Rites of Spring #29 Andrea and Colin whip up Scratch Spaghetti Sauce · Sunday May 30, 2010 by colin newell
Meat and Veg
350g lean ground beef
350g lean ground pork
1 large yellow onion
1 stick celery minced
1 carrot grated (adds sweetness to the sauce)
2 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (white or brown)
3 26 fluid ounce Tins of tomato sauce
2 small Tins (6 fluid oz.) tomato paste
Spices
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoon dried parsley
2 Tablespoon dried oregano
2 Tablespoon basil
2 Tablespoon Italian seasoning mix
3 small Bay leaf
In a large pot (heated to medium) brown the ground beef
and pork for about 10 minutes.
Add the chopped onion and brown for 5 minutes
Add the minced celery and grated carrot – stir 2 minutes
combine tomato sauce and paste – stir to mix
add the 2 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms
Add spices and bay leaf – bring to boil, reduce to simmer
for 1 hour.
Serve with any kind of pasta, garlic toast and a glass of your
favorite red wine.
Rites of Spring #21 Vegan Dirty Rice by Colin and Andrea · Sunday May 23, 2010 by colin newell
We love a good jambalaya or Cajun dirty rice from a zataran’s mix but we do not like all the salt. Here is a nice vegan spin on the classic Cajun recipe with a couple of twists… and it’s vegan!
Photo right – actual photo of the dish we prepared tonight – natural light – F2.5 on a 55MM macro lens on the Canon EOS-30D
1 large Onion
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Pablano Pepper
2 cups rice
4 cups water
1 package (400g) extra firm Tofu
3 tablespoons Creole Spice mix
Salt, Pepper to taste
2 teaspoons Cumin
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dry Vermouth
Step 1 – put rice on to cook (set aside once fluffed)
Step 2 – chop all peppers and onions into small chop (dice)
Step 3 – Combine 2 tablespoons creole mix with 1/4 cup oil to make a liquid paste
Step 4 – Cut Tofu into 1 X 1” cubes. Toss into creole oil/paste mix
Step 5 – Pan fry Tofu until all sides are browned/crisp + set aside.
Step 6 – Heat 1/4 cup oil in large pot. All onions and peppers + 1 tablespoon creole mix – salt and pepper.
Step 7 – Saute veg for 10 minutes or til just beyond crispy.
Step 8 – Add 1/4 cup Vermouth to veg mix at 9 minute point in veg saute
Step 9 – Combine rice + veg + tofu to complete dirty rice
You can garnish with green onions, cilantro or even sprinkle whole or crushed nuts.
Enjoy.
Rites of Spring #13 - Food safe shout out and bones to pick · Friday May 7, 2010 by colin newell
Although I am by no means a germ junkie or bug fanatic, I do appreciate restaurants that, at least, pay some lip service to sound food safe practices.
And a big shout out to Eugene’s Greek Deli that so takes this issue seriously that they have a wash basin right by the POS (Point of Sale) cash register.
They have a star rating on the CRD-VIHA Health Inspection agency web-site – check it out for yourself.
So. I not only get to enjoy some great Greek grub, but also, I do not need to worry about paying some mysterious price later on the next day with tummy troubles.
And as much as I would love to rat out my favorite ice cream parlor in downtown Victoria that is only open in the Summer time… and their virtually non-existent food safe policy…
“Go on Colin”, you ask?
Well. OK. There is an ice cream parlor downtown… and the owner handles fists full of cash and never washes his hands as he shuttles between ice cream cones and money. It is so disgusting that I am almost tempted to go have a fake ice cream at the Beacon Drive In… ain’t there yet.
Anyway. If you know who I am talking about, go check it out for yourself.
Any place that handles money and food… there has to be a splash interval between those 2 activities. Check out the diagram above.
Happy Friday everyone!
Rites of Spring #8 - Tasting menu and wine at SIPS James Bay · Saturday April 17, 2010 by colin newell
Going to regret blogging this big time.
Wine tasting and meal… at SIPS in James Bay… once a month.
And dig this: Appetizer, entree and dessert + 7 wines.
For $25.
Not a misprint. Twenty five smackers.
I had the seafood chowder and the baked halibut on a bed of leek infused mashed potatoes. Apple crumble for dessert. Andrea had the cheese plate and the pork belly confit plus the caramel cheesecake for dessert. Friend Alan M. had green salad with smoked salmon and the pork belly with Tiramisu for dessert. Friend Steve P. had chowder, Halibut and crumble. Sharon P. had cheese plate, Halibut and Tiramisu.
The featured wines were from Hillside Estate Winery – Penticton B.C. Canada:
Ottonel – 100% Muscat Ottonel grown on their estate – Only wine of its kind produced in the Okanagan Valley. A very light and fruity white wine.
Gamay Noir Planted in 1984, Gamay Noir vines are some of the oldest in the Okanagan Valley. Barrel aged for 8 months, this wine is made in a Burgundian-style, resulting in a medium bodied, fruit forward wine. Raspberry and cedar notes highlight the aroma with a silky texture on the palate.
Un-oaked Pinot Gris Stainless fermented Pinot Gris shines with fresh fruit, white peach, citrus and melon are backed by a bright core of tree-fruit flavours – bright finish.
Oaked Pinot Gris Made from fruit sourced from the Naramata and Black Sage benches and fermented in both stainless vats and Hungarian oak barrels. Orange blossoms and vanilla mingle with tropical fruit aromas followed by a rich and supple mid-palate.
S. African Pinotage Fruit was sourced from a single family vineyard in Oliver. A deep black currant aroma dusted with sagebrush, toasted nutmeg, and mesquite is echoed on the palate along with Mission fig, racy spice and leather. Aged 9 months.
Syrah From grapes sourced from our Hidden Valley vineyard on the Naramata Bench. The wine is full-bodied, rich and fruity – tasted blackberries and dark spice.
Rosé A blend of Merlot, Syrah and Gamay sourced primarily from their Naramata Bench vineyard. Wild berries and Cherry on the palate + long finish.
We showed up at 6PM and left at 9PM – 3 hours of great conversation, food and drink at an astounding $25/person less healthy tip. It is not often we say yes to a completely different eating event on a couple of days notice but this really worked for us – made a few new friends in the process and hooked up with some fine wines and awesome eats. My buddy Alan’s partner works as a sous chef at SIPS and we were knocked out by the quality of the offerings. I would compare SIPS quite favorably to a local eatery like CAFE BRIO. Yup, that good!
Now listen up readers! I hope to do this again in a month. Seating is limited and you can put yourself down for an e-mail alert on events (and I did) – but I discourage anyone else from doing this or going to this eating/drinking event. We loved it… but we are pretty sure you won’t. :-)
Cheers!
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