pasta – My Golden Apron

May 2018: Mish Mash Birthday Bash

May 29, 2018Eating Out, Greater Vancouver, Hello, Japnaese, Local Vancouver2 Comments

At Van Dusen Gardens : Enjoying the fine weather

Last month I caught a cold right around my birthday so I have only been taking it easy with updates on my Instagram

Missed my segment on Ms. Deborah Moore’s show last month; happy to be back on May 30th!

Somehow I still managed to sneak in a few good eats and attended a mish mash of fun events with my friends…

After seeing many pictures of her creations on Instagram, I finally met Keiko-san and tried her cute creations: the cutest and softest Mini cream filled bread which you can order through her website, she also sells her products at Farmers Market or Special events.

Birthday bash (first of a few) at Geng Shi Ji (Richmond)

Geng Shi Ji is part of a restaurant group based in Hunan, China. Located at Union Square (Capstan Way in Richmond), service is available in Mandarin and English, our server was very courteous. I asked for recommendations when I was making reservations, we ordered in advance the most popular dish is the Clay Pot Chicken with Pig Trotters; we enjoyed the dish with their Shanghai vegetable rice, the fried tofu was very crispy and overall the seasoning were spot on. I was advised their menu changes according to seasonality and availability.

While getting over my cold….

Book Signing event at Gourmet Warehouse: I met Nigella!

Attended the event with my food buddy Doc Rita at Gourmet Warehouse: A photo opportunity and a quick chat (1 minute) with Nigella when she signed her cookbook (still gushing …)

During my recovery, I went to Yi Fang (2-1725 Robson Street, Vancouver)

New Tea house from Taiwan: I’ve tried their Xin Yi Green Plum Green Tea and really like the combination: It is tart and sweet mixed in a flavorful green tea. Have yet to try their specialty drinks. I figure green tea is good for you (OO)

A little HOMECOOKING: Kaeshi for Shiso Plum Duck Udon

Kaeshi is the salt sweet sauce which is added as flavoring to noodle soup stock, mostly eaten with soba noodles.

I adapted the kaeshi recipe from Japanese soul Cooking (by Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat): 2 cups of soy sauce, 1/2 cup mirin and 2 to 2.5 Tablespoons sugar. (I have reduced the sugar from the original recipe which calls for 3 Tablespoons; I used Oshawa’s Nama shoyu (unpasteurized soy sauce), Eden’s mirin (no additives) and cane sugar).

My Shiso Plum Duck Breast Udon is a twist on Kamo Nanban soba, combined with my old duck breast recipe . The kaeshi was prepared the sauce 48 hours before, dashi base was made in the morning on the day; I also used the kaeshi to marinade the duck breast (kaeshi, plus green onion, shiso plums) for 24 hours, before pan searing them on my cast iron pan. The basic soup stock was skimmed and strained before I added the kaeshi, I then added King mushroom and Korean Singo pear for natural sweetness (that’s why I reduced the sugar in the kaeshi), bring it to a boil and adjust to low heat and let it simmer. The udon and garnishes (leek and radish shoots) prepared separately; The ratio is 6 cups of dashi to 1/4 cup of kaeshi for flavoring; I will post the detail recipe very soon.

Kaeshi: kept in sealed bottle (i used it up within the week – great for soup base and also as marinade!

Caught the Takashi Murakami’s exhibit at VAG:

Another Birthday bash ( at AutoStrada Osteria (4811 Main Street, Vancouver, BC): small plates great for sharing, walk in only.

Duck Sagne e Pezzi : duck and anchovy ragu, with sagne e pezzi (broken lasagne in pieces)…who would have thought duck and anchovy would go so well together?

Beets, apple, gorgonzola, walnuts and balsamic dressing..refreshing

Mom-in-law’s birthday bash (yes not mine) at Stem Japanese Eatery (5205 Rumble Street, Burnaby – reservations recommended)

Small plates for sharing, cozy atmosphere; they use in-season atypical ingredients (for example fiddle heads) from Farmer’s market and prepare in traditional Japanese cooking methods; taste and flavors are very clean and subtle, a really wonderful first visit!

Mixed Seasonal Vegetable Tempura – Batter was light and crispy

Takigomi Gohan – Staub Rice Pot with clams and fiddleheads : Japanese “aji”

Kohralbi Kimpira and mushroom with seaweed

March 2018: Italian Supper Club

March 27, 2018March 27, 2018Deb's KitchenLeave a Comment

Mangiamo! I also made my own grilled zucchini and eggplant antipasti !

