Carrots, whose earthy sweetness is intensified in the oven, are an inspiring and eyesome stand-in for grains in this lively gluten-free version of a classic Lebanese side dish. You can serve the tabbouleh salad on a bed of freekeh or quinoa for a more substantial dish. If za’atar is not available, you may season the carrots with Italian seasoning or herbes de Provence.
Nice spice
Za’atar, a combination of sesame seeds, sumac, and thyme, can be found at Middle Eastern grocers or natural food stores with a well-stocked spice aisle. It can instantly vivify dressings, dips, roasted vegetables, and yogurt for savoury uses.
Per serving:
Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C) and place rimmed baking sheet in oven as it heats.
In medium bowl, toss carrots with 2 tsp (10 mL) grapeseed or avocado oil, za’atar, and salt. Spread out carrots on hot baking sheet and roast until darkened and tender, about 30 minutes, stirring once halfway.
In food processor container, place roasted carrots and parsley and pulse until coarsely chopped. Place in bowl and stir in chickpeas, green onions, pistachios, dates, and feta, if using.
In small skillet, heat remaining 1 tsp (5 mL) grapeseed or avocado oil. Add cumin seeds and heat for 1 minute, stirring often, or until very fragrant, darkened, and sizzling.
In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin seeds. Toss dressing with carrot mixture and serve.
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.