The tantalizing bits of crystallized ginger in this dough-topped fruit dessert add a little excitement to a holiday classic. The lower sugar content finds the right balance between sweet and tangy. And thanks to a bag of frozen fruit, the dish comes together quickly.
Frozen pointers
Look for mixed bags of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, or cherries, or use any frozen fruit or combination that you like, from peaches to cubed mangoes. The best part is that the fruit doubles as an icepack in your cooler on the way to your destination (store the cooler in the trunk if it’s not hard-sided or if it tends to leak). Don’t worry if the fruit thaws by the time you arrive. Just store it in the fridge rather than refreezing it. It will keep for about three days and will still be delicious.
Chopping crystallized ginger can become a sticky situation. If your knife just isn’t “cutting it,” try using scissors.
Per serving:
Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
For cobbler, in deep-sided 8 in (20 cm) square or round baking or casserole dish, sprinkle crystallized ginger and sugar or maple syrup over berries and dot with vegan margarine or butter. Place in preheated oven, for up to 15 minutes, while preparing topping.
For cobbler topping, in medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, crystallized ginger, and sugar or maple syrup. Cut in vegan margarine or butter. Add almond milk and stir to combine.
Drop batter by the spoonful over hot berries. Return to oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until batter is golden. Serve with ice cream (or nice cream), if desired.
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.