When Italian home-cooked meal pictures start popping up frequently on my Instagram ; this means my dear old friend James is back in town for a visit; we always cook together wonderful rustic Italian dishes, and share with our group of friends, now aptly named Italian Supper Club.

Two evenings of fun and laughter with our friends; wonderful food and great company, Grazie everyone (OO)

Here are some of our highlights:

Antipasti (Mortadella, Parma di prosciutto, Grilled eggplant all from Cioffi’s),

Piave Mezzano Cheese (from Les Amis Du Fromage on East Hastings, a cow’s milk cheese)

Blood Orange, Fennel and Olive Salad (Slice thinly and layered, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt)

Cherry tomatoes salad (Sabina olive oil, sea salt)

Artichokes and Trofie Pasta (recipe here)

This is honestly the best artichoke dish I’ve ever had, and peeling artichokes is not as difficult as we imagine !!

Lemon and dill Brill sole (Fresh brill sole (bone in), lemon, olive oil, fresh dill – fish from Seafood City in Granville Island)

Groceries for Dinner II:

What is that can? Salted Anchovies (Available at Cioffi’s and Bosa Foods)…ready to be transformed..

Anchovies in Sabina olive oil, garlic and red chili pepper flakes , served with French Butter and crusted bread – heavenly! Thanks to my hubby and buddy James, they did most of the cleaning – salted anchovies cleaned in white wine vinegar, de-boned (removing the tail and dorsal) and layered in sealed glass container with extra virgin olive oil (we used the Sabina DOP from Italy, you need an excellent quality oil), a little red pepper chili flakes and garlic slices)

Roast Pork Belly (Coarse salt, sage, rosemary and five peppercorn): despite the initial mix up with the temperature (Celsius and Fahrenheit Difference LOL), the roast pork belly was very succulent and skin was thin and crispy.

Day before prep – pork belly crusted in salt mixture – salt draws the excess water out

Pasta Ceci (Chickpeas cooked with sofrito (onion, celery and carrots) and Gnocchi Sardi Pasta) – (dried chickpeas were used – soaked overnight)

RECIPE: Giampiero’s Trofie con Cariofi (Trofie Pasta with Artichokes)

March 26, 2018Deb's Kitchen, Italian, Pasta and Noodle, Recipes, VegetarianLeave a Comment

Italian Supper Club I: Here’s the very delicious Artichoke and Trofie Pasta Recipe; courtesy of my friend’s James’ Italian friend Giampiero ; Grazie and Mangiamo!

Ingredients: 2 Lemons 4 to 5 Artichokes (firm, tight, green, preferably Romanesco type)2 to 3 cloves of garlic, peeled 1 to 2 tsp Peperoncino (red chili pepper) flakes, 2 to 3 Anchovies (preserved in oil), 1-2 cups Warm Chicken soup stock (homemade or store-bought*), 1 cup dry white wine, 500 gr Trofie dry pasta, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano cheese, 3 to 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, sea salt (for pasta cooking and seasoning).

*Vegetarian stock can replace chicken stock to make this dish vegetarian; chicken or vegetarian stock cubes can be used also. Anchovies are used to “season” the dish so adjust the salt accordingly (OO).

TIPS: This recipe serves 5 (100g pasta each as an appetizer); the usual size 500 g package of pasta is good for 5 to 6 people, depends on what is being used to go with it.

We used the same recipe, omit the pasta and turn the artichokes into antipasti; we just quartered the artichokes and serve it room temperature. The lemon water prevents oxidation; it also removed the somewhat “muddy” flavor of artichokes and add brightness to the dish. Trofie pasta is selected as the shape goes with the sliced artichokes.

Method:

Zest the two lemons and reserve the zest in a small bowl for later use.
Prepare a large bowl with cold water. Cut the two zested lemons in half and carefully squeeze the juice into the water being careful not to include the seeds. Drop in the seedless peels in as well. The lemon water is to prevent the artichokes to oxidize.

3. Using a paring knife, carefully clean and trim the artichokes, pulling away the dark and hard outer leaves. Cut off the end of the stem, slice away the darker green outer layer of the stem. Carefully pare away any remaining dark green layer between the peeled stem and the edge of the base. Cut off about 1/3 to a half of the pointy leaf ends. Be careful when paring and not to cut yourself.

