New website

Dear Readers,

I want to thank you very much for checking out my food blog daily. I am happy to announce the launch of my website.

www.elenisculinaryjourney.com

This blog will no longer be updated. You will be able to view all your favourite recipes on my new site. Also, I am very excited to announce that Eleni's Empanadas can be ordered directly online.

www.elenisculinaryjourney.com

Kale and Chick Pea Soup

This Monday marked the beginning of lent for most Christians in the world as they prepare themselves for Easter. In the Greek tradition, some Greek people fast for the full forty days; refraining from eating any animal products. However, most will observe some form of fasting during the Holy Week. In our modern age we struggle to find vegetarian meal ideas because we are so use to consuming animal products such as meat, eggs and dairy. I must admit that I too fell in that category several years ago before explore the wonderful world of vegetarian eating. Often I hear my fellow Greeks say that they never know what to eat during lent and therefore fore go the whole experience or they simply can't stomach another bowl of fasolada. Here is a simple and hearty soup to fill all your hunger needs including protein and leafy greens.

1 bunch of kale, chopped
1 onion, diced
1/2 tbsp mint leaves
1 tsp thyme
salt
pepper
4 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup of tomato pulp
1 can of chick peas

1. Saute the diced onion in a medium sauce pot until they sweat a bit. Avoid browning the onion otherwise your soup base will be bitter.

2. Throw in the kale and cover to allow to wilt slightly before stirring into the onion.

3. Season with the mint, thyme, salt and pepper before pouring in the vegetable stock and tomato pulp.

4. Bring the soup to a boil before adding the drained and rinsed chick peas to the pot. Then turn it down to a simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Serve with your favourite crusty bread.

Peruvian Tilapia with Carmensita's Quinoa

As of late my favourite fish and grain pairing is Tilapia with Quinoa for a few reasons. The first reason is the texture of both the Tilapia and the Quinoa. Tilapia is a mild white fish that lends well with the fluffy and nutty texture of Quinoa. Another reason why a I prefer this coupling is that both Tilapia and Quinoa are versatile ingredients, therefore I can experiment with a variety of seasonings and flavourings. One more reason and perhaps the most important reason is the health benefits of eating both.

I discovered this pairing a couple of years back when my Mother-in-Law was visiting from Peru. As you may already know, Quinoa is an indigenous grain to Peru and while Carmen was here in Toronto she taught how to use Quinoa in my daily cooking. Here I marinated the Tilapia in Peruvian flavourings and the Quinoa has hints of the way my Suegra prepares her Quinoa.

Peruvian Tilapia

4 tilapia fillets
juice from 1 lime
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp aji amarillo
salt
pepper
2 tbsp avocado oil

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Place tilapia fillets on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

3. In a small mixing bowl prepare the marinade. Brush generously onto each fillet.

4. Bake the tilapia in the oven for 30 minutes.

Carmencita's Quinoa

2 cups mixed quinoa ( I used red and white)
4 cups of water
1 cube of chicken stock
1 red onion diced
1 small tomato diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp avocado oil

1. Place quinoa in a medium size sauce pan with the water and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and the reduce and simmer for 15 minutes of medium-low heat.

2. Meanwhile, saute the red onion, tomato with the garlic, cumin and oregano.

3. Once the quinoa is done cooking stir in the saute mix and cover with a paper towel and the lid of the pan. This helps to absorb some of the liquid from the quinoa.

* Serve this dish with your favourite green salad. I served a warm garlic and lemon kale salad. 

Ceviche Cups

The next time you are having guests over for dinner serve this refreshing appetizer. Ceviche Cups are simple to assemble. Basically you need a  pan of ceviche and a bag of your favourite scoop style tortilla chips. Not only is this a stress-free appetizer to make but your guests will licking the serving bowl and asking for more. The combination of the zesty citrus juices, spicy pepper and fresh cilantro allow the tender flesh of the tilapia fish to cure to perfection for a few hours before serving. You can make more of the ceviche according to the amount of people you are serving and it is also diet friendly for those guests watching their calorie intake.




