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Dough
31⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3⁄4 cup shortening, chilled and cubed
3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1⁄2 cup ice water

Place flour, salt, and sugar in food processor and pulse to combine. Add shortening and butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, add ice water, drop by drop, until dough comes together. Divide into two balls. Press balls into flat rounds; wrap and chill at least 2 hours.

Filling

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1⁄2 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1⁄4 -inch pieces
2 (5-ounce) cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded
1 cup shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno chili, seeded and minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
Sour cream, to serve

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add apples and cook 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Mix in chicken, cheese, cilantro, and jalapeno chili. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

To assemble

Place 1 pastry ball onto lightly floured surface; roll to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut into circles. Place onto parchment-lined baking sheet and chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place 1 teaspoon filling in the centre of each circle; fold circles in half. Pinch edges with fork dipped in flour to seal. Brush tops with egg wash. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to cooling rack. Store in airtight container in freezer up to one month.

To serve, preheat oven to 350°F. Place frozen empanadas on parchment-lined baking sheet; bake until heated through, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Makes 36 to 48 empanadas.

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1 (6-ounce) package fresh thick egg noodles
1⁄3 cup canola oil
1 cup chopped red onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered
1⁄3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1⁄4 cup fresh bean sprouts
2 shallots, thinly sliced, patted dry, deep fried 5 seconds

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil; set aside.

Heat remaining oil in wok over medium-high heat, add noodles and arrange to form a large, slightly flattened cake. Let noodles fry for about 10 minutes, until bottom side is browned and crisp; turn over and fry other side for 5 minutes. Remove to large serving platter.

In same wok over medium-high heat, add onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic and ginger, and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Add hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar; cook 2 minutes. Pour over noodles and top with bean sprouts and fried shallots.

Serves 4 to 6 people.

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Butter to sauté
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
11⁄2 pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon summer savory, finely minced
2 tablespoons thyme, finely minced
1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1⁄2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3⁄4 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
11⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
11⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening, chilled, cubed
2 tablespoons butter, chilled, cubed
1⁄2 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk

Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic about 4 minutes. Add pork, herbs, spices, salt, pepper, and chicken broth, stirring constantly and breaking up lumps until pork loses its pink colour. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes; sprinkle with 3 tablespoons flour and cook until juices thicken, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside, and allow to cool completely.

Make pastry: Preheat oven to 425°F. In a mixing bowl or food processor, mix together 1½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt; blend in shortening and butter with pastry blender or pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1⁄2 cup milk and stir with fork or pulse a few times, until dough comes together; transfer to lightly floured surface and gently knead, 10 or 12 times. Cut dough into 2 parts, one slightly larger than the other. Roll the larger piece into a 13-inch sheet and the smaller sheet into an 11-inch sheet, flouring just to keep pastry from sticking. Fit larger sheet into a 9-inch pie plate and spoon cooled filling into shell; cover with smaller sheet, overlapping the edge; crimp together. Cut slits in the top and brush with remaining 1 tablespoon milk. Bake 30 minutes, or until golden. Allow to rest 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Makes 8 servings.

]]> http://annamagazine.ca/blog/2012/02/20/tourtiere-a-french-canadian-pork-pie/feed/ 0 http://annamagazine.ca/blog/2012/02/19/chicken-parmesan/ http://annamagazine.ca/blog/2012/02/19/chicken-parmesan/#comments Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:58:51 +0000 ANNA http://annamagazine.ca/?p=2883 A family favourite, made from scratch. Serve this with a salad for dinner this weekend. From “Style+Purpose” issue 3.

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Green apple, ginger and mint

Place slices of green apple, ginger and fresh mint leaves in a large glass jug and top with fresh water. Allow the flavors to infuse into the water for at least an hour in the fridge prior to serving. Top with ice and serve.

Lemon and lime

Place long slices of lemon and lime zest, and the juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime into a large glass jug and top with fresh water. Allow the flavors to infuse into the water for at least an hour in the fridge prior to serving. Top with ice and serve.

Mixed berry

Place a selection of raspberries, sliced strawberries, blueberries and blackberries into a large glass jug and top with fresh water. Allow the flavors to infuse into the water for at least an hour in the fridge prior to serving. Top with ice and serve.

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1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 1⁄2 cups graham wafer crumbs
6 tablespoons melted butter
3-8 ounce (250 g) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
10 ounces (285 g) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Caramel filling

1⁄2 cup butter
1⁄2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1⁄2 cup sweetened condensed milk

To make caramel filling, combine butter, sugar, corn syrup and milk in double boiler and whisk over medium heat 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Arrange pecans on baking sheet evenly and toast, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

To make base, mix graham crumbs and melted butter, press onto bottom and 1-inch up the sides of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reserving 1⁄4 cup caramel filling, pour remaining onto base. Arrange 3⁄4 cup pecans on top of caramel mixture.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing until just blended.
Place chocolate in small bowl and microwave until just melted. Reserving 1⁄4 cup melted chocolate, add remaining to cream cheese mixture and beat until just blended. Pour mixture over caramel pecan base. Bake 50 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake and cool. Refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, remaining caramel filling and melted chocolate. Serves up to 16.

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1 melon, pealed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 slices prosciutto, cut in half
3 cups arugula
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
Cracked black pepper

Place small amount of arugula onto each of six serving plates, wrap prosciutto around pieces of melon, and place on top. Place vinegar and sugar in small pot over high heat, and bring to a boil to thicken. Remove from heat and spoon over each salad, sprinkle with pepper, and serve.

Serves 6 people.

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1 ⁄2 cup 35% cream
11⁄4 cups sugar
11⁄2 cups mini marshmallows
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate squares, finely chopped

Combine cream, sugar, marshmallows, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to simmer, about 5 minutes. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Pour into prepared cake pan (or a silicone pan) or molds. Cool at room temperature for 4 hours or until set.

Cake pan method

Grease an 8-inch square cake pan. Line with parchment. Cut into squares.

Cookie cutter method

Grease an 8-inch square cake pan. Line with parchment, extending paper over 2 sides as handles; set aside.

Use parchment handles to lift fudge onto cutting board and cut fudge into hearts with cookie cutters.

Mold method

Remove fudge by inverting mold and gently pushing fudge out.

Makes 8 to 10 good sized pieces.

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1 package (1 pound) penne
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound Spanish chorizo sausage, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1⁄2 cup good-quality chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter, chilled
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 3-ounce piece Parmesan cheese, shaved

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite (al dente). Drain and return to pot.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and tomatoes, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and cook 3 minutes. Add drained pasta and cook another 4 minutes, or until pasta absorbs sauce. Mix in butter and basil; toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8 people.

Note: There are two types of chorizo sausage. (1) Spanish chorizo is smoked and dry-cured and can be sliced and added directly to a dish without pre-cooking. (2) Mexican chorizo, made of fresh pork, is sold in links and must be cooked before adding to a dish. To cook, remove casing and crumble into skillet to brown.