Even though Christmas is not celebrated in the Hindu religion, nothing is stopping you from drawing inspiration from the delicious flavours and aromas of Indian cuisine in an effort to put together a meal that will make a lasting impression on your loved ones and guests.  Here are a few ideas for an Indian-style holiday menu to help get you inspired!

To start off right, you can serve some savoury appetizers such as samosas.  These little triangular pastry pockets filled with meat, veggies and spices will have your guests convinced that the flavours of Bombay are the way to go! Accompanied with a little sweet dipping sauce, these little fritters are simple crunchy goodness!

Then, for your main dish, why not prepare a tandoori style chicken; a very popular dish in the land of Gandhi.  Even though the original version is cooked in a clay “tandoori” oven, there are other versions of the recipe that can be made in a regular oven.  Tandoori chicken is made with yogurt, garlic, ginger, curry, paprika, cumin and coriander. You cook it slowly to allow all the flavours to absorb into the skin of the bird.  Add seasoned vegetables, basmati rice and some warm naan bread on the side and you will give the impression of being on a gastronomic voyage of discovery.

For dessert, it might be interesting to offer your guests barfi; a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth Indian sweet treat. If you like spicy yet sweet desserts, try it and you will be won over completely… These little squares made with condensed milk, sugar, semolina, butter and cardamom are quick and simple to make.  You can also substitute the semolina with almonds.

So does that give you a few ideas to get you started? It’s guaranteed to be a special Christmas dinner like no other!  And no doubt you will get some rave reviews!

The Research Team

In the beginning the Yule log wasn’t a dessert, but an actual wood log which was burned in the hearth from the 24th of December until the new year. A really large hard wood log, or old stump, was chosen, preferably from a fruit tree, and it was decorated with ribbons. The head of the household then baptized the log with water and salt – and sometimes with wine.

Once the log was completely burned, the ashes were saved to ward off sickness and bad weather and for fertilizing the soil.

It’s said that this pagan tradition continued well into the final quarter of the 14th century in many regions of the world.

The dessert that we all know today: a cake rolled up with a generous layer of cream or fruit filling inside and covered with icing, was created in Paris at the end of the 19th century as homage to the old tradition. The dessert also became popular in many regions of the world and has now become a symbol of Christmas in its own right.

It remains to be seen if the tradition will maintain its popularity in the years ahead!  If so, what do you think the Yule logs of the future might be like centuries from now?

The Research Team

Rapini is originally from the Mediterranean region. It has been eaten in Italy for a long time, and it was actually Italian immigrants who introduced the vegetable to us here in North America.  That is why rapini is also sometimes called “Italian kale”.

Rapini belongs to the same family as broccoli and cauliflower, without having the same odour and taste. Every part of the rapini plant is edible; the stem and the buds (which resemble small heads of broccoli) are mild in flavour, and the leaves are slightly bitter

Rapini can be prepared the same way as broccoli; steamed, boiled, sautéed, or braised. The only difference is that it will cook more rapidly. Rapini is excellent in pasta with cheese sauce, quiches, and omelettes, also as a vegetable side-dish or drizzled with your favourite vinaigrette.

So does that inspire you to give it a try? This the ideal time of year, seeing as any good grocery store should have it in stock.

The Research Team

An interesting and rather funny legend behind the origin of the French name: topinambour; the natives in North America introduced the veggies (which they called sunroot) to the French explorers, who took it back to their home land to present  it to the king.  At the same time a Brazilian tribe was being introduced to the French court.  The name of that tribe….Topinambour!  Somehow in the confusion the king mixed up the name of the vegetable and the aboriginals from South America…easy mistake right?!

So how do you eat a sunchoke?

I use my rule of substitution here; meaning that when you come across a vegetable you aren’t familiar with and want to give it a try, first thing to do is to taste it. The taste of a sunchoke is similar to a nutty carrot, so logic dictates that you could use it however you would normally use a carrot, and will likely end up with slightly different and interesting results.  So try it in cream or broth based soups, cole slaws, salads, as a side to a roast, or a delicious root vegetable gratin.

Peeling is optional, but recommended for lighter coloured recipes like creamy soups.

Do you have any recipe suggestions for the sunchoke? Let us know!

The Research Team

One of the problems with the approaching holiday season is the speed at which it passes; often we don’t have a chance to really slow down and enjoy it.  The time with family and friends, good food and wintery fun all goes by in a flash!  So for this coming month I wish for you the ability to stop and smell the crisp, fresh air.  One of the ways we can recoup a bit of time is by putting our slow cooker to good use.  Not to mention the fact that the meals we tend to make with it are also perfect for this time of year: leisurely simmered and hearty stews, chilli, braised meats, and soups.  So savoury and so comforting!

If you are looking for inspiration, and motivation, here are a few creative ways to use the slow cooker:

-            Breakfast food!  You can make a decent omelette without much fuss, giving you time to relax with the family as it cooks. Just remember to grease the insides of the pot to facilitate cleaning.

-            Dessert!  How about an apple crisp in the slow cooker, or even a cheesecake? What’s your favourite slow cooked dessert?

-            Stuffed peppers?  Yes, it’s true, you can make stuffed peppers in the slow cooker, and the results are delicious!

-            Warm holiday drinks: a spiced cider or mulled wine turn your slow cooker into the perfect serving bowl.

I hope that give you a couple of ideas, on top of the usual slow cooker fare.

How about you, what is your favourite slow cooker meal?

The Research Team

Even though it is originally from South-East Asia, ginger is grown now in most tropical countries.  Many ginger lovers say that the ginger cultivated in Jamaica is the best.