4. Slice the trimmed artichoke in half lengthwise and then into quarters and carefully remove the hairy choke, pulling out any pointy interior leaves in the process. Drop the trimmed artichoke (carciofi in Italian) in the cold lemon water and repeat the process until completed. When all of the have been properly trimmed and quartered, take each quarter and slice thinly lengthwise, returning the sliced artichokes into the acidulated water immediately.

5. Put a large pot of salted water (sea salt) on to boil.

6. Warm the chicken / vegetarian stock in the sauce pan; keep it in low simmer (this step will be omitted if you are using chicken /vegetarian stock cube and those can be added directly into the pan for flavoring).

7. Using low heat, add 2 (to 3 TBS) olive oil to a large saute pan or wok (in Italy they have a large rounded pan with a handle called a Salta pasta); gently saute the garlic and peperoncino (red pepper flakes).

8. Add the drained artichoke slices and raise the heat to medium, Stir constantly (without breaking the artichokes). After 2 to 3 minutes, add the anchovies to the side of the pan, carefully mashing them so that they completely dissolve in the oil.

9. Add the warm soup stock a little at a time (when cooking always add warm stock to avoid temperature fluctuations) and stir in the white wine. The stock will add another level of flavor to the artichokes; let hte mixture simmer in low heat. The artichokes will absorb the liquid, you don’t want the sauce to be “watery”.

10. While sauce is simmering, throw the trofie pasta in to the boiling water and cook for at least one to two minutes less than indicated on the instructions. Do not Toss the pasta water!

Trofie pasta purchased at La Grotta Del Frommaggio on Commercial Drive

11. Reduce the heat a bit lower (medium low) for the artichokes, cover and cook until the artichokes are almost tender. They should be al dente by the time the pasta is ready. Taste the artichokes and see if they need any salt, the anchovies should be enough for flavoring, otherwise add a little salt if needed.

12. Using a strainer or a spider to lift the al dente pasta out of the cooking water and toss into the pan with the artichokes. Add a ladle or two of the pasta cooking water (acqua di cottura), stir and fold gently to ensure the water mostly evaporates. The cooking water is what makes the sauce creamy!

13. Add a couple of handfuls of grated parmesan and pecorino cheese to the artichoke /pasta mix. Stir gently to integrate the cheese with pasta, then serve hot in individual bowls. Top each with some of the lemon zest, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and more of the grated cheese if desired. Mangiamo!

September 2017: Mangiamo bene in Settembre (We Eat Well in September)

September 19, 2017September 20, 2017For Your Information, Recipes, Vegetarian2 Comments

Mangiamo Bene! Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella and figs, homemade salmon pate and bagna cauda, just a few of the dishes we enjoyed on our “Italian Night”

Over the Labour Day long weekend, I spent a wonderful Sunday evening with my pal James, hosting a group of our friends together at my home to our famous “Italian Night”.

For the past three years I always look forward to March and September when my dear friend James returns from Italy to Canada for a short visit; we have a semi-annual standing ” Italian cooking date”, a tradition which has a very special place in my heart.

Sweet and Special Delivery with love from Sabina, Casperia, Italy

Cooking and sharing with family and friends is the most beautiful way to celebrate relationships and bring people together.

That night we talked, we laughed, we cooked, we learnt and we shared; the memories we created together are priceless…

To my friends who joined us this time (you know who you are), it was great seeing you all and catch up, Grazie! And to our dear friends who missed the gathering this time (you also know who you are), we missed you.

To my dear friend and teacher James, I look forward to our next “date” in March, hope to continue this wonderful tradition for many years to come and one day we will be able to cook together in Italy…Alla Prossima…xxxooo

Remember the most important ingredients you will need to create a beautiful meal….Patience + Love + Kindness + Gratitude

Bagna Cauda: an aromatic “hot bath” for fresh vegetables and bread

Have you ever had Bagna Cauda? It is a dish originally from Piedmont, Italy.

Fresh market vegetables, both cooked and raw, are dipped into a flavourful warm sauce, made of anchovies, olive oil, garlic and butter, enjoyed with scrumptious chunks of bread; this makes a wonderful sharing and wine-pairing dish for any dinner gathering, particularly during Fall Harvest Season.

I’ve only had this dish in restaurants twice here in Vancouver, once a few years ago enjoyed a Japanese “miso” version at Rajio (Izakaya on West 10th Avenue in beautiful Vancouver), and most recently a beautiful rendition at Osteria Savio Volpe.

Bagna Cauda (right) at Osteria Savio Volpe : my inspiration

It sounds very good already right? The even better part, it is not difficult to make.

