omit the chili paste if you prefer a bright, fresh side dish with out the spice.

1 small head of fennel, thinly sliced

zest and juice of one small orange

4 tbsp mayonnaise 

pinch salt and pepper

1/4 tsp crushed chili paste

2 large oranges, peeled and sliced

Toss together all ingredients except the orange slices. Cover and chill for an hour before serving with orange slices on top. Garnish with fennel fronds if desired.

Zebra Cake

 

This Zebra striped cake is a great one to try with the kids and much simpler to make than you might think. I've made it in 2 eight inch pans here but I think it looks even better baked as a single layer cake because the number of stripes would be doubled. I'll post another pic if I do that. 

4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup + 2 tbsp whole milk, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cocoa

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 eight inch or 1 ten inch cake pan.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder

Beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until foamy. Add the oil and milk and stir before folding in the sifted dry ingredients.

Divide the batter in two equal portions and the additional 2 tbsp milk along with the cocoa to one portion, folding gently until well blended.

Using 1/4 cup of the batter at a time,  begin by pouring vanilla batter in the center of the pan, then immediately pour another 1/4 cup of the chocolate batter directly in the center of the vanilla batter. Continue alternating between the two flavors, always pouring the batter directly in the center of the pan until all the batter has been used. This will allow the stripes to naturally form.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting and serving.

Roasted Tomato and Fennel Pasta Sauce

Today's recipe is a  terrific versatile pasta sauce that I love to serve with grilled chicken or lightly sauteed garlic shrimp. This is a perfect no fuss weekend dinner that takes next to no effort, as the sauce is completely cooked in the oven and needs only the occasional stir. It's the kind of thing I serve at the end of a lazy, rainy Saturday afternoon spent watching old movies with the kids. Add a bottle of chilled white Chardonnay for Mom and me and I'd call that the perfect end to a relaxing day.

Serves 6
8 large ripe tomatoes diced
1 large fennel bulb diced
1 medium red onion diced
4 cloves chopped garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp crushed chillies (optional)
Salt and pepper to season
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 tbsp chopped chives
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Toss all ingredients together in a shallow baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F. Cook for about 60-70 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the fennel pieces are very soft and most of the liquid has cooked off and the sauce reaches a good chunky consistency.

Perfect Sticky Toffee Pudding

 

This is the best Sticky Toffee Pudding I have ever tried. It borrows some of the best elements from a few different recipes for this classic and iconic British dessert. Sticky Toffee Pudding should be light in texture with a crumb structure that stands up when baked but collapses in the mouth to a dense, sweet, sticky, soft texture. This recipe hits all of those points and also has a perfect toffee sauce that soaks into the rich moist pudding lending yet another delicious dimension to this tempting dessert.

If you have a favorite pudding form or mould, feel free to use that and keep an eye on it while baking, taking it out as soon as the center is firm. It is better to err on the side of slightly under-baking than over-baking with this recipe. I have baked these in muffin tins, which for me is the perfect serving size for this very rich dessert. If you disagree, you can always have two; let's face it, you probably will.

Makes about 18 little puddings when baked in muffin tins. These also freeze quite well and can be thawed and reheatd in the microwave before serving.

To a small saucepan add:

8 ounces chopped pitted dried dates

1 1/2 cups water

Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for only a couple of minutes. Let stand for a few minutes while preparing the rest of the batter.

Cream together:

1/3 cup butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat in, one at a time, beating well after each addition:

2 extra large eggs

Add in and beat well:

3 tbsp molasses

2 tbsp golden syrup (or substitute dark corn syrup)

Sift together:

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in three equal portions mixing until smooth after each addition.

Puree the date mixture in a food processor or blender before mixing in

1 tsp baking soda

Add this hot mixture immediately to the batter and mix until smooth.

Pour batter into well greased and floured muffin tins and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes at 350 degrees F until the center is just firm. Serve warm with Toffee Sauce.

Toffee Sauce

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tbsp molasses

2 tbsp golden syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

Bring to a slow rolling boil for about 2 min before serving over the baked puddings.

Black & White Chocolate Chip Squares

Today's recipe is a little twist on a family favourite here at our house. These are soft, moist and chewy and just plain yummy. They have been a bake sale favourite for school fundraisers and must-haves at kid birthday parties for years. My mom has been making a version of these squares with coconut in the mix for longer than I can remember. I must have personally eaten thousands of them over the years.

Here, we have omitted the coconut and added white chocolate chips along with dark chocolate chips to the cookie batter. These are very fast and easy to make and the chocolate topping is no fuss at all, it is simply more chocolate chips that are sprinkled on top directly out of the oven and allowed to melt for a few minutes before spreading and swirling the two flavours of chocolate together, covering the entire surface of the batch. 

Cream until light and fluffy:

½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
Add
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Beat well.

Sift together
1 cup + 2 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda

Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, folding to combine well. Fold in

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4  cup white chocolate chips

Spread in a greased 9 inch square, parchment paper lined baking pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. (325 for glass bake ware) Remove from oven and while still hot, sprinkle evenly over the top with:

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Let stand 5 minutes before spreading and swirling the melted chocolate evenly over the surface of the squares. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Makes 25 squares.

Lemon Mousse - Our 600th Recipe!!

 

Today's recipe marks yet another milestone for Rock Recipes as we post our 600th recipe. Thanks to all our readers who have been so encouraging along the way; we look forward to sharing the next 600 with you.

A simple dessert recipe today and yet another one for the lemon lovers. It's a terriffic desert idea for dinner parties or summer barbeques because it is best made well in advance and is ready to serve with no fuss at all once well chilled. We like to serve it with some fresh berries; raspberries and blueberries are favorites at our house, as are the simple puff pastry palmiers that we serve with it to scoop up the luscious, silky smooth, tart and lip smackin' lemon mousse. If you are making it well in advance, like the day before, it can be made in a single large serving bowl and scooped into individual serving dishes but most often I chill it in the serving dishes so that it's ready to serve. As a bit of an 70's cliché serving homage, I've served it in wine glasses; after all many of my guests weren't even alive in the 70's and kids in particular think it's really fancy. Sometimes cliché can be fun. 

Serves 8- 10

Lemon Curd

In a mall saucepan combine:

6 lightly beaten egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

zest of two lemons, finely minced

1/2 cup butter cut into small pieces

Cook slowly over medium low heat for about 10 minutes stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the butter a few pieces at a time until completely smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill completely in the fridge.

3 cups whipping cream

4 tbsp icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Whip all together until semi-firm peaks form. Fold the lemon curd gently through the whipped cream until well blended. Spoon into individual serving dishes and chill for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Serve with fresh berries and palmiers if desired.

Palmiers 

 

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, about 12 inches square
1/2 cup white sugar

Sprinkle sugar over the entire surface of the dough. Lightly run over the pastry with a rolling pin, only enough to press the sugar into the dough. Flip the dough over and do the same thing on the other side.

Cut into 2 equal rectangles and stack on top of each other. Staring at the short sides, begin folding the dough from two opposite edges evenly toward the center, making an equal number of folds from each side and meeting in the middle, then fold the two sides together and cut this roll into about 8 - 10  slices.

Place the slices evenly apart on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Chill for about 20 minutes before popping them into a preheated 400 degree oven and baking until evenly golden brown, about 15 -18 minutes. Allow the palmiers to cool on the baking sheet before serving.

Tomato Parmesan Roast Potatoes

 

Here's a favourite  side dish that I like to serve with practically any meal. These were served beside some grilled strip loin steaks for a very hearty and satisfying meal for even the biggest appetites. The potatoes are oven roasted before tossing them in a quick tomato compote just before serving and finished with some Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6 - 8

Roast Potatoes

8 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes

Parboil the potatoes in salted water for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile in a 375 degree F oven, heat a baking pan of sufficient size to hold your potatoes without crowding them. A glass or metal pan is fine, as long as it is well heated beforehand. This will help to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the pan.

After parboiling, drain the potatoes and let them stand for 5 minutes. Then toss the potatoes with:

¼ cup olive oil (butter or other oil will work as well; a butter/olive oil combination is very good too)

½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp cracked black pepper


Transfer the seasoned potatoes, garlic and oil to the hot baking pan. These should sizzle as they hit the pan; a good indication that they will not stick. Roast the potatoes for about 45-60 minutes or until they are nicely golden brown all over, turning them every 15 minutes or so. After the first 10 minutes, give the pan a shake to make sure the potatoes are not stuck to it. When fully cooked toss the potatoes immediately in the Quick Tomato Compote and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

 Quick Tomato Compote

2 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
4 large ripe tomatoes diced
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to season
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional or adjust to taste )

Saute the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, oregano, brown sugar, salt, pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final minute or two of cooking before serving.

Lemon Meringue Cake

 

I've had a hankering to try my own version of a lemon meringue cake for a while now and I took the opportunity to indulge my love of lemon desserts when we had guests for dinner a couple of nights ago and believe me it was quite well received. I like a really intense lemon flavour in the lemon curd that fills this cake, so I have added lots of lemon zest to it. If you prefer a lighter lemon flavour, just reduce or omit the lemon zest to suit your own taste.

Begin by baking a good sponge cake. You can find my recipe for The Best Sponge Cake here.

Lemon Curd

In a mall saucepan combine:

6 lightly beaten egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

zest of two lemons, finely minced

1/2 cup butter cut into small pieces

Cook slowly over medium low heat for about 10 minutes stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the butter a few pieces at a time until completely smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill completely in the fridge.

Meringue 

 6 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat all tohether until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually beat in:

2/3 cup white sugar

This cake must be constructed on an oven-safe serving plate. Split the cake into four layers by cutting each of the two layers horizontally using a very sharp serrated bread knife. Fill the 3 center layers with lemon curd, cover and chill very well for a couple of hours or longer. Cover the entire cake with the meringue and bake in a 375 degree oven for just a few minutes to brown it. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Accidental Indian Barbequed Chicken

Today's recipe is a tale of two chickens. I had two whole chickens which I cut into parts to try two different barbequed chicken recipes; one using our recent Brown Sugar and Balsamic BBQ Sauce and the second, a simple grilled chicken that was marinated with the Indian Spice mix, Garam Masala. Each side of the grill was occupied by one of the two version, both which turned out to be quite excellent.

As I was glazing the the chicken on one side of the grill with the barbeque sauce I looked at the other side of the grill and thought: I wonder what the marinated chicken would be like with some of the homemade BBQ sauce?

At that very moment Spose stuck her head out the kitchen door and said, "You should try putting some of that BBQ sauce on the Indian marinated chicken." Well, I guess that little coincidence sealed the deal and I did exactly that. The result was simply incredible; so much so that I have been craving more of this chicken every day since. This is definitely not boring BBQ chicken! It is simply one of the most flavourful things I have ever cooked on the old gas grill. Let me know if you agree.

Find the recipe for the Brown Sugar & Balsamic BBQ sauce here.

1 whole chicken, cut into individual pieces and trimmed of excess skin and fat
1 clove finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp garam masala
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
juice of one lemon

Marinate in a Ziploc bag for about an hour before cooking completely on a gas or charcoal grill. in the final 10 minutes of cooking time, continuously brush the barbeque sauce in several layers onto the grilled chicken turning it several times during the glazing process.

Great served with a simple fresh summer salad and/or baked potatoes.

Fried Pies

 

The first time I had  a fried pie was many years ago at a county fair in Vermont as I was making my way back from southern Ontario during a bit of a meandering road trip. I remember buying some amazing smoked ribs from a burly biker type with a southern drawl, who was one of the many BBQ vendors there. As  I was digging into my ribs, I watched the biker's Mom in the next stall constantly dropping little pastry packets into hot oil while trying to simultaneously serve the line of about 20 people, queued up to purchase what turned out to be some very delicious fried pies. Her specialties were cherry, apple and peach and each one was absolutely delicious. 

With fresh cherries in the stores this week, I was reminded of these delicious little fried nuggets and set out to find a decent recipe for fried pies. Online opinions, recipes and reviews were a bit of a minefield but I finally settled on a combination of 2 recipes for the dough that worked out quite well and surprisingly did not absorb a lot of oil in the frying process yet was still flaky and crispy on the outside. Real fruit fillings are a must for these and I've promised number one son that fried peach pies will be the next filling once the best of the summer Niagara peaches become available.

Fried Pie Dough

1  cup milk

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups flour

1 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut in cubes

1 tsp salt

Whisk together the egg milk and vanilla and set aside. Mix together the salt and flour and cut in the cold shortening until crumbly. Fold in the wet ingredients just until a dough forms. Don't over work the pastry dough or it will become tough. Divide dough in half, form each one into 6 inch rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1/2 hour. Roll dough out to 1/8 inch thickness (careful not to make the dough too thick or it will not cook properly). Cut 6 inch circles out of the rolled out dough and pace a tablespoon or two of fruit filling. Fold the dough over the filling being careful to keep the outside edges of the dough clean. Press the edges of the dough together firmly using a fork to seal. 

