Serves 10
Green pea flour is one of the latest options in the burgeoning gluten-free flour category. It can add an earthy element and a splash of colour to pancakes, cookies and savoury muffins. If you can’t find the flour at a store near you, try making your own by blending dried green split peas into a very fine powder in a food processor, spice grinder or high-powered blender. These muffins are best served warm with a wisp of butter.
1 cup (250 ml) wholemeal flour
3/4 cup (180 ml) green pea flour
1 1/2 Tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped chives
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2 ml) sea salt
2 large free-range eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp (30 ml) honey
3/4 cup (180 ml) reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) low-fat milk or unflavoured nondairy alternative
2 garlic cloves, crushed or very finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
In large bowl, stir together wholemeal flour, green pea flour, chives, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, lightly beat eggs and stir in honey, ricotta cheese, olive oil, milk and garlic. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until everything is moist. If mixture is too dry, mix in extra milk 1 Tbsp (20 ml) at a time.
Divide mixture among 10 standard-sized greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into centre of a muffin comes out mostly clean. Let cool several minutes before unmoulding.
Each serving contains: 829 kilojoules; 8 g protein; 9 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 22 g total carbohydrates (6 g sugars, 5 g fibre); 173 mg sodium
source: "Little Green Giants", alive Australia #19, Autumn 2014
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.