The key to make a beautiful bagna cauda is having the freshest ingredients and you are already halfway there; the rest involves a lot of meticulous cleaning and chopping! Oh one more thing… a fondue pot will be handy to keep the sauce warm. I actually didn’t have the pot, so I just heated up the sauce right before dinner starts so it was ready to go when we were ready to eat!

I have roughly based the sauce recipe on Epicurious; for my version I have reduced the quantity of the butter and anchovies (trying to be more health conscious by reducing the fat and salt intake). Once you type in “Bagna Cauda”, you will be able to find many different versions for this classic Italian recipe (see also Food52 detailed write-up on its background and recipe).

Ingredients for dipping sauce: 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature), 6 – 8 cloves of garlic (chopped), 8 – 10 anchovies fillets.

Preparation: Blend the anchovies, garlic and olive oil in the blender until smooth.

Pour mixture into a medium saucepan and over medium low heat, cook the sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, you must pay lots of attention garlic burns easily, you don’t want to brown it. Before removing from the heat, stir in the butter until blended nicely.

Taste and season with pepper (if you like) and sea salt (if necessary, remember anchovies are quite salty).

Serve raw or cooked vegetables and bread; I prepared a tray of fresh vegetables (picture below) purchased from the farmer’s market: a selection of beans, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, cauliflower and peppers.

My version of Bagna Cauda: All the goodness in a Huge bowl – Fresh in season vegetables purchased at the Farmers Market

Stringozzi with Peas, Pistachios and mint sauce

We put all our friends hard at work this time making Stringozzi together!

Stringozzi is an Italian “peasant” pasta, the shape of the noodles resemble shoelaces; all you need is water and some finest Italian “00” flour (we used “Caputo 00 flour” – see Saveur’s magazine article)

The noodle making process involves everyone’s participation; our “pasta master” James mixed the flour and water and we help a little to knead the dough. The dough is then put in the refrigerator to rest (wrapped in plastic wrap tightly, rest for about 30 minutes to an hour). We then take turns pulling the dough until it smooth (this is the most physically demanding part) and you can feel the “elasticity”. When the dough is ready, we cut into small pieces and divided it amongst our group to “roll” out the pasta by hand. We have to sprinkle a little flour on the noodles when we gather them together to keep them from sticking together. The noodles are actually quite delicate and a bit chewy, my friends said they resemble a little like ‘handmade’ udon.

Prepare a large pot of salted boiling water to cook the pasta, the noodles actually cook quickly (just a few minutes) and you have to stir a little while cooking. Do not “crowd” the pot by putting too much noodles all at once.

When the noodles are cooked 3/4s of the way through, transfer to the large pan already filled with the sauce of your choice, toss gently together and let the noodles to finish cooking through. Please DO NOT toss out the pasta water, you will need to use it to adjust the thickness of the sauce.

Kneading, pulling, rolling and now ready to cook!

My friend James created a “pesto” sauce – a mixture of sweet gorgonzola, peas (we used frozen), basil and pistachios, all blended together smoothly in the food processor. The sauce was transferred and cooked in a very large pan, use the pasta water to adjust the thickness of the sauce, when pasta was almost ready toss them into the pan and mix well, let the noodles cook through.

In the past we have created Stringozzi all’amatriciana (click to see recipe on Serious Eats – Tomatoes (preferred San Marzano), guanciale, red pepper flakes, wine and pecorino romano cheese ) which is one of my all time favourite.

Peas, mint, sweet gorgonzola and pistachio “Pesto” with Stringozzi – Ricotta cheese can also be used for this pasta sauce.

Notes:

Unfortunately I don’t have a specific quantity for this pasta recipe; I came across a general recipe which is very similar to what we have created on this blog: Madonnadelpiatto

If you are ever interested in learning how to make pasta, my dear Italian friend Peter (Pastaboy) is a wonderful teacher, click on his name for more details.

Some of my go-to shopping places for Italian foods/ingredients in Vancouver: Cioffi’s, Bianca Maria (2469 E. Hastings, Vancouver), Les Amis Du Fromage and Oyama Sausage Co.

September 2016: Bella September

September 28, 2016For Your Information, Local Vancouver, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Fall is always my favourite season; I am always excited and grateful to welcome the harvest season and get busy in my kitchen!

This September is all about Italian food at our household:

Italian Home cooking with my friends James (househistorian) and Peter (Pastaboy), sharing the joys and love for Italian cuisine: Whenever my friend James return to Vancouver, we always have a standing appointment to cook together for our good friends.

