Category Cookbook, Cookware, & Tableware

Olive’s Keep Calm & Carry On Christmas Survival Guide: Christmas at Springridge Farm

I love Springridge Farms any time of year but my favourite time of year at Springridge is Christmas. What better way to get into the spirit than to take a country drive to a beautiful farm to pick up a fresh Fraser Fir Christmas tree?

Kids can decorate a freshly baked gingerbread man cookie, paint a glass ball ornament, and visit with Santa. I will never forget how awe-struck we felt when my young son and I bumped into Santa at Springridge. Santa suddenly appeared through the snowflakes, walking regally in his high leather boots, as if he had left his sleigh hidden atop the forested escarpment. He wasn’t just any Santa – he had an air about him that convinced us he was the real McCoy.  We were speechless; Santa gave us a quiet nod and a wink, and then went inside the barn to prepare for his visit with kids. It was magical.

Be sure to wander through the barn market filled with festive decorations, ornaments, giftware, and gourmet goodies. I think I’ll make another trip back to Springridge to try the Gingerbread Truffles that Springridge is now retailing: small-batch, hand-stirred chocolates made with cream, puréed gingerroot, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves by Walker’s Chocolates in Burlington.

Springridge sells a small but impressive assortment of cookbooks such as Rose Murray’s Canadian Christmas Cooking, which includes the recipe for Springridge Farm Christmas Marmalade (Springridge Farm has a line of their own small-batch, artisanal preserves, chutneys, sauces, and pickles). On Sunday December 8th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Springridge will hold another in a series of cookbook events, when you can meet the author, Rose Murray, and if you purchase her cookbook, she’ll sign your copy. If you plan on attending, please click here to RSVP and find out more information.

Warm up with a bowl of soup (my favourite is the heavenly Curried Chicken Coconut Soup) and a freshly baked biscuit or a freshly prepared sandwich (like Holiday Turkey) or salad with homemade dressing. Lunch is served daily from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Bring home some freshly baked gingerbread cookies and Holiday Berry pies, all made from scratch on the farm – better yet, call ahead to pre-order so you won’t be disappointed. Springridge also handcrafts a really interesting variety of frozen savoury pies, available in 9-inch and individual sizes, and brimming with yummy fillings like: Shepherd’s Pie, Turkey Sage, Pulled Pork, and Old Fashioned Tourtière. Curried Chicken pot pies are available in 9-inch-sizes only. All flavours are special enough for entertaining (you could offer a variety of savoury pies for your guests to choose from) and easy enough for hurried weeknight dinners – just pop them out of your freezer and bake as instructed. Serve them with my Sweet-Sour Purple Cabbage with Apples and a nice salad. We enjoyed our individual pies while trimming our tree. Look how high they pile the delicious filling in the Tourtière and Pulled Pork pot pies.

Springridge_Farm

Pulled Pork Pot Pie and Old Fashioned Tourtiere

Christmas at Springridge happens every weekend from November 23rd to December 15, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is a small charge of $5 each to paint a glass ornament or decorate a gingerbread man cookie. The farm is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., until noon December 24, 2013 when Springridge closes for the season. Re-opening April 10, 2014.

Springridge Farms
7256 Bell School Line
Milton, Ontario L9T 2Y1

Telephone: (905) 878-4908

For map, check my Farmers’ Market Directory or visit www.springridgefarm.com

Speaking of tree trimming……three Christmas trees decorated…CHECK!!!:

  1. Gumdrops and Lollipops themed tree, designed by Cobi Ladner for Toronto’s Gardiner Museum’s 12 Trees of Christmas Charity Gala. Purchased by Frank Bowman and Aaron Milrad and donated to Princess Margaret Hospital Cancer Centre.
  2. Magic Pennies Mitten Tree on behalf of Streetsville United Church Magic Pennies Kids Community Outreach for Village of Streetsville.
  3. Our own family tree mishmash of sentimental ornaments.
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Hot Off The Olive Press: November 22, 2013

Streetsville is North Pole Central This Weekend:

Streetsville Tree Lighting Ceremony:
Friday November 22, 2013 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Main Street Square (Main & Queen Street), Streetsville, ON

Meet your friends for dinner in one of Streetsville’s many wonderful restaurants and then meet Santa at Main Street Square. Enjoy hot chocolate, hot apple cider, treats, Christmas carolers, and horse-drawn wagon rides. www.villageofstreetsville.com

Mississauga Santa Claus Parade:
Sunday November 24th at 1:00 p.m. Queen Street, downtown Streetsville.
 

