April 2012 ~ Super Food Notes

This Asparagus, Ham, and Ricotta Pizza Has a Really Nice Personality

By JOKO April 30, 2012

That’s what I’d say about this delicious asparagus, ham, and ricotta pizza if I were trying to fix it up on a blind date. Every once in a while I get a craving for a non-tomato sauce, or “white” pizza, and when I do, I’m forced to choose between béchamel and an olive oil base.I love both styles, but was in the mood for something different, so I decided to use some ricotta...

Heading Home!

By JOKO April 30, 2012

Michele and I are heading back to San Francisco after a fantastic 2012 Passport to Dry Creek Valley! I forgot to bring that wire that lets me download the photos I took, but hopefully tomorrow I can show you what we served. Pictured here is a iPhone shot of our "Tonno del Dry Creek," which was some incredible pork confit from Dehesa (you'll be hearing a lot more about...

Hello From Healdsburg!

By JOKO April 27, 2012

Michele and I are in Sonoma for the 2012 “Passport to Dry Creek Valley.” If you've been following this blog for awhile, I'm sure you've read about this event before, but if not, here's a little taste from last year. We'll be doing the food at the gorgeous Frick Winery for the 16th consecutive year! Despite all the hard work, it's a lot of fun and we look forward to this...

Peas Pulao

By JOKO April 25, 2012

Ingredients: Basumati Rice - 2 cups Green Peas - 1 cupGinger garlic paste - 2 tspnsCloves- 4Green Cardamoms-4Cinnamon sticks - 1 inchTurmeric - 1 tspnRed chilly powder - 1/2 tspnOnions - 1 slightly large Green chillies - 4 smallTomato - 1 med sizeYoghurt - 1/2 a cupFresh Mint - a few leaves Cilantro - 1/4 cup choppedVegetable/Canola Oil- 1/4 cupMethod: Wash...

American French Onion Soup – Easy Just Got Easier

By JOKO April 24, 2012

French onion soup is a very easy recipe. So, it’s a little ironic that this American French onion soup is an attempt to make things even easier. Then again, taking ideas that don’t need improving, and changing them anyway, is a time-honored American tradition.Instead of going “French” on the onions, and cutting thin slices, we’re doing more of an extra large dice. I like...

Stuffed pineapple cake

By JOKO April 22, 2012

This is another recipe circulating amongst our relatives in Canada. We make this quite often especially when we invite someone over. The cake has a soft and light texture and the fruit stuffing with cool whip is so refreshing that you cannot stop eating it. Though the recipe calls for using crushed canned pineapple and juice from it, I prefer using fresh fruits and fresh pineapple...

Mmmm...Cream of Turned Mushroom Trimmings

By JOKO April 22, 2012

I'm not sure how many of you tried "turning mushrooms" after seeing our post Friday, but just in case, this cream of mushroom soup will help you put those carved beauties and any trimmings to delicious use. When you're done admiring your knife work, chop them up, and enjoy one of the best soups ever invented. I've also added links to some of my other favorite mushroom recipes....

How to “Turn” a Mushroom – An Earth Day Weekend Special!

By JOKO April 20, 2012

I’ve really never gotten that excited about Earth Day, and this year is no different. Don’t get me wrong; I’m a huge fan of the planet (especially love the gravity), so on Sunday, April 22, I will be giving thanks to Mother Nature, as well as all the heroes who fight the good fight to keep her happy and healthy. However, for an old food blogger like me, a “holiday” like Earth...

Braised Red Cabbage – That is All

By JOKO April 18, 2012

No matter how basic or boring an ingredient or dish is, I can usually come up with something to pontificate on, but for this lovely braised red cabbage recipe, I’ve got absolutely nothing.I could go on about how I’m not sure what that color red is called, but I did that in the video. I could joke about taking one for the team, and keeping this side dish purely vegetarian for...

How to Turn Corned Beef into Pastrami – Abra-ca-deli!

By JOKO April 16, 2012

Great pastrami is not the easiest thing to find west of the Catskills, so a few years ago I embarked on a mission to find a way to turn the common corned beef into something similar. My goal was to come up with a reasonable substitute that could be done in less than a day at home, without a smoker, or any other special equipment. Impossible? No!As you'll see in this video,...

Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Caramelized Tomato Mushroom Pan Sauce – I’m Glad I Used All Clad

By JOKO April 13, 2012

My friends at All Clad recently sent me an invitation to take part in a contest to develop a recipe showing off their 10-inch Stainless Steel Fry Pan. After carefully considering the offer for several seconds, I let them know I’d be thrilled to participate, and even more thrilled to accept their free pan.After a little brainstorming, I decided seared beef medallions with pan...

Roast Chicken Zafrani

By JOKO April 12, 2012

This is a traditional recipe that has been circulating in our family ever since we came to Canada. It is chicken roast indian style with no vegetables and is very flavourful and tasty. The chicken just comes off the bone and is very juicy and flavourful. It is enjoyed with naan, biryani rice or any kind of rice. It is the technique of baking the chicken that makes the...

Pistachio Almond Choc truffles

By JOKO April 12, 2012

Ingredients:Almonds - 1 cupPistachios - 1cupChocolate chips - 1cup (semi-sweet)Orange blossom water- 2 tblspnsFresh whipping cream - 2 tspnsMethod: Pound coarsely 1/4 cup each of the almonds, pistachios and the choc chips separately. Keep this coarsely ground mixture aside. Grind together coarsely the remaining almonds, pistachios and chocolate chips. Add the orange...

Tapioca Coconut Laddus

By JOKO April 12, 2012

Tapioca Laddoos (Pindaloo ke Laddoo) were my grandma's favourite when I was a child. She loved eating these as a snack in the late afternoon. I still remember how she would pop a whole laddo in her mouth and chew it with her gums as she had not a single tooth left to help her in her endeavour. She would still enjoy all the juicy bites and every bit of it. It was more...

It's National Grilled Cheese Day!

By JOKO April 12, 2012

...or at least that's what I heard on Twitter today. Who decides these things, and how do they pick the day? Don't know, and don't care, because it give me an excuse to post our famous Inside-Out Grilled Cheese Sandwich! Follow this link to read the original post, and as always, enj...

It's National Grilled Cheese Day!

By JOKO April 12, 2012

Mustards Grill’s Mongolian Pork Chop – Video No. 700 Was All Me

By JOKO April 11, 2012

Every once in a while, I post a recipe that I’ve received exactly zero requests for, and this gorgeous Mongolian pork chop is the most recent example – sort of ironic, considering this is video 700, and I’m celebrating the milestone by going rogue! While 95% of the videos you see are inspired by actual “food wishes,” sometimes I’ll remember something so delicious, I just...

Mustards Grill’s Mongolian Pork Chop – Video No. 700 Was All Me

By JOKO April 11, 2012

Sweet Potato Focaccia - Peasant Style!

By JOKO April 09, 2012

I had left over roasted sweet potato lying in the fridge and I wanted to make good use of it. The thought of making chaat or eating it with sprinkled cinnamon, brown sugar/honey was not appealing. The other day I made flat bread (rotis) out of it and enjoyed eating them all myself. But this time I thought that the kids who are always picky and have canadian taste buds wouldn't...

Cottage Fries – America’s Forgotten Fry and Most Delicious Roofing

By JOKO April 09, 2012

While they don’t get the same love as French fries, home fries, or steak fries, cottage fries more than hold their own against their potato side dish fraternity bothers. And, unlike their French cousins, these easy cottage fries actually crisp up quite nicely in the oven, and as I described in the video, resemble fat, succulent potato chips. I don’t know about you, but...