What are we eating ? | Spring inspirations

Just before the weekend, all readers who cook ask themselves this eternal question: what are we going to eat? In order to inspire you, The Press suggests some suggestions for seasonal recipes that will make your mouth water.

Snack: stracciatella (egg and spinach soup)

Soeur Angèle mainly offers Italian classics in Thank you Mom!including this simple soup with a stringy texture.

For 6 persons

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 2 to 3 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 liter of chicken stock
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
• 255 g (9 oz) chopped spinach

Preparation

• 1. In a saucepan, pour the chicken stock and cook over high heat until boiling.
• 2. Beat eggs and parmesan.
• 3. Add this mixture to the boiling liquid, stirring constantly.
• 4. When the eggs are cooked, add the spinach and let it wilt completely.
• 5. Serve.

Source : Thank you Mom!Sister Angèle, Broquet Editions.

Published on lapresse.ca on June 8, 2017.

Quickly done well: Mexican bowl, avocado-lime sauce

Anne-Marie Archambault has developed a real passion for bowls. For the young entrepreneur behind the health and well-being inspiration platform At Will, the secret to a successful bowl is in the combination of textures and flavors. She agreed to share her creations with us, including this one, colorful and full of flavors, Mexican-inspired.

For 2 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup drained and rinsed black beans (can be substituted with shredded or cubed chicken)
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 C. each of the following spices: cumin, paprika, chili
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the Avocado Lime Sauce

• 1 avocado
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 C. cumin powder
• 1 C. chopped cilantro
• A drizzle of olive oil

Ingredients for the filling

• Chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• A few thin slices of red onion
• Grated cheddar cheese
• Chopped cilantro
• Hot pepper flakes

Preparation

• 1. Brown the garlic clove and onion over low heat for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes and spices. Simmer for a few minutes, until the tomatoes have reduced.
• 2. Add the beans and zucchini and cook for a few minutes, until the mixture is hot. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• 3. Pass the ingredients for the avocado sauce with the hand mixer until a smooth and homogeneous mixture is obtained.
• 4. Put the rice in a bowl, then add the mixture of beans, tomatoes and zucchini.
• 5. Add the different elements of the garnish and garnish with the avocado sauce and hot pepper flakes.

grain or cereal

All our recipes are based on brown rice, but you can easily replace it, to taste or according to what you have on hand, with another grain or another cereal: quinoa, millet, farro, barley, wild rice , vermicelli, soba noodles, orzo…

Published on lapresse.ca on February 2, 2017.

Call me boss! : trout and fresh herbs

Nothing is more pleasant than grilling your little rainbow trout in the pan after a day spent on the lake. Delicious on their own, they also go wonderfully well with a few selected ingredients. Suggestion by chef Dominique Dufour, from Pier 66.

For 2 to 4 people

Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 trout between 600 g and 1.2 kg
• 1 cup fresh mint
• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh chives
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1 lemon, zested and squeezed
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. wildflower honey
• 1 C. fleur de sel
• Fresh herbs to garnish

Preparation

• 1. Start by deboning the trout: with a fish knife, make an incision on the belly starting from the head towards the tail. Empty the fish, avoiding washing the cavity with plenty of water to avoid damaging the flesh. Wipe the cavity with a damp paper towel. Lay the fish on its side, belly open. Make two vertical incisions, one at the base of the tail, the other at the base of the head, behind the pectoral fin. Enter the central cavity and cut the ribcage ridges following the central ridge closely. Continue the incision down to the dorsal fin, from head to tail. Cut the spine at both ends (head and tail) and carefully remove it. Open the trout en papillote and remove the skewer bones using small pliers. Finally, slide the knife under the cut ribs and remove them on each fillet. Close the fish, salt and oil the skin.
• 2. In a food processor or blender, combine mint, parsley, chives, cinnamon, cumin, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Grind until a paste is obtained. Brush the inside of the trout with this mixture.
• 3. Preheat grill or barbecue to medium heat. Make sure the barbecue grill is hot and place the trout on it. After 5 minutes, gently turn the fish using spatulas (tweezers will go through the delicate flesh). When both sides are browned, transfer the fish to the top rack, lower the heat and close the lid. Cooking time depends on the size of the fish — using a meat thermometer, check that the thickest part of the fillet reaches 60°C (140°F). Let stand 5 minutes before transferring to serving platter.
• 4. Spread the fresh cream on the bottom of the serving dish. Gently place the fish in the center. Garnish the dish with a drizzle of honey, on the fish and on the fresh cream. Finish the presentation with fleur de sel and fresh herbs.

Published on lapresse.ca on May 5, 2017.

Guilty pleasure: giant fruit macaroons

Attention, parents, children take control of your kitchen (and your tablet)! Because cooking is not rocket science. Young people, make stars appear in the eyes of your family by serving them a meal worthy of the greatest little chefs!

Makes 10 macaroons

Ingredients for cookies

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 C. vanilla
• 1 cup milk

Ingredients for the filling

• 1 cup 35% cream
• 1/8 cup white sugar
• Berries (halved strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries)

Material

• Three large bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• A wooden spoon
• An electric mixer
• A maryse (a flexible spatula that allows you to scrape the sides of the bowls)
• Two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper
• Two large tablespoons

Preparation of cookies

• 1. Ask your parents to preheat the oven to 350°C and put the rack in the center of the oven. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
• 2. In one of the bowls, combine the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa and baking powder) and mix them together with a wooden spoon. In another bowl, place the wet ingredients (butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla) — except the milk — and mix them on low speed using the electric mixer.
• 3. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing them with a wooden spoon, and alternating with the milk: once the milk (half), once the dry ingredients (half), mix well and start again . To mix the ingredients well, you can finish with the electric mixer.
• 4. Using tablespoons, drop small amounts of cookie dough (two tablespoons or the size of a small clementine) onto the baking sheets. You should have 10 cookies per sheet, for a total of 20. As they will get bigger during baking, make sure there is enough space between them.
• 5. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until they are firm on the sides and soft in the middle, working one sheet at a time.

Preparation of the filling

• Pour the cream, sugar and vanilla into a bowl. With the electric mixer, froth the preparation at high speed until patterns are created in the cream and it is firm.

Assembly

• Place a layer of whipped cream about 1 cm thick on the flat side of the cookies. Garnish 10 of them with fruit, before covering them with another cookie on which you will have put only whipped cream.

Phew!

When using the electric mixer, make sure the beaters always touch the bottom of the bowl. This will prevent you from splashing all around. Also place the whisks in the preparation before switching on the device and start very slowly: first at first speed, then gradually accelerate.

Trick

If you’re cooking a dish that contains a lot of ingredients, you can make your life easier by first preparing all your ingredients in the quantities indicated in your recipe. You will only have to focus on the preparation steps and combine it.

Published on lapresse.ca on February 27, 2017.

Health ! : citrus and pomegranate cosmo

Ricardo loves cocktails, so much so that they sometimes even replace wine with meals.

Preparation: 5 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 pink grapefruit, juice only
• 1 orange, juice only
• 1 lime, juice only
• 30 ml (2 tbsp.) pomegranate seeds
• 30 ml (2 tbsp.) vodka
• 30 ml (2 tbsp.) Grand Marnier
• Ice cubes

Preparation

• 1. In a measuring cup or shaker, combine all ingredients.
• 2. Divide among four martini glasses.

Tip: If necessary, strain the juices to avoid having seeds in the cocktail.

Published on lapresse.ca on January 23, 2017.