Stumped for Christmas Gift Ideas for the Foodie Who Has Everything?

Check out this neat idea. KE-RF is a Canadian company that creates one-of-a-kind, custom tattooed cheese and charcuterie boards using salvaged wood. Olive it!

KE_RF

Photo courtesy of KE-RF

Check out their website www.ke-rf.ca or follow them on twitter @KE_RF. Visit their booth at the Canadian Artisan Tasting Fair Sunday December 1st, 2013 from 11:00 am. to 4:00 p.m. at Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Street, Toronto.

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Olive’s Keep Calm & Carry On Christmas Survival Guide: Freezer-Friendly Side Dishes for Your Festive Feast

I love to do Christmas to the nines, with silver bells and all the trimmings. My best friend shares my Martha Stewart-ish passion for Christmas. We start every season with big dreams but as Christmas Day approaches, find ourselves more stressed with less and less time, until we are gritting our teeth while peeling potatoes to It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and feeling like pulling our hair out while fiddling with fancy last minute fixings.

As a solution, we started a tradition of gently nudging each other to get an early start on Christmas, so when it is time to celebrate we can step out of our kitchens and enjoy it with our families. Beginning in November, we send each other a flutter of quick emails like: Christmas cards ordered CHECK, outdoor lights up CHECK, cookie dough frozen CHECK. What starts off as encouragement to prepare as much as possible in advance, often ends up in a hilarious race of merrily checking off our own list while sending out cheeky CHECKS if the other has fallen behind.

From now until Christmas, I’d like to share some of my Christmas survival tips with you: suggestions to make your holiday entertaining well-planned, stress-free, and delicious with make-ahead, easy-assemble, or store-bought ideas. Think of them as little gifts from your freezer or pantry to you, with love from Olive.

Let’s get a head start on Christmas dinner this week with a freezer-friendly mashed potato casserole and sweet-and-sour cabbage that you can make now and freeze. All you will need to prepare on the day of your feast is turkey, stuffing (I love My Mom’s Sage & Onion Bread Stuffing), perhaps another family-favourite vegetable dish, and gravy.

Because we have such a big clan, my family keeps our feasts as simple as possible. Here is my tip for the gravy (but don’t tell anybody): homemade gravy from Longo’s turkey kits. The gravy is sold separately and tastes homemade. I don’t have to fuss at the last minute and I know it’s going to be good. As soon as the kits come out, I buy the gravy individually and freeze it. I just defrost the night before serving and reheat gently the next day. Sometimes I add a little white wine, just to make it extra special. After December 19th, the individual side dishes (including the gravy) and complete turkey kits will be available in all Longo’s stores. If you want to pre-order the entire turkey kit (includes pre-cooked turkey, butternut squash, herbed mash potatoes, multigrain rice stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy – all just requiring reheating) for you feast, you need to place your order by 5 p.m. December 18, 2013.

Christmas potatoes done CHECK. Christmas cabbage done CHECK.

Please visit my Grocery Store Directory for Longo’s locations.

Swedish_potatoes

Aunt Connie’s Swedish Potatoes

Serves 8 to 10

A long-time family favourite (just like my Aunt Connie), we serve these make-ahead potatoes at every Thanksgiving or Christmas family feast. This time-tested recipe has been around for ages but did you know you can freeze it for up to 3 months? Don’t tell my family, but I make a double batch of these just before Thanksgiving and freeze a batch in throwaway aluminum foil pans to have ready for Christmas dinner. You’ll be so happy to pop these out of the freezer and then pop the tray in recycling after the feast is over. Take the potatoes out of the freezer two days before serving and defrost in the refrigerator. Bake them while the turkey has a good long rest and then gets carved up.

