This simple recipe satisfies all of the requirements for a winning condiment. The perfect accompaniment to winter stews and roasts, it has crunch and a zingy sweet-sour flavour.
3 cups (750 mL) very thinly sliced red cabbage
2 tsp (10 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) julienned carrot
1 cup (250 mL) rice vinegar
3/4 cup (180 mL) natural cane sugar
2 Tbsp (30 mL) very finely chopped or julienned ginger
Pinch of hot chili flakes
1/2 tsp (2 mL) toasted sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds, as garnish
Rinse cabbage in large colander. Toss cabbage with salt and place colander over large bowl or over sink. Place plate over top of cabbage and place a couple of cans on top to weigh it down. Allow cabbage to drain at room temperature for 3 hours. Place in large bowl and stir in carrots.
In saucepan over medium heat, stir together vinegar, sugar, ginger, chili flakes, and sesame oil until sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add to cabbage and carrot mixture and toss well. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.
To store pickled cabbage and carrots, transfer cabbage mixture to airtight container and press piece of parchment paper over top to ensure mixture is mostly submerged in liquid.
To serve, mound pickled cabbage and carrots in bowl, drizzle with some pickling liquid, and garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups/625 mL (10 servings).
Each serving contains: 6 calories; 1 g protein; 2 g total fat (0 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 13 g carbohydrates (11 g sugars, 1 g fibre); 246 mg sodium
source: "Cabbages, Broccoli, and Cauliflower", alive #361, November 2012
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.