Pesto Zucchini Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups zucchini
  
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  
• 1/2 cup pesto
  
• olive oil for frying

Directions:

Grate zucchini using fine cheese grater.
Place zucchini in a collander and allow to drain for one hour.
Mix zucchini, flour, pesto and eggs together until well combined.
Coat bottom of frying pan in oil.
Drop spoonfuls of batter onto hot oil.
Cook until lightly browned (~ 2 minuts per side).
Serve immediately.

Chicken Broccoli Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. broccoli
  
• 1 lb. chicken breasts
  
• 1 onion
  
• 1 garlic
  
• olive oil for frying
  
• 2 cups thick tomato sauce
  
• fresh basil, minced
  
• fresh oregano, minced
  
• 9 lasagna noodles
  
• 300 grams chevre
  
• 300 grams mozzarella, grated or thinly sliced
  
• freshly grated parmesan

Directions:

Precook lasagna noodles.
Cut broccoli into small florets and steam until nearly tender.
Peel and mince onion and garlic.
Stir fry onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
Dice chicken and add to onion and garlic.
Fry until chicken is lightly browned.
Stir minced herbs into tomato sauce.
Spread 1/3 of tomato mixture over bottom of large lasagna pan.
Cover with a layer of noodles.
Spread 1/3 of tomato mixture over the noodles.
Add half the chicken mixture, half the broccoli and half the chevre.
Follow with another layer of noodles topped with the remaining sauce, chicken, broccoli and chevre.
Cover with the third layer of noodles.
Arrange mozzarella over top of the lasagna.
Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until mozzarella is golden brown.
Slice and serve, sprinkling freshly grated parmesan over individual portions.

Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs aubergine, peeled
  
• 1 garlic, minced
  
• 3 lbs ripe plum tomatoes, diced
  
• 1/2 cup cream cheese, diced
  
• 3 tablespoons butter
  
• freshly grated parmesan
  
• olive oil for frying
  
• ground black pepper
  
• fresh basil
  
• 1/2 cup flour
  
• 1 egg, separated
  
• 1/8 cup dry wine
  
• 1/8 cup water
  
• grated lemon peel
  
• nutmeg

Directions:

Beat together flour, egg yolk, water and wine until a smooth paste is formed.
Let paste stand for two hours.
Whip egg white until stiff.
Fold egg white, lemon peel and nutmeg into batter mixture.
Sauté garlic in oil until golden.
Add tomatoes, basil and pepper.
Simmer tomato mixture for thirty minutes, stirring occasionally.
Slice aubergines into 1/3 inch thick slices.
Dip aubergine slices in batter and fry in oil until golden on both sides.
Line a large casserole dish or lasagna pan with tomato mixture.
Layer dish with aubergine, tomato mixture and cream cheese.
Sprinkle parmesan over top and dot with butter.
Bake at 350°F for thirty minutes.

Seafood Linguine

A truly decadent seafood linguine, simmered in a sun-dried tomato pesto and white wine cream sauce.



Ingredients:

• 4 servings whole grain linguine
  
• 1 pound live mussels
  
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
  
• 1 cup shucked scallops
  
• olive oil for frying
  
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
  
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
  
• 1 cup cooked lobster meat, broken into small pieces
  
• 1 cup shrimp
  
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook linguine until al dente.
Scrub and rinse mussels.
Place mussels and wine in a large saucepan with a tightly fitting lid.
Steam mussels over high heat until they open. (Approximately 5 minutes.)
Strain wine off mussels and reserve.
Remove cooked mussels from their shells, discarding any that have failed to open.
If using large sea scallops, chop into 1/2 inch cubes.
Stir fry scallops in olive oil over medium heat until they turn opaque (2-3 minutes).
Add cream and wine to scallops and bring to a boil.
Simmer until sauce thickens slightly. (Approximately 5 minutes.)
Add pesto and mix in well.
Add lobster, mussels and shrimp.
Continue cooking another 5-6 minutes, until everything is heated through.
Serve seafood mixture over linguine, garnished with Parmesan and black pepper.

Vampire's Bane Caesar Salad

The very first time I attempted to make a Caesar salad I followed a recipe from a book which called for one clove of garlic. (This was when I was still a child and had not yet developed my basic rules for cooking with garlic.) The recipe said to peel the clove of garlic, fry it in olive oil, cut it in half, take the two halves and rub them around the inside of a wooden salad bowl, then discard the clove!

