• preparation

Buy the oysters. When buying oysters, look for a tag with the harvest date and use them within a week of that date. Also, make sure the oysters are fresh and alive; the shells should be tightly closed or should close when tapped.
An hour before shucking, scrub the oysters with a stiff brush under cold running water to remove any grit. Set them aside to relax muscles in shell. They will open with more ease.

Shuck the oysters. Hold the oyster, curved-side down, in a towel on a cutting board. Insert an oyster knife between the shells at the narrow pointed end. (Use a real oyster knife-there is no substitute!) Press down firmly on the oyster to prevent slipping and twist the knife to pry the shells apart. Use the knife for leverage; do not use force. Cut the muscle that connects the oyster to the top shell with the knife, being careful not to pierce the meat. Remove the top shell. Slide your knife under the oyster to loosen it, keeping the meat and liquid in the shell. Use your knife to carefully scrape away any shards of shell.

Make the aioli. Blend the garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running and process until thick. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the aioli to a bowl, then cover and refrigerate.

Prepare the ragout. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp. Add the shallots and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic, cook 3 minutes, then add the butter and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the oysters. Preheat the broiler. Place the oysters, in their shells, in individual baking dishes or one large dish. (Put a crumpled sheet of foil underneath them to keep them steady, if necessary.) Top each with a spoonful of mushroom ragout.

Finish the dish. Top each oyster with a dollop of aeoli. Broil until the aeoli is golden, about 2 minutes, and serve immediately.

• preparation

In large skillet, simmer asparagus in salted boiling water for 6 minutes or just until tender.
Drain on towels; transfer to platter.
Whisk oil, lime rind and juice, honey, salt and pepper; stir in mint and chives.
Drizzle over asparagus; garnish with red pepper.

From Canada Living Test Kitchen

• preparation

Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Process cheese with the flour. Add butter and spices and process until dough forms a ball. Scrape the side of bowl, and process for a few more seconds to blend.
Roll the dough into 2-inch thick cylinder. Wrap in wax paper. Chill. Slice into 1/4 -inch slices. Place on sheet pan lined with wax paper.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until wafers are crisp. Cool on rack.

Note: I also roll cylinder in ground almond.

• preparation

GUACAMOLE:

Peel avocados, cut in halves, remove stones, and mash the avocados.
Add remaining ingredients, and mix.

BLUE CHEESE DIP:

In bowl, combine all the ingredients well. Serve chilled.

SALSA:

In bowl, combine all the ingredients well. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.

• preparation

Mix all ingredients well. Spread on English muffin halves. Chill or freeze for future use.
Broil until golden brown. Cut muffins into quarters. Muffin halves can also be served as a luncheon.

• preparation

Pick over crabmeat to remove any cartilage. put it in a food processor and add 2 tablespoons scallions, the ginger, cilantro, mustard, sesame oil and soy sauce. Pulse about 4 times, just to blend the ingredients without shredding the crabmeat too finely.
Transfer the crabmeat to a bowl and fold in half of the lime juice, the chili oil to taste and the egg whites.
Form the mixture into 8 equal size patties, about 2½ inches in diameter. Lightly coat each patty with bread crumbs, put them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour.
Heat a film of the peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet. Sauté the crab cakes over medium-low heat until they are lightly browned on both sides. Serve with the mayonnaise mixture on the side and sprigs of cilantro for garnish.
For the sauce:
Mix the mayonnaise with the remaining lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil and scallions and set aside.

• preparation

Tenderize the conch to 1/8-inch thickness, using a meat mallet.
Place the conch in a pot of water. The water should just cover the conch. Boil for 20-30 minutes.
In a large pot, add the oil and allow to heat up for a minute.
Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Let the roux simmer for about 5 minutes. Don't let the roux burn!
Add the tomatoes, onions, thyme, pepper sauce/red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer for a minute or two.
Add the potatoes, tomato paste. Stir and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, take the conch out of the water and cut it into small chunks.
Add the water, conch and the juice of 1 lime to the large pot.
Cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are done, about 30 minutes.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

• preparation

Heat oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, peppers, celery, garlic, thyme and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until tender and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar, tomatoes, tomato paste and ¼ cup water. Reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes. Add salt to taste. Reserve sauce.

To make fungi, bring 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to boil. Whisking constantly, gradually add cornmeal in thin stream. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring frequently, until it holds its shape on a spoon but the cornmeal is tender, at least 15 minutes. Add more water if it becomes thick but the cornmeal is still tough. Add butter and okra. Add salt to taste.

In a wide saucepan, bring 8 cups water to boil. Add lime juice, and reduce heat to low. Add fish. Simmer 10 minutes, or until it flakes easily with fork. Drain well.

To serve, put 2 scoops fungi and a fish fillet on each plate. Spoon sauce over and around fish.