Here is the composite photo showing our dinner. Top row left; deep-fried cauliflower, fresh, handmade orecchiette pasta, bruschetta with Sabina DOP extra virgin olive oil from Casperia.

Second row left to right: Insalata caprese with local heirloom tomatoes and bufala mozzarella. Orecchiette (handmade small ear pasta) with fava beans, peas, Gorgonzola (sweet) and half and half cream pureed and topped with crispy guanciale (smoked pork cheek), baked sockeye salmon (local!) with lemon and capers.

Bottom row Left to Right: An amazing bottle of Spanish wine, Spaghetti all’Amatriciana (remembering the earthquake in Amatrice), getting ready to make pasta dough with flour and water!

My trusting go to places for my supplies in Vancouver: Cioffis 4142 East Hastings, Bianca Maria 2469 East Hastings, Gourmet Warehouse 1340 East Hastings)

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img_2794-2 — Caprese Insalata: Buffala di mozzarella (a must), fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, sea salt and nice olive oil. We toasted some baguette (rustic Italian better), rubbed with garlic and drizzle with olive oil..Bruschetta!

The most thoughtful gift from my pal James: Sabina DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Casperia from olives grown and harvested from trees James can see from his home in Italy. Thank you again James!

We love pies: Gabi and Jules Handmade pies and baked goods in Port Moody

The newest artisan baked shop and cafe opened weeks ago in Port Moody; we were crazy and drove Port Moody one rainy Saturday morning, and the verdict? It was well worth the long drive from Vancouver! We had the apple blueberry pie: flaky buttery crust with generous fillings, the sweetness was perfect! I had the scrumptious cheese scone and my crazy husband had the peach cobbler muffin,

Their website is still under construction, they have great pictures on Instagram (@gabiandjules).

http://www.gabiandjules.com

Delectable Apple and blueberry pie from Gabi and Jules: We took it home and enjoyed with our friends.

Tasting and Book Signing event at Gourmet Warehouse: Lidia Bastianich

The great Italian born American chef, Ms. Lidia Bastianich visited Vancouver this month… I was absolutely thrilled to meet her in person, she is absolutely lovely…completely starstruck..

I got her autographed cookbook (included in ticket purchase), a picture taken and spoke with her for a few minutes about Italian cooking. Tremendous thank you to staff and event crew at Gourmet Warehouse for hosting the wonderful event.

I will be very occupied this winter and I look forward to sharing all new cooking tips, techniques and recipes with everyone.

http://www.gourmetwarehouse.ca

A one stop gourmet store located on East Hastings, filled with great selection of cookware, bakeware, ingredients and sauces from around the world.

Check their calendar for cooking classes and special events

And the Italian theme continues: Ask for Luigi revisited…first time for dinner

Finally made it to Ask for Luigi for dinner! It was an impromptu decision, we got there early on a Wednesday night (5:45 pm) and got it right away. It was meant to be (OO)

Ask for Luigi: 2015 Best Restaurant in Vancouver, located at 305 Alexander Street (Railtown), no reservations so get there early!

http://www.askforluigi.com

Cauliflower polpettes: with romesco sauce and hazelnuts: a very tasty vegetarian “meatball”…

img_3058-2 — Radiatore – chilli, anchovy and broccoli….I love their pastas!

Easy Pasta Suppers:

We all love having pastas for dinner, the sauces are usually easy to make, the ingredients are simple and easy to purchase, my focus is always on using fresh in season and local ingredients.

Broccoli pine nut pesto with gluten-free fusilli (Gogo Quinoa), Spaghetti and Zoodles (Zucchini noodles) all’amatriciana (San Marzano Canned tomatoes, guanciale (smoked pork cheek), garlic and Pecorino romano). I substituted the half the spaghetti with zoodles (love my spiralizer).

fullsizerender — Easy Sunday supper: Broccoli, pine nuts, dried chilli pepper pesto with gluten-free (GoGo Quinoa) fusilli and parmesan reggiano

Spaghetti and Zoodles (courgetti/zucchini noodles) all’amatriciana – It’s not entirely vegetarian as the sauce is made of guanciale (smoked Italian pork cheek) and San Marzano tomatoes (variety of plum tomatoes (sweeter, stronger taste and less acidic – available Canned in Italian food stores Cioffis (East Hastings). I’ve used heirloom tomatoes (in season now) and it was so delicious.

Good reads: The Italian Pasta cookbook is actually an old publication, the Chinese book is translated from a Japanese cookbook written by a popular and famous chef in Tokyo. I’ve been reading a lot more in Chinese lately, trying to learn the terms and cross reference.

