DILL PICKLES

I used to think the whole joke about pregnant women craving pickles was something that would never occur to me.  In a sense it is true that I don't crave them, but I do really enjoy them now more than ever.  So, I decided to make some dill pickles with the fresh cucumbers that are in season right now.
 In an effort to use a more local product, I tried using Boate's Apple Cider Vinegar to make dill pickles last year.  They turned out, only I wasn't very keen on the appley taste.  I was really tempted to just cave and buy good old white vinegar, but realized I couldn't find any that was in a glass bottle, so I decided to try out white wine vinegar.  I'll let you know how it goes.

DILL PICKLES

8 lbs organic pickling cucumbers

14 heads fresh organic dill

7-10 cloves organic garlic, chopped

7 Tbsp coarse celtic sea salt

7 tsp organic pickling spice

3 1/2 dried organic red hot peppers

8 cups vinegar (your choice)

8 cups water

Method:  Fill boiling water canner with water.  Place 7 clean 1 litre mason jars in the canner over high heat.  Wash cucumbers, slicing off blossom ends, leaving a 1/4 inch of stem attached.  Place snap lids in boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.

     Combine vinegar and water in a large stainless steel saucepan.  Bring to a boil, boiling gently while you pack jars.  In a hot jar, place 1 head of dill, 1 clove of the chopped garlic, 1 Tbsp salt, 1 tsp spice and 1/2 of a hot pepper.  Pack cucumbers into a hot jar to within 2 cm of top rim.  Place one head of dill on top.  Add boiling pickling liquid to cover cucumbers to within 1 cm of top rim.  Remove air bubbles by sliding a rubber spatula between glass and food, readjust head space.  Wipe rim, then centre, snap lid on and apply screw band until just fingertip tight  Place jar in canner.  Repeat.  Cover canner, return water to boil and process 15 minutes.  Remove jars, cool 24 hours, check jar seals.

HERBED IRANIAN RICE

Growing up we lived next door to an Iranian family.  My mother fell in love with the cuisine, and encouraged our neighbours to show her how to make Iranian food.  One of the lovely rice dishes she still makes to this day is laced with green onions and herbs.  It was the perfect accompaniment to the organic salmon we broiled.

HERBED IRANIAN RICE

1 cup basmati rice

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup organic fresh dill, minced

1/4 cup organic fresh parsley, chopped

3 organic green onions, sliced

1 Tbsp organic salted butter

1 tsp sea salt

Method:  Rinse the rice in a sieve until it runs clear.  Let the rice soak in the water for at least 30 minutes in the pot you will be cooking it in.  Then bring the water to a boil, add herbs, salt and butter, cover with a lid, lower the heat to very low and let steam for about 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

HERBED NEW POTATOES

I had a delicious memory of these potatoes my mother used to make when I was a child.  I specifically remember eating them at the cottage in the summer, all buttery and oniony.  So I called her up to fill me in on the details of the dish.  She recommended garlic, and so I thought, what better way to incorporate the garlic scapes that I just harvested from our garlic plants than in this dish?  These potatoes are so amazing I ate 3 helpings.  Hmm maybe that's why I'm busting out of my pants right now!

HERBED NEW POTATOES with Garlic Scapes, Dill and Parsley

20 small organic new potatoes

1/4 cup organic salted butter

1/4 cup chopped organic dill

1/4 cup chopped organic parsley

1/4 cup minced organic garlic scapes

1 organic green onion, chopped finely

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.  Heat the butter in a small skillet until melted, remove from heat.  Stir in the scapes.  Drain the cooked potatoes and toss with the butter and toss in the other herbs, and season to taste with salt and pepper.  

EASTER FEASTING

I spent my life celebrating two Easters every year.  Greeks follow a different religious calendar whose main difference as far as I've noticed is the day that Easter falls on.  This year though, they fell on the same day.  The last few days have been all about preparing to celebrate Spring with family and friends.

     I managed to take some photos of the meal preparation but totally forgot to take after shots of the meal before we ate it all!  Sorry....suffice it to say it was beautiful and delicious.  And it included lots of roast lamb, because I am Greek after all, and it isn't Easter unless there's lamb. Growing up my father always roasted a whole lamb outside on the spit, rain or snow or shine. Even though my parents in Ontario were only having my brother and his family over for dinner, my Dad ordered half a lamb and they are cooking it on the BBQ....a head and all!  I didn't go that far and settled for two small legs of lamb.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB

1 leg of organic lamb, 5-6 pounds

sea salt and pepper

6 cloves organic garlic

3 Tbsp fresh oregano

3 Tbsp fresh thyme

3 Tbsp fresh rosemary

juice of 1 organic lemon

1/4 cup e.v olive oil

Method:  Preheat oven to 450*.  Make 4 slits with a knife all over the lamb.  Insert half a clove of garlic into each one. In a suribachi, smash the rest of the garlic with some salt and the herbs.  Rub all over the lamb with some olive oil and salt and pepper.  Then squeeze and rub the lemon all over the lamb.  Roast the lamb in the oven at the high heat for 10-15 minutes, then reduce to 340* for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Take out of the oven and let rest for 10 minutes then carve.

GREEK LEMON POTATOES

8 large organic russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 wedges

juice of 1 lemon

1/4-1/2 cup homemade chicken stock

1/4-1/2 cup e.v olive oil

sea salt and pepper

fresh or dry oregano

Method:  Preheat oven to 350*.  Combine all ingredients in a roasting pan, being sure not to crowd the potatoes.  Bake in oven for about 60 minutes or until the edges start to brown.  Serve hot with the lamb.

SPRING SALAD with Lemon and Feta

Organic spinach

Organic baby romaine

Organic feta

Organic spring onions, sliced thin

Fresh dill, minced

Organic lemon juice

sea salt and pepper

olive oil

Method:  Combine the lettuces, feta, onion and dill in a large salad bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, squeeze some lemon on top and season generously with salt and pepper.  Toss and serve.

Naturally dyed eggs using turmeric, handmade organic chocolate bunnies and chicks, organic spelt arrowroot butterflies, lambs, bunnies and tulips nestled in a bed of straw and moss.

Barter Pasta

Lately Friedl from Selwood Green has been visiting my table at the Farmer's Market to barter. He is a pleasure to see at the end of the market day because he always comes bearing lovely fresh sprouts, and this week, some of Norbert's homemade kamut pasta.  We had some leftover smoked salmon from Sunday's brunch which I thought would go perfectly in a pasta.  I also unearthed some spinach from the deep freeze that I prepared from the garden harvest in the summer. This pasta was truly delicious.

KAMUT PASTA with Cauliflower,  Smoked Salmon and Spinach

1 lb Norbert's fresh organic kamut pasta

2 Tbsp organic butter

1 large organic onion, chopped

4 cloves organic garlic, minced

1/2 cup organic vodka

2 tsp organic lemon zest

1 tsp sea salt

black organic pepper

1 1/2 cups organic cream

125 g organic smoked salmon, sliced thinly

2 Tbsp capers

3 cups organic spinach, chopped

1/2 head organic cauliflower

fresh romano cheese, grated

1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Method:  Bring a large pot of water to boil.  When it comes to a boil, add the cauliflower and boil for 3 minutes.  Then add the pasta and cook for about 3 minutes.  As you do this, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Saute onion until softened, then add the garlic and stir.  Add the vodka, zest, salt and pepper and simmer for 2 minutes.  Add the cream and simmer until it thickens a bit.  Stir in the spinach and cook until spinach wilts and the sauce evaporates a bit.  Stir in the smoked salmon, capers.  Season to taste.  Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce.  Serve, with the grated cheese and chopped dill.