My Aunt Connie’s version calls for a crumb topping made with fine bread crumbs and melted butter, but I omit the crumb topping so I can stir the potatoes as they are warming up in the oven.

Ingredients:

6 medium-sized russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and cut into sixteenths
2 tablespoons butter, cubed
¾ cup dairy sour cream
1 package (125g) cream cheese, cubed, softened to room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons onion salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper or freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

  1. Place potatoes in a large pot; cover with cold, salted water; bring to a boil, then adjust heat to medium to maintain a gentle boil; cook uncovered, until potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Immediately drain into a colander placed in the sink. Return potatoes to pot and place pot back over very low heat for a few moments, shaking constantly, until all water evaporates. Remove pot from heat.
  2. Add butter to potatoes; mash with a potato masher, until potatoes are smooth and lump-free. Fold in remaining ingredients; beat gently with a mixer, just until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
  3. If freezing, turn potatoes into a large, well-buttered, disposable aluminum-foil baking dish. Let cool completely in the fridge; then place a sheet of parchment paper over top of potatoes; double wrap with aluminum foil, sealing securely; label with baking instructions; freeze up to 3 months. Remove wrapping and parchment prior to baking. Defrost in refrigerator for two days before serving. Bake uncovered, in the centre of a preheated 350°F oven, just until hot throughout, about 30 minutes or longer (stir once halfway through baking). Watch carefully after 30 minutes.
  4. If baking immediately after preparing, turn potatoes into a large, well-buttered casserole. Bake uncovered, in the centre of a preheated 350°F oven, just until hot throughout, about 30 minutes or longer (stir once halfway through baking). Watch carefully after 30 minutes. Note: prepared potatoes can be stored, covered in the fridge, for up to two days prior to baking. When ready to bake, bring casserole to room temperature before placing in a hot oven.

Cabbage

Jeff’s Sweet-Sour Purple Cabbage with Apples

Makes about 9 cups

Adapted from Sweet-and-Sour Red Cabbage with Apples by Johanna Burkhard (The Best Freezer Cookbook by Jan Main).

This sweet and sour cabbage recipe has always been a favourite of both my brother and my son. I just gave a bowl to my son and he said “Yo, cabbage for breakfast is awesome”. I love it because it’s a healthy and delicious way to easily add a pop of colour to a holiday plate – the purple looks so pretty beside green beans, broccoli, carrots, or squash.

It takes some work to finely shred the cabbage and prepare the apples and onions but it freezes really well for 3 months, so I make a double batch of this recipe at Thanksgiving and freeze the second batch for our Christmas feast. Or I freeze in smaller containers to use throughout the winter. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove. The flavours meld together with the second simmer.

If you are able to finely shred the cabbage in a food processor, cook this in one large pot. It will almost fill the pot but will cook down. Before I used a food-processor to shred my cabbage, I shredded it by hand; the cabbage wasn’t as fine and took longer to cook, so I had to divide one recipe between two large pots to speed the cooking – the end result was still delicious.

The recipe is from a cookbook called The Best Freezer Cookbook by Jan Main. It is the best freezer cookbook I have ever had my hands on – full of good freezing advice and comforting recipes, including a good Veggie, Beef & Pasta Bake, a yummy Chicken Tetrazzini, as well as some tempting soups and special occasion desserts I haven’t tried yet. I have changed the Sweet-and-Sour Red Cabbage with Apples recipe slightly, adding more apples, a touch more sugar, and using white wine and apple cider vinegar instead of red wine and red wine vinegar. It’s lovely with the red wine and the colour is a bit deeper, but I don’t drink red wine and hate wasting the rest of the bottle. I’ve also arranged the steps in a way that will keep your apples from browning before they hit the pot.