Some upcoming Events in Vancouver:

September 29th – Sake Festival (consumer tasting in the evening), check website for information.

http://www.sakebc.ca

Farmers Market schedule and location will change at the end of October, winter market begins!

http://www.eatlocal.org

Eat Vancouver (October 4 to 7) – check out their website for events, there’s no market place this year but plenty of special dinners

http://www.eat-vancouver.com

Remember I took some sushi making classes earlier this year? Taka-san is back and he will be teaching on October 15th Saturday, please call 778-788-3574 for reservations.

Hello…Every day is a Good Journey

June 22, 2016August 31, 2016Cooking Classes, Eating Out, For Your InformationLeave a Comment

IMG_1837 (1)

Hello and how are you doing? After a two month hiatus, back to my regular schedule!!

Want to know what have I been up to the past two months? On Wednesday June 22nd, 2016 I will be on Ms. Deborah Moore’s radio show on Fairchild Radio 1470 at 10:30am sharp! Here’s an outline for the program (subject to change and not in particular order)!

If you have any feedback or recommendations, I would love to hear from you! Drop me a line anytime at goldenapron@gmail.com (OO)

WE LOVE FISH AND PORK: Father’s Day

Father’s Day menu: Oven roasted sablefish with mushroom “jus”, sea asparagus, nori and green onion, steamed broccoli and roasted brussel sprouts, sister in law’s potato salad, deep fried pork cutlet “cubes” with spicy sweet and sour tomato sauce (think outside of the box), Fresh shrimp and garlic stem ‘scramble”, and a side of healthy wild rice blend.

Recipe: Sake Kasu and Miso Sablefish (black cod): (See other posting for recipe)

IMG_2137 (1) — Homemade: Oven roasted Sable fish with shiitake/shimeji “jus” , bok choy, sea asparagus, nori and green onion

My sources: Seafood City (Granville Island), Fujiya (Clark Drive, Vancouver), Vancouver Island Salt Company…

Check out Betty King Sauce (www.bettykingsauce.com) if you want a spicy kick for any dishes!

The return of sushi bars to Vancouver: Sushi Maumi (1226 Bute Street (and Davie)

For nigiri sushi lovers only; a small 10-seat restaurant, reservations required (three sittings 6 , 730 and 9), fresh fish from Japan and I love their anago tempura!

http://www.facebook.com/sushibarmaumi

Rustic Italian Fare: Osteria Salvio Volpe (Fraser and Kingsway)

Rustic Italian food focus on family style dining, fresh pasta and meats cooked in wood fire grill, love their roast chicken! Simple rustic tasty foods, friendly service and great atmosphere. Reservations recommended.

http://www.saviovolpe.com

Bingsoo time! We love desserts in Vancouver: Snowy Village (two locations; Robson Street in Vancouver and Alexandra Road in Richmond)

My hubby loves their bingsoos and we have been back four times already…

RECIPE: WAFU Tomato Orzo Soup

January 19, 2016January 19, 2016Deb's Kitchen, Recipes, Stews and Soups, VegetarianLeave a Comment

Post holiday season “cleanse” at home with lots of soup and vegetables….I have used this tomato soup base for different dishes (seafood pot, hot-pot base, just to name a couple); today I add orzo and kale, it turns into a healthy wholesome meal… Enjoy (OO)!

Serves 2-4

Ingredients: 8 medium tomatoes (vine tomatoes for this recipe), 1 clove of garlic (peeled and finely minced), 1 large onion (thinly sliced), 2 Tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, 4 cups of katsuobushi dashi, 1/2 cup of orzo (or pasta of your choice), 1-2 Tablespoon white miso, 2 Tablespoons of kaeshi (see recipe under “Vegetable Curry Udon), kosher salt (to season tomatoes for roasting), kale (handful, stalks removed and finely chopped), savoury seaweed flakes (for garnish).

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare the tomatoes: wash, core and cut them into halves, toss in 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, lightly seasoned with kosher salt, lay them evenly on baking tray, roast them for 25 to 35 minutes, or until caramelized. Remove from oven, set aside and let them cool.
Prepare the onions (thinly sliced) and garlic (peeled and finely minced).
Prepare katsuobushi dashi broth (can be done 1 to 2 days ahead, reheat refrigerated broth and keep it warm for later use, use kombu broth only to make it entirely vegetarian).
In large pot, using medium high heat, heat remaining Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, saute onions, stirring constantly, until onions become soft and turn translucent. Add the 1 Tablespoon of miso to the onions, continue to cook, stirring constantly and mix well, do not burn the miso.
Add the roasted tomatoes to mixture, stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add warm dashi broth and 2 Tablespoons of kaeshi to the pot, scrape the bottom, cook for 2 to 3 minutes and bring to a boil. Skim off any fat or scum from the mixture, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 25 – 30 minutes.
Prepare the kale for garnish.
When soup is almost ready, boil water in a different pot to cook the pasta (usually 100 grams of pasta to 1 litre of water), add kosher salt to boiling water, then add the orzo and cook according to instructions.
Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup (if necessary), put orzo pasta into bowl, ladle the soup, garnish with chopped kale and seaweed flakes, now ready to serve and enjoy!

Note:

I have used the Rustichella d’Abruzzo’s orzo pasta for my recipe (available at Gourmet Warehouse on East Hastings, Vancouver, BC), the savory seaweed flakes is from Cornish Sea Salt Co (also available at Gourmet Warehouse).

See “Vegetable curry udon” for kaeshi recipe – I have used the kaeshi (instead of just soy sauce and mirin) which I made for the curry udon as seasoning; you can even add a dash of sake when cooking the onions and tomatoes, add red chili pepper flakes to make it spicy, be creative!

Katsuobushi dashi broth – made with kelp and dried bonito flakes

I added leftover cauliflower to the soup and use less orzo, it is always a great idea to have more vegetables.

http://www.gourmetwarehouse.ca

http://www.rustichella.it

July 22nd, 2015 Radio Show

July 21, 2015August 18, 2015For Your InformationLeave a Comment

I just cannot believe it’s July already! My web page redesign is still in the works, it is taking much longer than expected, meanwhile you can find my updates on Instagram (@mygoldenapron) and Twitter (@GoldenApron).

I will be on Ms. Deborah Moore’s radio show on AM1470 this morning 10:30am sharp! Really look forward to chat with her about food and anything else! Content is subject to change, depends on the flow of the program. Thank you very much for tuning in!

Vegetarian “Bolognese”: idea based on Ochikeron’s recipe (my posting coming soon)

http://www.createeathappy.blogspot.ca

Besides “Cooking with Dog“, I’ve been following Ochikeron on Youtube for a while, remember the whole tomato rice? She’s the one who started the craze ! Check my old posting: http://www.mygoldenapron.com/2014/11/18/recipe-wafu-whole-tomato-rice/

Three kinds of mushrooms (shiitake, shimeji, enoki), tomatoes, onion, carrot, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, olive oil and Miso! I had the bolognese with my favourite GOGO quinoa and rice spaghetti (gluten free/vegetarian/organic), served on my dinner plate created in pottery class!

Serendipity: Nicli’s Next Door

When is a mistake not a mistake? When you are blessed by serendipity. We were going to try Nicli’s pizzeria, and we went in the “wrong” door..it was the best thing ever happened…sei bellisima. (Great tasting food and service: Actual blog post coming soon) #niclisnextdoor

http://www.niclisnextdoor.com

Crostino, mushroom ragu, house-made ricotta, aged balsamic..we had two orders..

Zeppole donuts, local rhubarb glaze, shaved white chocolate, ridiculously delicious

It’s not always about the newest thing in town: I really believe #Hachibei on West 16th serves the best “Gindara Teishoku” in Vancouver! Great flavor, generous portion of black cod, the best taste and value in town. It’s a small home style restaurant, you must get there early as this set is limited in quantity, open Monday to Saturday dinner only.

http://www.hachibei.ca

Deep Cove: Cafe Orso, you never know what you will find on Instagram.

Picture: avocado toast (Nelson the Seagull Bread and curried coconut apple preserve),

European Inspired, Locally sourced Cafe Orso

http://www.cafeorso.ca

Childhood Hobby a major comeback: Colouring books for Adults

Besides cooking, what else do I like to do at home to relax? Colouring brings back wonderful childhood memories. This maybe the latest trend, I’m colouring because I love it, I’m sure glad an old school hobby is making a comeback.

http://www.johannabasford.com/book/4

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/none/paris/9780316265829

Pasta Class with Peter Ciuffa, Pasta Famiglia : Gnocchi Another fun-filled evening with Peter Ciuffa (Thank you!), learning how to prepare gnocchi at a photo studio in East Vancouver; check his website for class updates or follow him on Instagram!

http://www.pastafamiglia.ca

What’s Happening around town?

