Serves 8
Have ripe bananas? The browner = the better. Nutritious and fluffy, this banana bread is also school friendly, as it’s free from common allergens like eggs, dairy, and nuts. Chickpea flour is a great gluten-free source of protein, fiber, and iron. See the recipe video here.
Garbanzo, gram, or cici bean flour—these are all alternative names for chickpea flour.
Per serving:
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line standard-sized loaf pan with parchment paper or grease with avocado oil.
In small bowl, mix ground flaxseed and water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
In large bowl or food processor, combine all ingredients, except for one banana and chocolate chips. Mix with spoon until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Pour batter into pan. Slice remaining banana in half lengthways and gently lay on top.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out dry and loaf is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into slices. Keep in fridge in closed container for up to 1 week.
Tourtière is, for me, the dish that best represents Québec. It can be traced back to the 1600s, and there’s no master recipe; every family has their own twist. Originally, it was made with game birds or game meat, like rabbit, pheasant, or moose; that’s one of the reasons why I prefer it with venison instead of beef or pork. Variation: If you prefer to make single servings, follow our lead at the restaurant, where we make individual tourtières in the form of a dome (pithivier) and fill them with 5 ounces (160 g) of the ground venison mixture. Variation: You can also use a food processor to make the dough. Place the flour, salt, and butter in the food processor and pulse about ten times, until the butter is incorporated—don’t overmix. It should look like wet sand, and a few little pieces of butter here and there is okay. With the motor running, through the feed tube, slowly add ice water until the dough forms a ball—again don’t overmix. Wrap, chill, and roll out as directed above.
My love of artichokes continues with this classic recipe, one of the best ways to eat this interesting, underrated, and strange vegetable. Frozen artichoke hearts are a time-saving substitute, though the flavour and texture of fresh artichokes are, by far, much superior and definitely preferred.
Cervelle de canut is basically the Boursin of France, an herbed fresh farmer’s cheese spread that’s a speciality of Lyon. The name is kind of weird, as it literally means “silk worker’s brain,” named after nineteenth-century Lyonnaise silk workers, who were called canuts. Sadly, the name reflects the low opinion of the people towards these workers. Happily for us, though, it’s delicious—creamy, fragrant, and fresh at the same time. Cervelle de canut is one of my family’s favourite dishes. It’s a great make-ahead appetizer that you can pop out of the fridge once your guests arrive. Use a full-fat cream cheese for the dish, or it will be too runny and less delicious.