Rest assured: This is NOT that Caesar salad!



Ingredients:

• 1 egg
  
• 20 grams anchovy paste*
  
• 1 garlic
  
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  
• freshly squeezed juice of one lemon
  
• extra virgin olive oil
  
• romaine lettuce
  
• bacon
  
• red onion
  
• mushrooms
  
• extra secret ingredient**
  
• seasoned croutons
  
• freshly grated Parmesan, Asiago and Romano cheese
  
• freshly ground black pepper

Notes:

* Trust me on this: Don't skip the anchovy! I know there are a lot of people out there who are squeamish about anchovies but, if you like Caesar salad, whether you know it or not, you like anchovy!

The addition of chopped pieces of anchovy on top of the salad reportedly was not included in Caesar Cardini's original recipe, but every Caesar salad worth its salt (including the original) does include anchovy in the sauce! Check the ingredients list on your favourite brand of bottled Caesar salad dressing. Ten to one it includes anchovy paste and/or Worcestershire sauce (which itself includes anchovies).

** flat fillets of anchovies, packed in extra virgin olive oil. In deference to my squeamish friends, I reserve these in the kitchen and serve them only to the appreciative who pass their plates into the kitchen to be finished off in true Polyphagous Dragon style.

Directions:

Cook bacon until crisp.
Squeeze between paper towel to absorb excess fat.
Set aside to cool.

Wash and dry lettuce.
Tear into bite sized pieces.
Chill.

Beat egg.
Beat in anchovy paste.
Peel garlic & remove hard bases from cloves.
Crush or finely grate garlic & beat into egg/anchovy mixture.
Mix in 3/4 cup Parmesan & lemon juice.
Stir in olive oil until desired thickness is reached.
Chill dressing in covered container.

Crumble cooled bacon.
Slice onion thinly.
Chop mushrooms into bite sized pieces.

Shake dressing vigorously, adding additional oil if necessary.
Toss lettuce, mushrooms, onion and bacon bits with dressing.
Top with croutons, freshly grated cheeses, pepper and extra secret ingredient as desired.

Smoked Salmon Pasta Bake

I was never a fan of "macaroni and cheese". Not as a child, nor as a starving student, nor a starving artist, nor a wilderness camper in the middle of Algonquin in the pouring rain with nothing else to eat. There's simply never been a time in my life when consuming those boxed dinners of macaroni noodles and powdered "cheese" product seemed like a good idea. When I recently came across Clever Karen's recipe for "Grown Up Mac n' Cheese" however, my eyes were opened to the potential of this (much-maligned-by-the-insta-food-industry) dish and I was inpired to try my own hand at a "macaroni & cheese" creation. This was the result.



Ingredients:

• 1 lb (dry weight) whole wheat rotini
  
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
  
• 1 cup tzatziki
  
• 150 g chèvre
  
• fresh dill
  
• 3/4 cup grated aged Cheddar cheese
  
• 3/4 cup grated Lancashire cheese
  
• 3/4 cup grated Montery Jack cheese with hot pepper flakes
  
• 3/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
  
• 200 g smoked salmon, torn into small pieces
  
• freshly grated parmesan

Directions:

Cook pasta until al dente.
Cream together ricotta, tzatziki and chèvre in a large bowl.
Stir in Cheddar, Lancashire, Jack & Swiss cheeses and dill.
Add pasta and salmon to cheese mixture and combine well.
Transfer contents to a large lasagna pan or other oven-proof dish.
Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Remove foil, top with grated parmesan and bake uncovered for a further 10 minutes.
Serve warm.

Crostini à la Dragon

My own take on garlic bread with the works. This is a favourite appetizer at my dinner parties, but the recipe is hearty enough to serve as a meal in itself!



Ingredients:

• 1 fresh baked, hearty whole grain baguette
  
• 1 oven roasted garlic with roasting oil
  
• 140 g chevre, room temperature
  
• fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
  
• sun dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
  
• roasted red pepper, cut into small pieces
  
• feta cheese, crumbled
  
• fresh grated parmesan

Directions:

Slice baguette in half and place both halves, cut side up, on a baking tray.
Drizzle oil from the oven roasted garlic over the bread.
Spread bread with chevre.
Pile on basil, tomato, pepper and feta.
Top with parmesan.
Place under broiler on low heat until parmesan turns golden brown.
Enjoy immediately.