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/07/vancouver-food-events-august/

June 24th, 2015 Radio Show

June 24, 2015July 21, 2015Cooking Classes, For Your InformationLeave a Comment

How’s your summer so far? I will be on Ms. Deborah Moore’s radio show on AM 1470 Fairchild Radio this morning at 10:30am Sharp! Below is the outline for today’s segment; content is subject to change according to Ms. Moore and flow of program; I look forward to chatting with her about food and everything else (OO) Thank you for tuning in!

TKC Gourmet Kitchen: Three weeks ago I had my first formal Japanese cooking lesson (I’ve always learnt through cookbooks, my Japanese friends or my Mother-in-law)! Our instructor, Mr. Hasegawa taught us how to make a teriyaki sauce which we can use as a base and transform into different dishes: Chicken Teriyaki, Sukiyaki, Saba Nitsuke, Japanese style Roast Beef. Have you ever had vanilla ice cream with teriyaki sauce? It was absolutely delish! Hasegawa-sensei, thank you very much, I had the best time! Look forward to joining another class in the near future! It was a very educational 2 hour demonstration class followed by sampling of the dishes at Guu Otokomae (in Gastown, Vancouver, BC). English and Japanese classes are available, check their Page on Facebook for schedule.

TKC Gourmet Kitchen: Our lunch prepared by Hasegawa-sensei

Here’s the basic recipe for teriyaki sauce, courtesy of Mr. Hasegawa, TKC Gourmet Kitchen:

Soy sauce 400 ml + 100 ml (add in the end as finishing touch)

Sake 500 ml (Drinking sake, for example Gekkeikan)

Mirin 500 ml

Sugar 150 g (you can adjust the amount to adjust the level of sweetness)

Water 200 ml

Garlic 2 cloves (thinly sliced)

Ginger 5 grams (thinly sliced)

Onion (about 200 g, half or one small onion), skin on)

green onion (1 bunch – green part only)

Carrot (about 50 g, half piece)

Kelp (about 5 g)

– In medium size pot, rehydrate kelp in 200 ml of water at least for 10 minutes

– Add all the ingredients (except 100 ml of soy sauce) into the pot

– Using high heat, bring sauce to a boil

– Reduce heat to low setting (make sure there’s no “bubbling” action) and cook sauce for another 30 minutes

– Add remaining 100 ml soy sauce to finish the sauce, turn off heat

– Strain the sauce, let it cool down completely before storing in refrigerator (*store in clean glass container up to 1 month)

Father’s Day Dinner: Fresh Seafood from Seafood City, Granville Island – Vancouver, BC Last weekend I had the best time shopping at the Trout Lake Farmer’s Market and Granville Island, searching for ingredients and new ideas for Father’s Day Dinner. I went to Seafood City to buy the mackerel to prepare the “Saba Nitsuke” dish which I learned earlier from Hasegawa-sensei at #TKC Gourmet Kitchen. While I was standing in front of the counter waiting for my mackerel, these beauties “stared” at me.. I simply could not resist but purchase one of them and got the most helpful cooking tips from one of their staff, William (a million thanks!). Service is always great as they are all very passionate about food: http://www.seafoodcitygi.com

“Itoyori” Threadfin Bream from Japan – I couldn’t help myself and made the purchase.

Using the basic teriyaki sauce, I prepared the “Saba Nitsuke”, a traditional Japanese fish dish, stewed in ginger and sauce; will be posting the recipe shortly!

Father’s Day Dinner: My version of Saba Nitsuke

And here’s a picture of our family dinner: I’ve also prepared my duck breast dish; I changed things up a bit with the saucing (check out my recipe published in September 2014); eggplant “pickled” in shiso plum dressing, Asian green salad with simple lemon olive oil dressing, mixed rice (Japanese/brown/Black Gaba) and the beautiful tender broiled bream fish. Recipes coming soon! Got room for ice cream? Check out Rain or Shine, new location on Cambie (Original location on West 4th near Burrard) http://www.rainorshineicecream.com Anytime for good reads? Marie Kondo: The life changing magic of tidying up The enlightened kitchen: Vegetarian dishes Harumi Kurihara’s cookbook: Chinese version

http://www.tidyingup.com

http://www.yutori.co.jp/en/about_harumi/

Two weeks ago, my #Ask of Luigi #brunch photo entry won the picture of the week! I’ve won a $25.00 gift certificate from Ask for Luigi restaurant in Railtown; it’s fun to participate in these interactive contests through Instagram: