"Chuck's Day Off" Wedge Salad & Halibut Po' Boy

Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing and Spicy Beer Nuts (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 head iceberg lettuce, outer discoloured leaves removed
  
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1 cup blue cheese (such as Stilton), crumbled. Set a few larger sized chunks aside for garnish
• 1 can of beer
  
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  
• Pinch of course salt x 2
  
• Cracked black pepper
  
• 1/2 cup pecans
  
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
  
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  

Directions

1. Put the bottle of beer in a small sauce pan and bring to a gentle boil, watching carefully so it does not boil over. Reduce heat to medium and let it reduce by about half (you'll need 1/3 cup + 1/4 cup of reduced beer in total)
   
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together mayonnaise, sour cream, crumbled blue cheese, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper to taste
   
3. Once it has cooled, stir in 1/3 cup of reduced beer, and refrigerate mixed dressing until ready to serve
4. Toast pecan halves in a medium non-stick pan until lightly toasted but not burnt
   
5. Add 1/4 cup of reduced beer, chili powder, brown sugar and a pinch of salt, letting it bubble up before reducing the heat and simmering until all the liquid had either absorbed or evaporated
   
6. Lay the glazed pecans on parchment paper in a single layer to cool and crisp up a bit
   
7. Quarter the head of lettuce into four equal wedges, and remove the core. Place wedges on salad plates, drizzle with the blue cheese dressing, sprinkle with the pecans and add some of the reserved crumbled blue cheese. Enjoy!
   

Fried Haddock Po' Boy (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
  
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  
• 1 bottle medium bodied beer
  
• 24oz fresh haddock fillets
  
• canola oil - 3" in a high sided frying pan
  
• 1 large baguette, or two smaller baguettes
  
• 2 Tbsp butter
  
• Iceberg lettuce for garnish
  

Directions

1. Place flour, salt & cayenne in a bowl & mix well
   
2. Ass the beer and stir until just incorporated. Mix no more than necessary to prevent dissipation of the bubbles
   
3. Bring your oil to 375 degrees, or (if you don't have a thermometer) heat until a crouton-sized piece of bread dropped into the oil immediately begins to sizzle.
   
4. Cut haddock into 3" pieces and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
   
5. Dip haddock into the batter and let it drain by holding it briefly over the batter bowl to drip before sliding it into the oil
   
6. Cook about 2-3 minutes on one side and flip over for an additional 2 minutes. You're looking for a golden brown colour and crisp exterior
   
7. Lift fish out of the oil using tongs and lay them on paper towels to drain
   
8. Cut baguette into 6-8" pieces and cut in half lengthwise. Open the baguette and spread a pat of butter across the cut side, then lay it cut-side down in a large skillet (similar to making grilled cheese)
   
9. Once toasted, remove baguette from pan and spread on tartar sauce before laying several pieces of fish on one side. Add lettuce for a nice bit of crunch, and enjoy!
   

.

Shrimp Curry with Spinach, Rice & Lentils

This satisfying and flavourful curry will have you coming back for seconds - maybe even thirds! If desired, the spinach, rice & lentil dish can even be made a day in advance and heated up in the microwave to break up the work... and you'll probably have enough of the rice dish to use on the side of a second meal.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 1 + 1 onions, coarsely chopped
  
• 2 + 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1 cup basmati rice
  
• 3 tsp Tandoori Marsala
  
• 3 tsp + 2tsp curry powder
  
• 3/4 + 3/4 tsp coarse sea salt
  
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
  
• 20 oz (2 pgs) frozen chopped spinach, thawed & with liquid squeezed out
  
• 2 cups cooked brown lentils
  
• 2 + 1 cans of good quality coconut milk, unshaken
  
• 1.5 cups diced tomatoes, either fresh or canned
  
• 3 dried hot chilies
  
• 25-30 large shrimp, peeled & deveined 
  

Directions: Curried Spinach Rice & Lentils

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   
2. Add olive oil to a large skillet and add 1 of the onions & 2 cloves of garlic over medium heat until translucent.
   
3. Stir in basmati rice, 2 tsp of curry powder, 3/4 tsp sea salt & ground white pepper and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
   
4. Add the chopped spinach and stir to mix thoroughly.
   
5. Stir in the cooked brown lentils.
   
6. Shake two of the cans of coconut milk to blend thoroughly, then add to the skillet and mix well with the rice, beans & spinach.
   
7. Pour the contents of the skillet into an oven proof casserole dish and cover, then bake for 30 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Serve with Shrimp curry (directions below).
   

Directions: Shrimp Curry

1. De seed the hot chilies, and soak in 1/2 cup of boiling water until steps 2-5 are completed.
   
2. Add vegetable oil to a large skillet and saute 1 of the onions and 2 cloves of garlic over medium-low heat until translucent.
   
3. Stir in Tandoori Marsala and 3 tsp Curry powder, and saute for 4-5 minutes more.
   
4. Add the tomatoes and stir well, cooking 2-3 minutes more.
   
5. Open the coconut milk, and skim off the coconut paste portion, leaving the watery portion in the can (you should be left with about 1/2 can of coconut "water" once you've removed the paste.) Add the paste to the frying pan and stir until melted.
6. Remove the hot chilies from the water and chop finely, then add to the pan.
   
7. Approximately 5-7 minutes before serving, add the shrimp and stir occasionally until each shrimp is opaque. 
   
8. Serve over Spinach Rice & Lentils.
   

Steamed Basa with Veggies and Noodles Romanov

We often think of this kind of meal as a "Sunday Dinner"... sort of the traditional meat/starch/veg, but in this case featuring fish and an interesting alternative to potatoes or rice. It has an added visual bonus in that when plated, the meal is entirely green and white... a fun idea for St. Pattie's Day I suppose, although we find it yummy any day of the week or time of the year!

Ingredients

• 4 fillets of skinless, boneless Basa (another firm-fleshed white fish can be substituted)
  
• 1 lemon
  
• A pinch + 1 tsp coarse sea salt
  
• 2 cups of brussel sprouts, halved
  
• 2 cups of green beans, with ends removed
  
• 3 - 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  
• Freshly ground pepper
  
• 2 cups of uncooked egg noodles
  
• 1 - 2 cloves of garlic
  
• 1 tsp butter
  
• 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
  
• 4 Tbsp grated  parmesan cheese
  
• 2 Tbsp fresh chives
  

Directions

1. The before-you-actually-get-to-cooking stuff: preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and bring two pots of water to the boil - one only half full and the other three quarters full.
   
2. In a large bowl, toss the brussel sprouts and green beans with the olive oil, freshly ground pepper and 1 tsp of coarse sea salt. 
   
3. When thoroughly coated, pour both veggies onto a baking sheet and flip the brussel sprouts so they lay cut side down.
   
4. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until they're softened and browning.
   
5. While the veggies roast, cut the lemon into thin slices and lay in an overlapping layer on the bottom of a steamer basket.
   
6. Rinse and pat dry the Basa, and place in the steamer basket overlapping only the thinnest pieces of the fillets if possible (for even cooking throughout). Sprinkle a pinch of course sea salt on the fish before popping on the lid.
   
7. Place the steamer basket over the half-full pot of boiling water and ignore it while you prepare the pasta. One of the great things about steaming fish as opposed to any other method: if you "overcook" the fish by leaving it on the burner for longer than the required 7-9 minutes it will only get more amazingly moist and flavourful. The steam will continue to infuse the lemon flavour into the fish and it's just not possible for it to become dried out or tough like oven baked or pan fried fish... it's perfect for those of us who are easily distracted when cooking!
   
8. Add the egg noodles to the fuller of the two pots, boil and drain when al dente. 
   
9. Melt the butter in your recently drained noodle pot and add the garlic, sauteing over low heat until just softened and fragrant. 
   
10. Add the noodles to the garlic & butter and toss to coat. Mix in the sour cream and stir until smooth, then sprinkle with parmesan and continue stirring until incorporated. Just prior to serving, stir in the fresh chives and enjoy your very green and white meal!
    

Simple Salmon Pot Pie

This salmon pot pie recipe goes from labour-intensive to "where's my glass of wine?" with the use of good quality frozen veggies and a pre-made crust.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
  
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
  
• 2 cups milk
  
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  
• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh dill
  
• 1 cup + 1/4 cup of shredded old cheddar
  
• pepper to taste
  
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  
• Aprox 1lb of fresh salmon fillets, deboned
  
• 1/2 pkg of Europe's Best "Nature's Balance" veggie blend
  
• 2 frozen deep dish pie shells
  
• 1 egg, beaten (only 1/2 will be used)
  

Directions

1. Rinse and pat dry the salmon, and lay it skin-side-down in an oven-proof dish. Brush it with the lemon juice and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper to taste. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until the centre of the salmon is opaque when cut.
   
2. Defrost frozen veggies, and squeeze any remaining water from the spinach portion of the veggie mix and cutting anything up that looks bigger than bite sized (like the pea pods). Set aside.
   
3. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Gradually whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 - 5 minutes. At approximately 2 minutes into the stirring time, add the minced garlic.
   
4. Add the milk no more than 1/4 cup at a time, being sure to whisk well between additions until no lumps remain. Once all the milk is incorporated, continue stirring for 5 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
   
5. Add 1 cup of the shredded cheddar a small handful at a time and whisk between additions until melted. Munch on the extra 1/4 cup of cheese while you're cooking, and be sure to share it with any kids or cats in your house.
   
6. Remove the sauce pan from heat, and stir in the pepper, dill and veggies. Remove the skin and cut salmon into 1/2 " chunks before stirring them into the sauce as well.
   