Around the time of the Crusades, ginger was the most popular spice used in cooking. For thousands of years in China, ginger has been ground, and used in tea. But it was during the Middle-Ages that the use of ginger really hit its peak; while during the Renaissance that followed, the French tended to avoid using it, though it was still incorporated into Anglo-Saxon and Germanic cuisine.

Today ginger is used by the Chinese in everything from stir fries to candy, and they are counted among the biggest consumers of the spice. In Japan, it is grated and served marinated in sweetened vinegar as a garnish for sushi. It’s also popular in in jam form. In Scandinavian countries, ginger is particularly popular in chewing gum.  Here we tend to use it in a myriad of ways; from appetizers to main courses to desserts.

Perhaps this multifaceted root hasn’t yet revealed all its secrets. Grated, marinated, steeped, pressed, dried… the culinary possibilities are endless. What ways do you like to use ginger?

The Research Team

This specialty of the Lanaudière region of Québec, is usually served plain or with an icing sugar coating.  For those of you with a sweet tooth, it can also be eaten dipped in maple syrup, in caramel, or with a little sugar and lemon juice.  Nearly every family there has its own handed-down recipe for potato doughnuts. Perhaps you have your own too? If not, here is one that will surely meet your approval!

-            1 lb of mashed potatoes

-            2 Tbsp. vanilla

-            ½ cup butter

-            7 cups flour

-            2 Tbsp. baking powder

-            2 cups milk

Mix it all together and let it sit for 24 hours. Then using a doughnut shaped cookie cutter to cut a piece of dough and fry it in canola oil.  For a twist, you can replace the mashed potatoes with sweet potatoes for an even more delicate flavour.

What is your favourite fall sweet treat?

The Research Team

After a recent trip to Port Alberni, B.C., to meet-up with a world record pumpkin grower Jake Van-Kooten, who showed-off 650lbs example, I have a newfound appreciation for the gourd-like squash and its plentiful food options. By the way, the current world record holder is Chris Stevens’ 1,810-pound Atlantic Giant pumpkin. Amazing.

Aside from the typical usage of pumpkins such as: thanksgiving staples, Halloween jack-o-lanterns, chucking (a competitive activity in which teams build various mechanical devices designed to throw a pumpkin as far as possible) and pumpkin festivals, it’s such a great veggie to consume during the cooler seasons. With  nutrients like zinc, vitamin A and other vitamins, you can’t go wrong with pumpkin. If you’re looking for cooking ideas and versatility, go with the pumpkin instead squash or zucchini. Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers.  When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, baked, steamed, roasted and made into soups and purees. And of course, most of us love people Pumpkin Pie or roasted seeds.

In the Middle East, pumpkin is used for sweet dishes; a well-known sweet delicacy is called Halawa Yaqtin. In South Asian countries such as India, pumpkin is cooked with butter, sugar, and spices in a dish called Kadu Ka Halwa. In China, the leaves of the pumpkin plant are consumed as a cooked vegetable. In Japan, small pumpkins are served in savoury dishes, including tempura. And in Italy, it can be used with cheeses as a savoury stuffing for Ravioli.

Also, pumpkin can be used to flavour both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. If you’re looking into other examples of “Pumpkincraft”, opt for these ideas (and recipes): Pumpkin Tart, Creamy Pumpkin Puree, Pumpkin Clafouti (with Spiced Pear & Cajeta Ice Cream), Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes, or Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake, just to name a few. Be inventive.

This fall, when you hit the pumpkin patch to get ready for Thanksgiving and Halloween, think of doing more with your pumpkins than getting “down with the freaks and the ghouls”.

Richard

This characteristic has made Kale a favourite ingredient in some traditional fall and winter meals in several Nordic countries.

In the Netherlands for example, there is a wintertime meal called “Stamppot”; a dish great for putting some meat on your bones. It includes potatoes, sausage and kale as main ingredients.

The Irish have a traditional Halloween dish, colcannon, which also calls for potatoes and kale, and is usually served with sausages (apparently these three ingredients are a winning comfort food combination).

A Christmas buffet staple in Sweden, Denmark and Holland is the creamed kale dish called grønlangkål (usually served as a side to pork). Until the middle ages, kale was one of the most common green vegetables in Europe, and is still very popular there today.

In these traditional recipes the kale is boiled along with other vegetables, but this is not the best way to benefit from its amazing nutritional properties. Did I mention that kale is a wonder food? It’s right up there with broccoli!  The ideal way to cook kale is by lightly steaming it, or stir frying isn’t bad either.  Then you can toss it with a little Asian-style dressing, some toasted almonds and pepper flakes. So simple yet so delicious!

Are you already familiar with kale?  If so, how do you like to prepare it?

The Research Team

Let’s break it down:

Taproots:  These root vegetables are the usually long, pointy ones.  The most obvious one is the carrot, but the group also includes: beets, radishes, turnips and parsnips.

Tubers: There are two types of tubers, stem and root; they are defined as part of a plant that enlarges to store nutrients.  You may be surprised to learn that the potato (the most commonly known tuber) is actually a stem and not a root tuber.  They tend to grow close to the surface and even above ground.  The root tuber category includes sweet potatoes, yams, and cassavas (also as known as the yuca or manioc).  Interestingly enough sweet potatoes and yams, though the terms are often used interchangeably, are actually two distinct vegetables.  Sweet potatoes are lighter skinned and have a pale yellow flesh and are ironically less sweet than the darker skinned, orange-fleshed yam.

Preparation: There are probably thousands of ways that you can prepare taproots and tubers, but my favourite is oven roasting them. The prep time is minimal, and the taste of roots is really accentuated by this method of cooking.

What is your favourite root veggie?  And how do you like to prepare them?

The Research Team