• preparation

Thoroughly wash the chicken pieces and reserve on paper towel to dry.
Combine the flour with half (half a teaspoon) of the salt and place in a large bowl and reserve.
Combine all remaining dry spices and herbs in a small bowl. Season chicken pieces and mix well.
In a separate bowl combine the two eggs with the milk and whisk. Dip the chicken in the milk and egg mixture and then into the flour.
Repeat and reserve the chicken pieces.
Using a deep fryer or a large cast iron pan with high sides, fill the pan until it is almost half filled with the oil.
Heat the pan over medium high.
Place 4 pieces of the chicken into the pan and let them cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook another 6 - 10 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove the chicken and reserve.
Fry the last four pieces of chicken in the same manner. Serve the chicken warm.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350 F. Wash sweet potatoes, poke them with a fork a few times, and wrap them in foil. Place on a cookie sheet and roast for about 1hr, until they're soft and easily pricked with a fork. Set aside and let cool, then cut into a rough dice. Transfer to a bowl and mash with a little salt and freshly ground pepper.



Place black beans into a bowl, season with cumin, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roughly mash with a fork, or puree in a food processor.

Preheat a large skillet over medium low heat. Add eggs and whites in a small bowl, a splash of milk and a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper. Once the pan is warmed, cook eggs slowly, stirring quite often, until they have just started to set. Turn off the heat.

To assemble burritos, place tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-30 seconds.
On each burrito, place 3 to 4 T black bean mash, 1/3 c roasted sweet potatoes, 1/4 of the eggs and 2-3 T guacamole. Wrap up the tortillas to enclose filling, then top with salsa and goat cheese.

• preparation

Make the burgers: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a small baking sheet with foil.

Using a fork, prick deep holes all over the sweet potato. Brush it with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Season generously with salt and black pepper and bake until completely soft, 45 to 50 minutes; a knife should easily slide through. Let it cool until you can handle it.

Peel the sweet potato and place the flesh in a medium bowl. Add the beans and mash the potato and beans together with a potato masher or large fork. Season the mixture with the spice blend, cayenne pepper, and salt and black pepper to taste.

Stir in the almond flour and shape the mixture into 8 patties.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron pan and brown the patties until crispy and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Assemble the burgers: Place the burgers on a bed of greens and top each one with a few slices of avocado. Drizzle a little tahini dressing over each burger and serve immediately. You may also add your favorite burger toppings such as caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, or your favorite burger condiment. Any leftover sweet potato mixture can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

• preparation

Buy the oysters. When buying oysters, look for a tag with the harvest date and use them within a week of that date. Also, make sure the oysters are fresh and alive; the shells should be tightly closed or should close when tapped.
An hour before shucking, scrub the oysters with a stiff brush under cold running water to remove any grit. Set them aside to relax muscles in shell. They will open with more ease.

Shuck the oysters. Hold the oyster, curved-side down, in a towel on a cutting board. Insert an oyster knife between the shells at the narrow pointed end. (Use a real oyster knife-there is no substitute!) Press down firmly on the oyster to prevent slipping and twist the knife to pry the shells apart. Use the knife for leverage; do not use force. Cut the muscle that connects the oyster to the top shell with the knife, being careful not to pierce the meat. Remove the top shell. Slide your knife under the oyster to loosen it, keeping the meat and liquid in the shell. Use your knife to carefully scrape away any shards of shell.

Make the aioli. Blend the garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running and process until thick. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the aioli to a bowl, then cover and refrigerate.

Prepare the ragout. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp. Add the shallots and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic, cook 3 minutes, then add the butter and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the oysters. Preheat the broiler. Place the oysters, in their shells, in individual baking dishes or one large dish. (Put a crumpled sheet of foil underneath them to keep them steady, if necessary.) Top each with a spoonful of mushroom ragout.

Finish the dish. Top each oyster with a dollop of aeoli. Broil until the aeoli is golden, about 2 minutes, and serve immediately.

• preparation

GUACAMOLE:

Peel avocados, cut in halves, remove stones, and mash the avocados.
Add remaining ingredients, and mix.

BLUE CHEESE DIP:

In bowl, combine all the ingredients well. Serve chilled.

SALSA:

In bowl, combine all the ingredients well. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.

• preparation

Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Process cheese with the flour. Add butter and spices and process until dough forms a ball. Scrape the side of bowl, and process for a few more seconds to blend.
Roll the dough into 2-inch thick cylinder. Wrap in wax paper. Chill. Slice into 1/4 -inch slices. Place on sheet pan lined with wax paper.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until wafers are crisp. Cool on rack.

Note: I also roll cylinder in ground almond.

• preparation

In large skillet, simmer asparagus in salted boiling water for 6 minutes or just until tender.
Drain on towels; transfer to platter.
Whisk oil, lime rind and juice, honey, salt and pepper; stir in mint and chives.
Drizzle over asparagus; garnish with red pepper.