Ceviche

1 tilapia fillet, cubed
1 lemon
2 limes
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
cayenne pepper (as much as you can handle)
salt (generous amount)
1/2 red onion, diced

Makes serving for 4

1. Squeeze the lemon and lime into a Pyrex dish. Mix in the minced garlic, cayenne pepper and salt.

2. Stir in the tilapia and submerge into the citrus juices.

3. Cover the tilapia with the red onion and cilantro. Mix gently and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.

4. At to hours into the curing process, stir the tilapia once more making sure all the pieces get submerged into the juices.

5. At this point I like to taste the salt content. You may need to add more.

6. To serve scoop the ceviche into the tortilla cups. Place about half of the ceviche into the scoops and the other half set aside for guests who are watching their carb intake.

Banana Nutella Loaf

I have always been a life long learner.  I decided to become a teacher because I wanted to be in an environment that would encourage professional development. Now that my career seems to be taking a different turn, I'm still finding ways to develop my cooking skills. As you may already know from my previous posts, I am not much of a baker however with the new year upon us in full swing I decided to making baking one of my new resolutions. Today I present to you my Banana Nutella Loaf. The original recipe comes from a follow blogger, Brown Eyed Baker. I modified the recipe slightly to accommodate for our dietary needs but I followed the baking instructions exactly and the result was perfect. My husband thought I had bought the cake. Imagine his surprise when I told him I had made it myself. He nearly fainted.

Try this easy and delicious Banana Nutella Loaf for Family Day.




1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 ripe bananas
squirt of lemon juice
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp light rum
6 dark chocolate truffles
1 tbsp nutella
1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup partly skimmed milk

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Spread a loaf pan with some cooking oil and then sprinkle in some flour. Dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess.

2. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In a small bowl mash the bananas with the lemon zest and juice. Then stir in the rum.

4. Melt the chocolate truffles with the nutella and 2 tbsp of the butter in a double boiler until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

5. I used a hand mixer for the next part but if you have a stand mixer that will be fine. Beat the 1 stick of butter with the sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Add one egg at a time until combined well into the butter mixture. Finally add the flour mixture a little bit of a time.

6. Pour less than half of the batter into the melted chocolate and stir well. Set aside.

7. Mix the banana mixtures into the remaining batter until combined well.

8. To create the marble effect for this loaf pour the chocolate and banana batters at alternative intervals, then swirl the batters together with a knife.

9. Bake the loaf for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a knife inserted deep into the centre comes out clean.

10. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack for 15 minutes before turning it over to remove from the load pan.

Yuca Frita

Yuca Frita or Yuca Chips are an excellent alternative to the Canadian favourite Potato Chips. Also known as cassava in other parts of the world, yuca is a staple in many South American homes. Although, this tuberous vegetable is a good source of carbohydrates it is not high in protein. A couple of weeks ago, as I was preparing for a Peruvian dinner I decided to add yuca chips to my menu. The main dish that I was serving that evening was Carapulcra. A traditional pork dish that is usually served over rice and potatoes. Since dehydrated potatoes in one of the main ingredients in the Carapulcra, I wanted to have a change of textures and flavours. I'm glad that I decided to experiment with this ancient root tuber because my Yuca frita were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. According to my husband, that is the perfect way to eat yuca chips.

1. Peel and boil as many yucas as you want. Bring the water to a fast boil for 20 minutes.

2. Remove the yuca from the boiling water and let them cool to room temperature.

3. Then cut them into 1/2 inch or thinner discs.

4. Deep fry making sure your oil is at 350F. Fry until the yuca float to the top.

5. Spoon out the fried yuca and place in a pan lined with paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

* I served them with a Black Mint Sauce called Ocopa.

West Coast Shrimp Stew

 Over the Christmas holidays I was pleasantly surprised with an amazing parcel that was sent my way from the West Coast. My friend Anne Fairbrother has been teaching in a school out West on a First Nations Community called Lax Kw'Alaams near Prince Rupert, B.C. http://www.laxkwalaams.ca/welcome.php
Turns out that their major source of industry is fishing and seafood products. In the parcel along side the gifties for the boys was this package of Shrimp and Crab Boil Seasoning Mix. As you may already know, I love receiving foodie gifts such as this wonderfully flavourful packet of seasoning goodness.

Seeing how we've been having such as blustery winter here in Southern Ontario, I decided to use my West Coast Shrimp and Crab Seasoning Mix as the base for my West Coast Shrimp Stew. What makes this seasoning mix perfect for such a dish the combination of spices and herbs that compliment seafood to allow their natural flavour to come through. The ingredients in this seasoning mix are: Mustard Seed, Coriander, Allspice, Dill, Red Pepper and Bay Leaves.

To complete my West Coast Shrimp Stew I added a few other ingredients.

1 cup corn
1 diced onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 red pepper, diced
1 lbs. cubed mini potatoes
1 lbs. shrimp
1 cup tomato pulp
Oaxaca Salt
pepper
4 cups of water



I sauteed the onion, garlic and red pepper until they were slightly softened. Then I threw in the potatoes, water and tomato pulp. I brought everything to a nice boil and then lowered to a simmer for 30 minutes. To finish this warm and hearty stew I added the shrimp and corn and continued to simmer for another 15 minutes to allow the shrimp to cook through.

Meegwitch Anne! For this wonderful little packet of yummy goodness. You gave our winter stew another layer of flavour.

Oaxaca Salt

Oaxaca Salt

Once in awhile I am pleasantly surprised by the gift of a food item that changes my cooking hence enriching my cooking and eating experience. A couple of months back I had the pleasure of cooking with Mary Luz Mejia and as I was reaching into my bag of ingredients for the Aji de Gallina, Mary stops me and says, "I've got something for you." I was intrigued. After listening to her riveting story about cooking in Oaxaca, Mexico at the Seasons of my Heart Cooking School http://seasonsofmyheart.com , Mary revealed this wondrous bag of salt. Perhaps you may know that salt once was very precious. In ancient times the Moors traded ounces of salt for ounces of gold. When Mary presented me with this bag of salt from Oaxaca, Mexico I knew that a new friendship had emerged. I felt grateful to be given this precious little gift that would season my food and give it flavour that would warm the hearts of my family and friends. Almost everyday I use only 1 tsp of this Oaxaca Salt as to not use it up quickly because I know that I may never get a chance to get my hands of this glorious gift from the Earth. Muchas Gracias mi amiga.

Salchicha Papa

Last night my husband and I were viewing different food videos featuring Peruvian cuisine and we came across a food trend that has been popular in Peru for many years. Often my husband will say to me, "Eleni, we have to go to Peru. You will love the food so much you will not want to come back." Perhaps he is right. Ever since being with Rafael I have embraced the cuisine of my husband's homeland and loved each and ever dish I have made or eaten elsewhere. The food trend that came to our attention was Salchicha Papa. For my non-Peruvian readers basically this dish is Smokies with Fries. Upon discussing this dish with my husband, he told me that it is all in the type of hot dog and sauce used to finish off the plate. After viewing several photos from various Latin American food blogs I quickly recognised the "type" of hot dog and decided to surprise my agapi with Salchicha Papa. To compliment the Cheddar filled Smokey from President's Choice and the golden fries I made a Peruvian inspired Slaw and two dipping sauces - Avocado Mayo and Takamatsu Spicy Mayo.

Peruvian Slaw

2 cups of coleslaw
1 tbsp of mayo
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
juice of 1 lime
salt
pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

First combine the mayo, avocado oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper in the bottom of the salad bowl with a whisk. Then add the coleslaw and cilantro before mixing. Putting the dressing on the bottom of the bowl will ensure that everything gets coated well with the dressing.

Avocado Mayo

1 ripe avocado
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbsp mayo
salt
pepper

Mash up the avocado in a bowl before adding the salt, pepper, lime juice and mayo. Then stir all the ingredients until you get a nice creamy texture.

Takamatsu Spicy Mayo

* While living in Takamatsu, Japan several years ago I often enjoyed a similar mayo concoction at the izakayas. When I came back to Toronto I tried to recreate this wonderfully spicy mayo through the years.

3 tbsp mayo
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1 tsp chili paste

Combine all three condiments together until you have a beautifully smooth consistency.

Turkey Tortiere

Turkey is not just for roasting or stuffing but can be used in a variety of dishes that asks for a meat source such as beef, pork or chicken. The Classic Tortiere is made with ground pork, however with staying with the ingredients of the season I decided to make a Turkey Tortiere. Luckily, I had filling left over from my Festive Empanada order which helped in cutting down on the prep time. After letting the pie crusts thaw, in less than an hour my husband and I sat down to enjoy a slice of this delicious Turkey Tortiere paired with Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
For the filling

1 1bs turkey breast
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 onion, cut in half
4 whole bay leaves
1 cup water
1 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
salt
pepper
olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 500F.

2. Lay the carrots, celery stalks, onion halves and bay leaves on the bottom of a large roasting pan.

3. Place the turkey breast on top of the vegetables. Bathe in olive oil and season with the sage, thyme, salt and pepper.

4. Boil water and immerse 1 cube of chicken stock in a cup of boiled water. Pour into the bottom of the pan.

5. Place the roasting pan, uncovered for 30 minutes at 500F to allow the skin of the turkey to crisp up.

6. Baste the turkey with the juices from the bottom of the pan, cover with foil or lid and continue roasting for 1 hours at 375F.

7. Check the temperature of the turkey. It should be 80C to 85C. You might have to roast for another 30 to 45 minutes to achieve the heat needed.

8. Set aside and shred the turkey when cool to the touch.

9. Meanwhile work on the stuffing.

1 cup brown rice
100g of bacon, sliced thin
1 onion, diced
8 cups boiled water
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
200g chopped pecans
150g dried cranberries
150g shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1. Brown the bacon in a deep pan or dutch oven until the fat of the bacon is slightly rendered. Add 1/8 cup water to the pan so the bacon doesn't stick to the pan.

2. Add the diced onion, sage, thyme and basil and saute for 5 to 7 minutes on a medium high heat.

3. Next, add the rice and 4 cups of the boiled water. Allow the broth to come to a boil, lower heat and leave the rice to simmer for 45 minutes. At 20 minutes into simmering add another 4 cups of water because the rice will have sucked up most of the water.

4. At the 45 minute mark add the pecans and shredded cheese. Turn off the heat and combine well until the rice becomes smooth and creamy. Stir in the cranberries at the very last minutes. Set aside.


Assembling of the Tortiere

2 cups turkey filling
2 pie shells
1 cup vegetable puree
1/2 cup boiled water

You can make the filling ahead of time, even a day or two ahead as I did for my empanadas.

1. Remove all of the vegetables from the roasting pan along with the turkey juices making sure to strain any unwanted bits from the juices. Place all the ingredients in a blender, add 1 cup of boiled water and puree. If the vegetable puree is too thick add another cup of boiled water.

2. Combine the brown rice stuffing with the shredded roasted turkey breast.

3. To add moistness to the tortiere add 1 cup of vegetable puree and 1/2 cup of boiled water into the filling. Stir together to combine.

4. Preheat oven to 400F.

5. Fill one pie shell with the turkey filling and cover with another pie shell. Brush the top of the tortiere with an egg wash so that your tortiere has a nice shine. Cut four slits in the middle of the pie shell on top in a cross design to make a vent.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. I served this delicious tortiere with roasted sweet potatoes.

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• High in manganese
• High in vitamin A
• Very high in vitamin B6

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 649 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  619 Calories from Fat  357

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  39.6g 61%

Saturated Fat  5.7g 29%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  51mg 17%

Sodium  1254mg 52%

Total Carbohydrates  43.7g 15%

Dietary Fiber  7.5g 30%

Sugars  7.9g

Protein  25.6g

Vitamin A 70% • Vitamin C 22% Calcium 7% • Iron 19%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet