Yummy liver...

Recently I found out that I have low iron stores. My doctor just about flipped when she saw my test results. So now I take iron supplements. The thing is, iron in supplements is not as readily absorbable when compared to iron found naturally in foods.

When speaking of iron rich foods, we immediately think of popeye's favourite - spinach, but did you know that spinach disrupts the absorption of iron? Spinach, along with red wine, coffee, swiss chard, beet greens, rhubarb, sweet potatoes, whole grains, bran and even soy products are all iron absorption inhibitors.1

To enhance absorption of iron, we should eat meat, fish, or poultry along with fruits very high in Vitamin C such as citrus fruits, strawberries and even melons; vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, tomato, tomato juice, potato, red and green peppers; and aren't you glad to know that white wine also helps the body absorb iron?2

So what are those foods that are high in iron? Clams, oysters and mussels, shrimps and sardines... all seafood that are excellent and good sources of iron. Obviously the livers of pork, beef and chicken, are excellent sources of iron, while beef and turkey are good sources of iron.3

Mind you if your vegetarian, all of this iron rich meat will surely be unappealing. So what can you eat to help build up your iron stores? Today we can readily find iron enriched breakfast cereals, cooked beans and lentils, pumpkin seeds and blackstrap molasses which are all excellent sources of iron in vegetable form. Canned beans, canned asparagus, enriched pasta and baked potates (with skin) are all also good sources of iron in vegetable form.4

With all of these natural sources of iron, my doctor shouldn't be jumping up and down over my iron levels. Unfortunately, I'm not always eating iron rich foods... Hence the supplements.

One of my favourite ways to eat iron rich foods though is in this following recipe:

Chicken liver paté
by Johane Levesque

1 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced celery
1 pound chicken livers
1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste, up to 1 teaspoon)
1 pinch chili pepper
1 pinch paprika
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 jigger Brandy

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a skillet. Saute onions, garlic, and celery until just soft. Add livers and cook until done. Drain liquid and cool.

In a blender or food processor, puree liver mixture. Add seasonings, mustard and remaining butter. Process until well combined.

Pour the liquified pâté into 6 small ramekins (about 4oz each), cover and then chill thoroughly.

This pâté is excellent with toast in the morning (on iron rich white bread), or on crackers as a snack, or just like that with a spoon.

1. http://www.healthcastle.com/iron.shtml
2. ibid
3. ibid
4. ibid

Cookbooks...

I was asked recently what was my favourite cookbook. I guess my best answer would be the one that I haven't read yet - the mystery of new recipes, new ingredients, new ideas... That is one of the many reasons why I collect recipes and cookbooks.


Another reason I enjoy cookbooks is they are usually filled with good stories. Family favourites, Christmas memories, anecdotes and personal secrets. Certainly there are those "technical bibles", even those I can find interesting.


My two latest acquisitions have been "The Martha Stewart's Living Cookbook" - Original and New Classics. I've found recipes in these books that I had been searching for for a long time. I've been inspired by a few recipes and intrigued by others.


Would I recommend these books? They may be a bit intimidating for a first time cook, but they do make excellent reference books filled with those basic recipes such as chocolate chip cookies, roast chicken, bread and a whole variety of vegetable recipes. For a more experienced cook, they'll find more challenging or intriguing recipes such as specialty desserts, international dishes, and original/forgotten uses for "regular, oh-hum ingredients". Although a bit pricey, they are a valuable addition to any cook's reference material.

As such I do recommend these books to any cook, from novice to more experienced.

PS. Just so that we know exactly which books I'm talking about, here is Martha Stewart Living Cookbook Original Classics and Martha Stewart Living Cookbook New Classics.

Apple Chutney

I have a lot of apples on hand, so to go with some pork chops for supper, I made an apple chutney.

With 4 apples, 1 onion, some freshly grated ginger, a pinch of salt and sugar, a sprinkling of cider vinegar, of wine and of orange juice, I made a lovely chutney.

I had diced the apples in "largeish" chunks, and the onions about the same size. I sweated the onions and ginger in about a teaspoon of canola oil for a few minutes. Then I added the apples and remaining ingredients. The salt helped to draw out some much needed liquid, while the sugar added a touch of sweetness to balance the acidity of the vinegar, wine and orange juice. I cooked this on medium-high heat for just a few minutes, that is until most of the liquid had evaporated.

Once this was completed, I simply added the "chutney" to a pan in which was cooking some pork chops. I finished cooking the chops on medium heat.

Results? Clean plates, empty pan and smiling faces. :D A chef can't ask for more! Ok, maybe for someone to do the dishes! lol

Note: Young kids may not be fond of the apple peel.

Storms a' brewin'...

And mom's a' cookin'. We're sitting in the middle of our third winter storm this season... except it's still fall and we've hardly had a day without snow in the last 2 weeks. We also have a very cold air mass sitting right on top of us making it so cold that we haven't reached anything higher than -15C all week.

So I've been cooking up a storm. Well, I've been cooking stews and breads and doing as much as I can to help keep the house warm. Tonight to make something different, I roasted breaded chicken thights with some potatoes and served up some steamed swiss chard along with some sliced tomatoes. It all disappeared as soon as the plates reached the table. :D

Everything was simple enough to throw together. The chicken was simply breaded with breadcrumbs to which I had added some salt, pepper and italian seasoning. The potatoes where baked along with the chicken in a hot oven for about 1 hour. In the last 10 minutes, I got the swiss chard leaves prepared, washed and steamed. Tossed the swiss chard with a bit of butter, salt and pepper to taste. I sliced 3 vine ripened tomatoes and sprinkled a bit of kosher salt and just a few drops of balsamic vinegar over the slices.

The silence that surounded the supper table tonight was only broken by the utensils striking the plates. That is a satisfying sound to this chef. :D

It's nice when

I love to cook. As a parent in a large family, if I didn't love to cook, I think I'd be in big trouble. But I love to cook, so that is ok. I don't mind going somewhere and while I'm visiting being asked to "help" prepare a meal or answer food related questions. It is my passion and I thoroughly enjoy it.

But you know? It's nice when I go for a visit, and it is just that - a visit. My mom has prepared a lasagna, there is fresh homemade bread, and all we do is talk about the time of day and the weather. That's nice too.

T'is the season

To come home one day with groceries and all of a sudden realize that you could use a larger refrigerator! Oops! Buying too many groceries isn't usually a problem around here... The kids are growing and they eat their fair amount. By this time of year though I usually have some baking done and my menu planned. This year I may be a little behind, but it is no different. I have a refrigerator full of fresh food ready to be prepared as Christmas goodies. I have a pantry with all of the necessary ingredients to make spice cakes, sugar cookies and all kinds of sweets and treats.

I usually only get the basic, local vegetables and inexpensive cuts of meat, milk - lots of milk - and cheese, cereal and snack stuff. Christmas is the time of year where I get those more "exotic" ingredients - odd spices, foreign fruits, quality chocolates... Over and beyond the regular food that I usually get.

Once a year, I come home with all of the ingredients that I need to make a special Christmas for the children and I think that at this time of year I should probably look into renting a second refrigerator. I say that now though, when friends and family are often at the door, when we bring sweets to Christmas parties and for teachers, when we are at our culinary busiest. In all too few and very short weeks, we'll have returned to our regularly scheduled menues.

So while my fridge is well stuffed I will enjoy it. I will Thank God for all of His goodness, I will Praise Him for the provenance of care He gives to His creation. I will share this great bounty with those who are hungry that find their way to my home, I will share the blessing of the season with anyone who needs an extra special blessing.

Now I'm off to wrap gifts and prepare the other little extras that make Christmas special for the children.

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night"!! :D

On a windy wintery day

We'll be using some left over bread, some remnants of cheese and a lovely beef stock... to make a hearty and warming french onion soup for supper.

How is this for a Christmas side dish?

Carrot Ribbons

1/4-1/2 carrot per person
1/4-1/2 parsnip per person
1/2 cup of water
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and peel the carrots and parsnips. Then continue peeling the vegetables to create ribbons about 1 centimeter wide (less than 1/2 inch). Do not mix the vegetables yet. Cook them seperately in a covered pan then blanche them in ice water to stop the cooking process. This can go very quickly depending on how much carrot or parsnip is in the pan. The vegetables should still be slightly crunchy. At this point you can mix the vegetables and store them in the fridge for a day or two if made in advance.

On the day you'll be serving this dish, bring the vegetables to room temperature, melt the butter in a sauté pan and toss the vegetables quickly in the warm butter with just a bit of salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot. Yum!

NOTE: Why not mix the carrots and parsnips before "steaming"? Because the vegetables are in the liquid, and the parsnips will discolour.

What do you get when...

...you mix a rinsed can of mixed beans, some pizza spice, salt & pepper, some vinegar and a dash of oil? A very easy lunch!

A Christmas Auction

To help a family in need, please visit this auction to help a single mom this Christmas season.

Thank you.