From Canada Living Test Kitchen

• preparation

Mix all ingredients well. Spread on English muffin halves. Chill or freeze for future use.
Broil until golden brown. Cut muffins into quarters. Muffin halves can also be served as a luncheon.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F. (For more crispiness, preheat your oven to 500°F.)
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut off the ends. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Cut each piece into wedges. Alternately, you can slice the peeled sweet potato into disks either with a mandoline or a sharp knife.
Put the sweet potatoes into a large bowl and add the oil. Mix well to combine. Sprinkle with salt, sugar and spices of your choice. Mix well, so all pieces are coated with oil and spices.
Place a baking sheet inthe oven to preheat.
Spread the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on the preheating the baking sheet, to help the fries get crisp.

Bake for a total of 25 to 30 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn over all of the sweet potato pieces. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until they are well browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

• preparation

This is a real hit with the Freekeh Foods team!
Try using roasted pumpkin or butternut squash instead of sweet potato for a delicious twist.
Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle a little olive oil on them. Bake in 375° oven for about 25 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside. While the potatoes are cooking, pour all ingredients into a large pot on top of the stove over high heat. Stir with a spoon and heat for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add roasted sweet potatoes. Cover partially and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Check occasionally and give a stir.
Continue to cook longer for richer flavor, adding water or more broth if desired.

options: Sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese just before serving.

• preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Poke a few holes in each sweet potato to let steam escape, then place them on a baking sheet. Bake them until they're tender, about 45 minutes.
2. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and pass them through a ricer, or a food mill with a fine grate.
3. Place the puree in a large bowl and add the flour, 2 tablespoons of the sage, the salt and pepper, nutmeg and the cheese. Mix gently until just combined.
4. Flour a work surface and scoop the dough out onto it. Dust the top and sides of the dough lightly with flour, and perhaps rub some flour between your hands so that they don't stick to the dough.
5. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece under your palms so that it forms a long rope. [The original recipe says that the ropes should be about 1 inch wide and 20 inches long, but your mileage might vary.] Go ahead and sprinkle the dough with a bit of extra flour if it's sticking. Cut the rope into 1-inch segments, and roll each segment over the tines of a fork to form the characteristic indentations. (Use a gnocchi board if you're lucky enough to have one.) Collect the formed gnocchi on a baking sheet.
6. When you've finished forming the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water to boiling and salt it generously. Drop several gnocchi into the boiling water (you'll need to work in batches so that you don't crowd the pot). Cook them for about 10 seconds after they rise to the surface. This could be only a couple of minutes, or up to five minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked gnocchi to a clean baking sheet, and cool completely.
7. Place a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and add the butter. Melt the butter and cook it, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids have turned a lovely chestnut color and smell nutty, about 5 minutes. If you plan to add fried sage leaves as a garnish, go ahead and fry them.
8. Once the butter has browned, add the remaining chopped sage and turn off the heat. The mixture will bubble up, so don't be alarmed.
9. Add the gnocchi to the sage butter, place over medium-high heat, and cook until the gnocchi are heated through, about 5-6 minutes. You might have to do this in batches, in which case it's useful to have the oven preheated to 300F/150C so that your earlier batches don't get cold. Divide the gnocchi and sauce among bowls, garnish with sage leaves (if desired), and serve.

• preparation

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red pepper flakes.
Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well.
Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again.
Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

• preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Bake the walnuts for 5-8 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. Keep a close eye on them; they burn quickly.
Combine the brussels sprouts and kale in a large bowl.
Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the vegetables. Add most of the walnuts and cheese, reserving some to garnish the platter, and toss well. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours in the fridge) to allow the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish and scatter the remaining walnuts and cheese over top. Serve at room temperature.

• preparation

Line a microwave-safe bowl with a paper towel and set the box grater in the bowl.
Working quickly, so the potatoes do not have a chance to oxidize, grate the potatoes into the bowl.
Give them a gentle press into the paper towel, then remove the paper towel. Add the salt and baking powder and mix with hands. Microwave the potatoes for 90 seconds. Add the garlic and pepper and mix again.
Melt the butter with the oil in a 12-inch cast iron or other nonstick skillet over medium heat. Divide the potato mixture into four equal portions and press each between hands to form an oblong ½-inch-thick patty. Lay the potato patties in the hot fat and cook without moving for 3 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 3 minutes. If pan looks dry, add a little more oil.
Flip and rotate the patties so they color evenly and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve with ketchup.

• preparation

Wash and spin dry the kale leaves and chop finely.

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, and a generous pinch of hot red pepper flakes.
Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well.
Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again.
Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

• preparation

1. Trim broccoli: cut the last 1/4 inch from the end of the stalks and use a paring knife to trim any gnarly stumps or little branches from the stalks.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the tough outer skin from the stalks, starting at the base of the flower and going to the end of the stalks. Some larger stalks have a fairly thick skin and may need two passes of the peeler. (You can tell when you got it all when the inner flesh of the stalk is exposed -- it has a softer wet-green look, with no fibers visible and a texture like a cut radish or potato.)