Equipment Notes:

Requires food processor and 1 large pot or two large pots

Ingredients:

1 medium purple cabbage
2 small yellow cooking onions
6 apples

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken stock
½ cup white wine (or red wine)
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Tiny pinch ground cloves

1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water

Directions:

  1. Finely shred cabbage and measure out exactly 10 cups to use for this recipe; set aside (use remainder in a salad). Finely chop onions; set aside. Peel, core, and dice apples.
  2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and apples; sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add stock, wine, vinegar, sugar, bay leaf, salt, cinnamon, pepper, and cloves. Bring to a boil, and then stir in cabbage. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is very tender, about 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired.
  4. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with cold water; blend well, then stir into cabbage. Cook until sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Serve hot.
  5. If freezing, let cool then divide into airtight freezer containers or resealable freezer bags, label, and freeze up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in refrigerator. Reheat gently on stove.
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Mississauga Meet Muhammara: A Seductive Syrian Dip

Mississauga meet Muhammara, a seductively delicious dip originating from Aleppo, Syria but common in Lebanese cuisine. This intriguing little number has layers of flavour and texture: roasted sweet red peppers, crunchy walnuts, acidic tomato paste and lemon juice balanced by sweet and tangy pomegranate molasses, and a warm spicy heat that slowly unveils itself. A breeze to make with most items stocked in my pantry, it’s my favourite appetizer of the moment.

Muhammara

The type of dried, crushed chili peppers you use is important here. The classic recipe uses dried Aleppo chili peppers, originating from Syria. Regular grocery store dried red chili peppers are fiery hot and lack the fruity flavour of Aleppo pepper but Aleppo pepper can be hard to come by. The Spice Trader in Toronto carries Aleppo pepper, available in their store on Queen Street West (in Trinity Bellwoods) or from their website (they just received a new shipment on Friday November 1, 2013 and are in the process of updating their website). I use Armenian pepper, sold at Adonis (under the Cedar brand in plastic packets in the spice aisle). Cedar brand Armenian pepper flakes have a fruity flavour, like raisins, and a gentle heat.

Muhammara_ingredients

You’ll find pomegranate molasses in Middle Eastern grocery stores or in the international section of some supermarkets. If you live in or close to Mississauga, a drive to Adonis will be worth the trip. You can stock your pantry with Armenian pepper, pomegranate molasses, and small jars of roasted sweet red peppers. Don’t forget to pick up a package of freshly baked Adonis pita bread from the racks under the window of their in-store bakery.

There are many versions (and spellings) of muhammara. Adonis sells a good store-made version, available ready-made in mild or spicy hot (they spell it Mouhamara). My recipe is somewhere in between the Adonis version and Claudia Roden’s version (from her book The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, which is an extensive collection of good, authentic Middle Eastern recipes).

Please visit my Grocery Store Directory for information on The Spice Trader and Adonis.

Olive’s Muhammara

Makes about 2 cups.

Adapted from Claudia Roden’s The New Book of Middle Eastern Food.

Perfect for holiday entertaining, this dip is colourful, healthy, and exotic. Make sure you don’t over-process; you want the slight crunch of the walnuts and tiny hits of different flavours coming at your taste buds. Alternatively, if you add a garlic clove and puree to a smooth paste, you’ll have an outstanding and healthy sandwich spread that I like to call Muhammara Mock Mayo.

Ingredients:

1 cup shelled walnuts
4 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
1 jar (250ml) grilled/roasted sweet red peppers, drained
1 slice whole wheat bread, lightly toasted, crusts removed, torn into small pieces
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (also called “syrup”,“glaze” or “concentrated juice”)
3 teaspoons Armenian pepper or Aleppo pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoon sea salt or coarse salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor; pulse several times, stopping to scrape down the sides of the processor with a rubber spatula when necessary, until mixture is processed into a rough paste; avoid over-processing.
  2. Serve immediately with toasted pita points, pita chips, or endive spears. For longer storage, seal in a plastic container and store in fridge for a few days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks; defrost before serving.
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Fall Colours: Provencal Stuffed Baby Peppers

