EpiCurious Generations

When we first moved to  France, I decided to participate in a televised cooking competition.  I really didn't know what to expect but thought it might be a fun experience.  Nobody knew me there so if it didn't work out, if I failed miserably or embarrassed myself, how bad could it be?   I was very naive and I can honestly say now that it was one of the most challenging things I have ever done and completely life changing.

Inspiration:  Smores and toasted marshmallows by the fire Ahhhh marshmallows!  I love them.  I love them plain and can eat quite a few but really, for me,  they are best when toasted over the fire, slightly burnt, crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. 

Inspiration:   Creating some recipes for the upcoming Maple Syrup Season in Quebec - Le temps des sucres. Serve with a little hot red pepper jelly for colour and balance I have always been a little intimidated by smoking food indoors but his stovetop smoking was incredibly easy and painless.  You will need a large pot with a tight fitting lid, a metal steamer basket or round rack to sit the fish on and some wood chips/shavings .  Be aware that some smoke will escape and you should have a strong vent system to pull the smoke out (I just left mine on high and cracked the window open during the process).

Inspiration:  Trip to Mexico and discovering Jicama The scallops should marinate in the citrus juice for at least 1 1/2 hours to get the right firm texture of ceviche (the fish is cooked in the acidic juice).  While the fish is marinating, prepare the veggies, guacamole and fried plantains (see below).  

Inspiration:  Mussels at the  Dominion Square Tavern

Tastes like Spring! It has been a while since I posted recipes and that is because I am in a bit of a transition process.  I am currently experimenting with a low carb diet.   I have had success in the past with eating low carb and with Spring just around the corner, thought it might be a good time to put it to the test once again.  So far so good! - I feel great!

One of Mike's favourite soups is New England Clam Chowder and it has been on my list of recipes to make for a long time.   When I checked in with the fish monger at the Atwater market  early this week,  he confirmed that he had a fresh batch of Pasta Neck Clams from Maine - so I was ready to give it a try.  

I had some  butternut squash soup  and fork mashed potatoes as leftovers the other day in the fridge: Adapting the soup to make a sauce to accompany fish is really quite easy and you can pretty much do this with any puréed vegetable soup (carrot, pea, etc.).

Served with  fennel, dill rice pilaf A little crushed red pepper for colour A good friend recently asked if I had a easy seafood recipe that would work well for a dinner party. I don't cook a lot of seafood dishes but had made a coquille St-Jacques recipe a while back that was well liked.   The technique used for that recipe was my starting point but I wanted to give it a little bit of a Canadian twist.

Served here with baked Lays potato chips or toasted baguette In our family we use the expression ''mish mash'' to describe a dinner when we will just go through the fridge and freezer and put a bunch of easy (but good) things together to create a meal.  Actually, this is one of our favorite ways to eat because everyone prepares their favorite item and it all comes together buffet (or tapas) style.

When I started researching how to make Guinness bread, I read many posts that suggested serving it topped with smoked salmon.  Ireland also produces wonderful smoked salmon.

This is a recipe I originally got from  http://teriskitchen.com/seafood/crabcakes.html .  The crab cakes are very light and delicious.  I added a little chipotle pepper to the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce to give it a little smoky spice.