Heat canola oil in a deep fryer to about 325-350 degrees F. Higher heat will cause them to brown too quickly. Fry for about 4 minutes or until evenly golden brown. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Sauteed Five Spice Apple Filling

2 Granny Smith Apples diced

1/4 tsp Five Spice Powder

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp honey

Saute the diced apples in the butter for a few minutes along with the honey and five spice. Cook until the apples are glazed in the reduced honey. Cool completely.

Cherry Filling

2 cups fresh pitted cherries

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 tbsp lemon juice

Simmer all together for about 20-30 minutes or until the juice released from the cherries is reduced by about half. Thicken the filling with a slurry of 2 tablespoons corn starch dissolved in a little cold water. Use only as much of the slurry as necessary to thicken the cherry filling.

Goat Cheese Bruschetta with Roasted Cherry & Pink Peppercorn Jam

 

Yesterday marked the opening of the St. John's Farmers' Market, which luckily for me is right around the corner in my own neighborhood. It is held at the Lion's Chalet on Bonaventure Avenue from 9 AM to 2 PM every Saturday during the season which goes well into the Fall months. 

Besides local grown fresh vegetables, an eclectic mix of other products are on offer, from jams to toutons to local authors selling their latest books. Amazing local crafts are also well represented, as are tempting baked goods; really something for everyone, an approach that has undoubtedly nurtured the huge rise in popularity of the weekly market over the last 3 years. Those early markets with just a few vendors in no way resemble the beehive of activity and amazing community energy that can now be experienced every Saturday morning at the market. 

If you're from the St. John's area and have not yet visited the St. John's Farmers' Market or even if you're a die hard fan, check out the 99 photos from this week's market on the Rock Recipes Facebook Page here.

While at the market, I finally met Adam Blanchard, the owner of Five Brothers Artisan Cheese, a locally sourced artisan cheese maker. This was Five Brothers first appearance at the market and by all indications a very successful one. I was late getting to the market yesterday because of number one son's early morning track meet and by the time I arrived they had already sold out of most of the cheeses they had for sale. Luckily though, I was able to snag a little of their latest product, a mild creamy goat cheese. 

Their goat cheese is less tangy and salty than many of the commercially produced goat cheeses I've tried and I'm assuming that has everything to do with the freshness of the product. Resisting the urge to slather it directly onto some baguette and scarf down the jolly lot, I decided to pair it with a savoury cherry jam on what turned out to be some amazing bruschetta. Slightly sweet and a little tangy, this oven roasted jam also gets a fruity and peppery note from some crushed pink peppercorns for a nicely balanced combination that compliments the creamy goat cheese beautifully. I can tell this one is destined to become a favorite canape when entertaining at our house.

Roasted Cherry & Pink Peppercorn Jam

Makes about 1 cup

2 cups fresh pitted ripe cherries, cut in quarters

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 tbsp honey

2 tsp crushed pink peppercorns 

pinch salt

pinch freshly ground nutmeg

Toss all of the ingredients tohether and spread in the bottom of a 8x8 glass baking dish (or any similar size glass baking dish). Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the jam is reduced to a tick consistency. Make sure you toss the cherry jam about every 10 minutes while roasting. Remove form oven and at this point you have the option of adding 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme to the jam...or not...it's delicious both ways.

1 French Baguette sliced

Toast the baguette slices and rub the surface of each with a freshly cut garlic clove while still hot. 

You can serve the goat cheese at room temperature or as I sometimes do, place it in the middle of a glass serving platter and place it in a 200 degree F oven for just a few minutes until it is just warmed.

You can smear the goat cheese on the baguette and top with a dollop of jam and serve or, as a different way to serve add a small glass dish of the warm cherry jam beside the goat cheese in the center of a large flat serving dish and arrange the toasted baguette slices around the platter so that guests can put them together themselves.
 

Brown Sugar & Balsamic Barbeque Sauce

If you've never tried to make your own barbeque sauce before, this recipe might just be a good place to start. My kids in particular love this sauce; number one son proclaimed it the best BBQ sauce ever. I use it in many different ways from a dip for hors d'ouevres meatballs to a  great standard sauce beside the summer grill.

It really does have some great flavours going for it; from the sweet brown sugar to the pungent balsamic vinegar and the smokiness of smoked paprika. The apple helps give the sauce body and is a wonderful background flavor in the sauce. I also use it as a glaze for Garam Masala Barbequed Chicken, which will be featured soon on Rock Recipes. In the photo below I have used it in a simple application on barbequed turkey thighs that we had for dinner last night.