One fall, after taking his daughters on a lovely trip to Provence in the south of France, my father requested a Provençal-style Thanksgiving dinner. After such a memorable trip, we were more than happy to oblige. We spread out the sunny Provençal tablecloths that we bought at the market in Uzès. Then we laid out a delicious feast of roast turkey (and called it Dinde Rôtie), Potatoes Savoyard (Jane Rodmell’s Cottage Life’s Summer Weekends Cookbook), Cauliflower Gratin (Ina Garten’s Barefoot in Paris), Sweet Potato & Sage Brûlée (Lucy Waverman, Food & Drink Holiday 2007), and these pretty stuffed peppers, inspired by Laura Calder’s Tomato-stuffed Peppers (French Food at Home).  Colourful, flavourful, and oh so darling, they pair nicely with a glass of wine and a Provençal state of mind.

provencal_stuffed_baby_peppers

Provençal Stuffed Baby Peppers

Makes about 36 halves

The brainchild behind this recipe is Laura Calder. I changed her recipe slightly, using baby peppers and cherry tomatoes instead of big ones, my olive purée instead of the stronger tasting tapenade, and added goat cheese for creaminess and a touch of panko bread crumbs for a slight crunch. Make the olive purée ahead of time, so there is less to do at assembly time.

provencal_stuffed_baby_peppers

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. mini sweet bell peppers, in a colourful medley of orange, yellow, red

1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes in a colourful medley of orange, yellow, red

1 bunch of fresh basil, stems removed

¼ cup Black Olive Purée (see recipe below)

1 small package (130 g) soft, unripened chèvre (goat’s milk cheese)

¼ cup panko bread crumbs

⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Cut each pepper in half, lengthwise from stem to tip, leaving the stems intact on both halves; remove and discard the seeds. Place pepper halves, cut side up, on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet; roast until the peppers are slightly tender but still hold their shape, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pan from the oven; let peppers cool slightly but leave them on the tray and leave the oven on at 375°F.
  3. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half, lengthwise; remove and discard seeds and pulp. Turn halves upside down to drain while peppers are roasting.
  4. When step two is completed, place 1 large basil leaf or two smaller basil leaves in each pepper half.
  5. Place 1/8 teaspoon of olive purée on top of basil; carefully spread out the purée a little.
  6. Place a tomato half, cut side up, on top of the olive purée, choosing a contrasting-coloured tomato for each pepper. If tomato halves are too big, cut them in half lengthwise again.
  7. Place ½ teaspoon of goat cheese in each tomato half.
  8. Repeat with remaining peppers.
  9. Sprinkle the panko bread crumbs evenly over the top of the peppers.
  10. Drizzle the peppers evenly with olive oil.
  11. Return pan to the oven and bake until cheese is soft and bread crumbs are lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, to taste. Serve warm.

 

sundried_moroccan_black_olives Black Olive Purée

Makes about 1 ½ cups.

Inspired by a Patricia Wells recipe (Olive Purée from Nyons, The Provence Cookbook), this spread is similar to tapenade but doesn’t include the strong flavours of capers, anchovies, and mustard which I find overpowering. Here, the olives are the star. I use thyme and rosemary (instead of herbes de Provence) and I throw in a garlic clove just for good measure. Oh, wouldn’t I love to get my hands on the Nyons olives that inspired Ms. Wells to create her recipe! Instead, I use the wrinkly but meaty, sun-dried black olives (such as the flavourful, sun-dried Moroccan olives that Longo’s currently carries in their olive bar). Whatever you do, don’t use totally flavorless canned black olives. Use this spread sparingly because it is quite salty.

Ingredients:

2 cups best-quality sun-dried black olives, pitted

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 clove of garlic

2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, if required

Directions:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients, except for the oil, in a food processor or blender. Blend to a thick paste; if too thick, add oil and blend again.
  2. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and cover; store in refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for longer storage. Defrost before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
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