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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Rites of Spring #7 - We make shrimp and sausage Jambalaya · Monday April 5, 2010 by colin newell
I have been making double batches of Cajun Jambalaya from a “modified kit” – from Zatarain’s Jambalaya mix and adding some of my own ingredients…
However, the Zatarain’s mix has way too much salt for most normal human beings so we decided to come up with our own scratch Cajun Jambalaya – and here it is!
1 yellow onion chopped
1 cup of celery chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black cracked pepper
saute in 2 tablespoons veg or canola oil until wilted (about 5 minutes)
add 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
add 4 portuguese sausage cut into 1/4” slices
add 2 cups diced tomatoes
add 4 bay leaf
add 2 cups hand-peel shrimp meat
Saute above for 2 minutes
Add 2 cups of rice – saute for 2 minutes
Add 5 cups of chicken broth
Stir til comes to boil
cover, reduce to medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes
stir, remove bay leaf.
This is an awesome Jambalaya and it’s low in salt!
for the record, Zatarain’s has a low-sodium Jambalaya mix
Enjoy!
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Winter Fun Food and Adventure Victoria - Return to the Stage · Saturday February 27, 2010 by colin newell
Andrea and I sort of live in Fernwood… inasmuch as we sort of live in Oak Bay…
and Victoria… you might say that we are somewhat itinerant.
Anyway – we first appeared at the door of Stages Small Plates in 2007 – review here .
And we have gone back a couple of times – but tonight we had the pleasure of eating out with our favorite couple – the crazy, sexy cool that is The Engels. Valerie and Mark are the brains behind the Bubby Roses Bakery Cafe machine in Victoria.
There is a reason why Bubby Roses Bakery has more kilowatt buzz per square inch of Cinnamon bun than any other bakery in town – it is because of the Engels and their staff. Honest to God, if the World was going to end in 24 hours, this is where I would send everyone to spend their final moments.
Going out with Valerie and Mark generally involves a couple of glasses of Pinot Noir per person and a whole heck of a lot of great stories – back and forth, back and forth.
Anyway, another advantage of going out with a hungry couple is being able to order just about everything on the menu; Edamame (Japanese twig beans), Mussels, Falafel, Squid, White Fish, and pork belly…
and enjoying every morsel!
Although that was not everything, it was a good cross section.
That and dessert; chocolate pate and a creme brulee…
and a 1/2 gallon of Cafe Fantastico decaf.
Dinner for 4 and lots of wine and great stories… about $180