1 large red onion, diced
6 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large apple thinly sliced

Saute all together in a medium sized saucepan until the onions and apples have softened. Add:

8 large very ripe diced tomatoes with the skins removed ( or a 28-32 ounce can crushed tomatoes)

Saute together until the tomatoes begin  break down and get mushy (or until the sauce is reduced by 1/4 if using canned tomatoes), then add:

1 1/4 c ups brown sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 tsp crushed chili paste (or 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, more or less to taste of either if you want to better control the heat)
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 whole nutmeg, finely grated
2 tbsp fresh finely grated ginger
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Simmer all together over low heat for about a half hour or until the sauce reaches the consistency of a good barbeque sauce. I like mine a little thicker than most because it is easier to brush on whatever is being grilled.
Store in airtight mason jars in the fridge.

Easy Homemade Naan

 

This is a basic plain naan recipe to which you can add other ingredients to make different versions. Some common additions are herbs, onions, garlic and even minced lamb or nuts and raisins.

 

Makes about 10 naan

 

1 envelope regular yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 beaten egg
2 teaspoons salt
4  cups bread flour (approximately)
1/4 cup melted butter

Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 cup water and sprinkle the yeast over the surface. set aside for about 10 minutes until the yeast gets foamy.

Mix together 3 cups of the flour with the risen yeast and all of the remaining ingredients. Knead in enough flour to make a soft dough and continue to knead for 5 minutes after that. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft free spot for about an hour or so until the dough is at least double in size.

 

Knead the dough again for a few minutes before shaping the dough into golf ball sized pieces. Cover and let these rise for an additional 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. 

 

Heat a cast iron skillet or flat grill over medium heat. An electric pancake grill on high setting also works well.  Roll the dough balls out to about 6 inch circles and cook each one in the unoiled skillet for a couple of minutes on each side until completely cooked through and lightly browned. You can brush them with butter as they come off the grill if you like. Hold the warm naan in a 150 degree oven as you cook the remaining flat breads.

Quick & Easy Butter Chicken

 

If you are looking for the definitive recipe for butter chicken, keep looking and good luck. There are many different recipe versions out there, geared to many different tastes. 

While most start with the essential ingredients of tomato, garlic, onions and of course butter, the spices and dairy ingredients can vary considerably. Some recipes use milk or cream, others yogurt and still others, combinations of all three. I like to use mostly yogurt and balance it with a finish of honey and cream. There are also many, many different spice blends under the umbrella name of "garam masala". I use one from my local South Asian grocery which I like very much but also to which I  add more of the spices I like best. 

My own recipe is one that is suited to my own taste and is really a dish that has been created from cherry-picking the best of several recipes that I have tried or read. Some recipes for example do not include cardamom which has become an essential spice in my version. The bottom line is that, like many dishes I cook, I use a good recipe as only a starting point from which I add to or subtract from to suit my own taste. I encourage anyone to do the same. 

Find the Easy Homemade Naan recipe here

Serves 4 -6

I use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe which I cut into bite sized pieces because it is faster than using whole chicken pieces and because I like to simmer the chicken in the sauce for a while before serving.  You can use chicken breast pieces if you like but simmering chicken breast for any length of time will dry it out considerably so you may just want to add it back to the sauce for only a minute or two to reheat it before serving.

Alternatively, (unless you lucky enough have a tandoor oven in your back yard) you can season whole chicken pieces with salt, pepper and garam masala and cook them completely on a gas grill before simmering them for a short time in the sauce.

3 tbsp butter

3tbsp peanut oil

6 cloves minced garlic

1 large white onion diced

In a large pot, over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic in the butter and oil until softened. Increase the heat to medium high and add:

8 large boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces

3 tsp garam masala

Cook completely through but do not overcook. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add to the pan:

6 large ripe tomatoes, diced

Saute the tomatoes until they break down and form a chunky sauce. Add the sauteed tomatoes to a large blender or food processor along with:

4 seeded green chiles chopped (if green chiles are not available, substitute crushed red chile paste or cayenne pepper to taste)

1/2 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt

4 tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 cup melted butter

Puree all ingredients together and simmer together until reduced by about 1/4. (If your sauce gets too thick or is too thick coming out of the blender you can add a little tomato juice or plain tomato sauce to thin it.)

Add the chicken back to the pot and simmer slowly for 10 -15 minutes. Finish the dish by adding

2 tbsp honey ( more or less to taste)

1/2 cup cream

Simmer for an additional minute or two before serving over rice or with naan.