7. Fill one of the pie shells with the veggie & salmon mixture, and invert the second pie shell on top to make an upper crust. Wet the edges of each crust where they meet and pinch them together, and cut vents in the upper crust to allow steam to escape. A nice creative opportunity: use a cookie cutter to make your vents... who wouldn't be impressed by a salmon pie decorated with little cut out fish on top???
   
8. Brush the crust with the beaten egg and slide into a 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until the crust is golden and you're too hungry to wait any longer. Enjoy!
   

Roasted Vegetables and Shrimp with Mushrooms in a Sun Dried Tomato Marinade

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 2 zucchini
• 2 large handfulls of green beans
• 2 cups of mushrooms
• 1 bag of shrimp, defrosted if frozen, peeled and deveined
• 6 sun dried tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 Tbsp basil
• 1/2 cup of olive oil, separated into two 1/4 cup portions
• 1 Tbsp butter
• freshly ground pepper, about 1/2 Tsp or to taste
• sea salt, about 2 Tsp or to taste

Directions:

1. Rehydrate the sun dried tomatoes by soaking them in boiling water for 15 minutes.
2. In a food processor, puree the rehydrated tomatoes, 1/4 cup of olive oil, garlic, basil and pepper.
3. Spoon the tomato mixture over the shrimp and marinate for 30 minutes.
4. Peel the sweet potato, and slice into 1/2" disks.
5. Wash the zucchini and slice into 1/2" disks.
6. Wash and trim the ends off the green beans.
7. Place the sweet potato, zucchini and green beans into a large tupperware container and drizzle with 1/4 cup of olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, cover the container and shake to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.
8. (Since your veggies and shrimp probably still need some time to marinate, now would be a good time to pour yourself a glass of wine).
9. Spread sweet potatoes, zucchini and green beans onto separate parchment-lined cookie sheets and roast in a 400 degree oven. The sweet potato should go in first, followed by the green beans 10 minutes later, and the zucchini 5 minutes after that. Rotate the cookie sheets every 5 minutes, and flip the veggies over at least once in the roasting process. After the sweet potatoes have been roasting for about 25 minutes, all the veggies should be cooked perfectly.
10. While the veggies are roasting, clean and quarter the mushrooms.
11. In a pan over medium heat, melt butter and add the mushrooms and shrimp, along with any remaining marinade. Saute until shrimp is opaque and mushrooms are softened and begin to release their juices.
12. As the shrimp are just finished cooking, remove the veggies from the oven and plate them, then spoon the shrimp and mushrooms on the side. Serve with a dry white wine (assuming there's any left over after step # 8) and enjoy!

Hearty Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. butter


• 3 cloves of garlic


• 2 celery stalks, thickly sliced


• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped


• 1 sweet onion, roughly chopped


• 1 pkg of Ground Round


• 2 cans of mixed beans, drained and rinsed


• 1 can of lentils, drained and rinsed


• 1 can of chopped tomatoes


• 2 cups of vegetable broth

Spices:

• 3 Tbsp Chili powder


• 2 Tsp paprika


• 1 Tsp cumin


• 1 cinnamon stick


• 1/2 Tsp cocoa powder


• 1/2 Tsp chili flakes (or more, to taste)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat brown the chopped onions in butter until just softened. Add the garlic, celery and carrots and cover. Cook until carrots begin to soften, approximately 5 minutes.


2. Add Ground Round to the frying pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes.


3. While the Ground Round releases it's flavours, turn a large crock pot to high and pour in the beans, tomato and all ingredients on the "spices" list.


4. Add the vegetable mixture from the saucepan into the crock pot, and place the pan back on the stove over low heat.


5. Deglaze the frying pan with vegetable stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to pull up any caramelized onion and browned veggie bits. After heating through, add the broth to the crock pot.


6. Cook chili in the crock pot for 3 hours on high heat or 5-6 hours on low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove the cinnamon stick near the end of the cooking time.


7. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and whole grain nacho chips for a warm and hearty meal on a cold winter evening!

Spinach Salad with Fresh Fruit and Candied Almonds

Ingredients

• 6 cups of baby spinach, washed and dried
  
• 1 cup of fresh berries such as strawberries or blueberries
  
• 1/3 cup whole blanched almonds
  
• 1/4 cup superfine white sugar
  
• 2 green onions
  
• 1/3 cup crispy chow mein noodles
  
• Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

Directions

1. Pour sugar into a non-stick skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until it melts and becomes golden in colour.
   
2. Add the almonds, stirring quickly with a non-stick spatula to coat. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the almonds onto a small sheet of parchment paper to cool. 
   
3. Once almonds have cooled (about 5 minutes), break the candied almond clumps apart with your fingers.
   
4. Remove the stems from the strawberries, wash and quarter them and set aside. If using blueberries, simply wash and set aside.
   
5. Slice the green onions into either long thin strips or small rounds and set aside.
   
6. Fill a serving bowl with the clean, dry spinach and sprinkle the almonds, berries, and green onions on top.
   
7. Serve with chow mein noodles for crunch and lemon poppyseed dressing for an extra splash of flavour.