3. Cut the broccoli pieces crosswise into three pieces: the flower and two pieces of stalk about 2 1/2 - 3" long. Divide the flowers from each other as necessary and halve or quarter the stalk pieces lengthwise so that the pieces are all about the same size (for uniform cooking).

4. Place the broccoli in a steamer basket in a pan with about 3/4" of rapidly boiling water. Cover tightly and steam for 5 min.

5. Remove broccoli to a bowl. Add any of the optional ingredients you are using and toss with tongs briefly to mix.

6. Season to taste and allow to rest, partially covered, for a few minutes.

• preparation

Cook the edamame according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool completely.
Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kernels are golden brown in patches, about 9 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, honey, garlic, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Slowly pour in the remaining 4 Tbs. olive oil, whisking constantly until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a medium serving bowl, combine the cooled edamame and corn, the tomatoes, and the herbs. Gently toss. Add half of the vinaigrette and toss again. Add more vinaigrette and salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

• preparation

Heat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup bundt pan.

To make the cake:
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and soda into the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Add the butter and mix on low speed until fine crumbs form. Change to the whisk attachment.
With the machine running on medium speed, whisk in the oil, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and orange juice.
Whisk in the eggs one at a time and then increase the speed to high and whisk the batter until light, about 3 minutes,
scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

To make the syrup and glaze:
While the cake bakes, whisk together in a small bowl the orange juice concentrate, butter, rum, and 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar.
When the cake is done, set the pan on a rack to cool for 5 minutes. With a thin skewer,
poke the cake all the way through to the bottom of the pan in several places.
Pour 1/3 cup of the syrup over the cake and let stand for 1 hour before removing the cake from the pan.
(At this point you can wrap the cake in plastic and hold for up to 3 days at room temperature; in fact, the flavor only improves.)
Cover the remaining syrup with plastic and store at room temperature.

When ready to serve, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar into the remaining syrup.
Set the cake on a rack over a baking sheet and pour the glaze over the cake.
Let stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour and 1/4 cup sugar. Cut in butter finely. Press into bottom of lightly greased 9-inch square cake pan.
Spread jam over base. Beat eggs; beat in 1 cup sugar, soft butter and vanilla. Stir in coconut.
Spread over jam layer.
Bake for 30 minutes or until faintly browned.
Cool and cut into small squares.

• preparation

Combine rhubarb, sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until very tender. Cool slightly. Purée in food processor or blender and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool. Stir together the mashed strawberries, 1 tablespoon sugar and the lemon juice. Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and sour cream together until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Swirl in strawberries with a spoon, being careful not to mix too much. Pour into prepared crust. Bake 1 hour or until the edges are puffed and set and the center does not move anymore when slightly shaken. Cool in the pan on a rack.
Refrigerate. To serve, wet a knife in warm water and run around the edge between the cake and the outer ring. Remove the ring. Serve in wedges with Rhubarb Sauce.

• preparation

Remove the inside of angel cake leaving one inch thick sides and bottom to form a trench. Fill with ice cream. Freeze until ready to use.
For meringue: In an electric beater, whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until meringue is firm. Add sugar and vanilla.
Beat for 2 more minutes. Cover cake entirely with meringue using a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tube. Bake at 450 degrees for 1 to 2 minutes to brown. Decorate with whole berries and serve.

• preparation

To prepare compote:
Mix 2 tablespoons sugar with 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a small saucepan. Add pomegranate juice, lemon juice and 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds (save 1/4 cup for garnish) ; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Refrigerate while you prepare the pudding.

To prepare pudding:
Combine milk in a medium heavy saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean (or add vanilla extract). Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk egg, egg yolk, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch in a medium bowl. Reheat the milk mixture just until steaming. Carefully whisk one-third of the steaming milk into the egg mixture. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in butter.

To prepare parfaits: Divide the pomegranate compote among six 6-ounce (1 cup) parfait glasses, ramekins or other small dessert cups). Spoon the pudding mixture over the compote. Cover and refrigerate until the pudding is well chilled, at least 3 hours.
To serve, garnish each parfait with pomegranate seeds and a mint sprig, if desired.

• preparation

Mix the strawberry jam with the egg yolks.
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk to a boiling point. Pour over egg mixture and stir well. Heat over low heat stirring continuously until thick. Do not boil.
Strain the custard. Blend in the jello.
Refrigerate to cool.
Whip cream until thick. Fold into the strawberry custard. Pour mixture into a decorative mold. Refrigerate to set.
To serve, immerse mold in hot water. Unmold over a serving dish. Garnish with fresh strawberries.