Apple Strudel

This is a great recipe for using up some of the pulp left over from the process of juicing apples. I use a high speed juicer which presses some filtered pulp through with the juice. This can be shaken into the juice for a healthy, fresh-pressed drink, but when I need my juice a little clearer, I strain it a second time through a double thickness of cheesecloth and use the pulp from that filtering in this recipe.



Ingredients:

• 4 cups apple pulp
  
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
  
• 1 egg, beaten
  
• 1 cup chopped pecan pieces
  
• 1 lb. phyllo pastry sheets
  
• 100g parmesan cheese
  
• 1 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Assemble all ingredients before beginning to work with phyllo pastry.

Mix apple pulp, ricotta cheese, pecans and beaten egg together thoroughly.

Grate parmesan cheese. (This step should be obvious, I know, and I'm not receiving sponsorship for any product placements on this site, but the tool I have been using for this job is so cool, I have to share it with you.)

The Amazing Microplane Zester


This fabulous tool was a gift from my friend Pam. The Microplane is awesome for finely grating chocolate, hard cheeses, garlic and hard fruits and veggies such as carrots and coconut.


Grated food is collected in the Microplane's own little tray.


And from there can be easily decanted into whatever other container you like.


The Microplane created a full cup of fresh and finely grated parmesan cheese in less than 60 seconds!

Spread one sheet of phyllo pastry out onto work surface.
Keep remaining sheets wrapped in damp cloth.

Lightly and quickly brush phyllo pastry with melted butter.


Sprinkle grated parmesan on top of buttered pastry.


Repeat with two additional layers of pastry, butter & parmesan.

Spoon apple mixture along one edge of pastry.


Fold near edge of pastry over apple mixture, tuck in sides of pastry, and roll up.

Bake strudels in 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes (until golden).

Enjoy these pastries fresh and warm.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

This creation was designed jointly by my friend Sumaya and I and is based upon my green pesto recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 bunches fresh basil
  
• 2 packed cups sun-dried tomatoes *
  
• 1 garlic, peeled (yes, the whole thing!)
  
• 2 handfuls pine nuts
  
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  
• freshly squeezed juice of one lemon
  
• extra virgin olive oil to mix

Ingredient Notes:

* The sun-dried tomatoes should be moist. Sumaya and I have had great success with a variety which is sold vacuum-sealed in plastic with some moisture locked in. Oil-packed tomatoes also work nicely. (Unless the oil is pure extra virgin olive, drain the tomatoes well before use.)

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend, using just enough oil to mix pesto into a thick paste.
Invite your friends over to enjoy the wonderful aroma in your kitchen and sample your flavourful creation.
If there are any leftovers, package them into single portion airtight containers and freeze immediately.

To enjoy leftover pesto:

Thaw enough pesto for one use GENTLY.
(Be careful NOT to cook the pesto!)
Enjoy immediately.

Notes:

Pesto is a wonderful, versatile food, bursting with heart-healthy garlic. I enjoy our sun-dried tomato variety tossed with whole grain pasta and sprinkled with additional freshly grated parmesan.

Pesto

The herb seller in my local market knows me as "the basil lady" because, whenever my friend Sumaya and I get together for "Fest-o-Pesto", I am wont to clear him out of his stock.

A word on garlic and quantity: When I write "one garlic" I really mean the whole garlic (NOT one clove). Cooking with part-bulbs is for wusses. There are no vampires in my kitchen!

Ingredients:

• 3 bunches fresh basil
  
• 1 garlic, peeled
  
• 2 handfuls pine nuts
  
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  
• extra virgin olive oil to mix

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend, using just enough oil to mix pesto into a thick paste.
Invite your friends over to enjoy the wonderful aroma in your kitchen and sample your flavourful creation.
If there are any leftovers, package them into single portion airtight containers and freeze immediately.

To enjoy leftover pesto:

Thaw enough pesto for one use GENTLY.
(Be careful NOT to cook the pesto!)
Enjoy immediately.

Notes:

Pesto is a wonderful, versatile food, bursting with heart-healthy garlic. I enjoy it spread thickly on fresh, whole grain bread and topped with fresh tomatoes and Lancashire cheese.

Pesto is for sharing! Trust me on this one. If you consume this pesto, you will NOT be able to mask the scent with a swig of mouthwash or a sprig of parsley. You will breath garlic and you will sweat garlic! The only way to enjoy garlic and to still have friends is to share your garlicky creations with all of your mates. Then you will all smell the same!