Well Seasoned Blog

Finally – they’re ready.

Local berries, fresh from the farmers market; still warm from the sun of the day are just so soul satisfying.  Far superior to those cardboard berries we get all winter, it’s hard to believe we even bother!

The downside to these little babies is that they just don’t last.  You need to eat them within a day or two of scooping them up.  Now is a great time to start freezing them and doing them individually on a sheet pan after you wash them is the most efficient way.  Give them a good rinse and let them air dry…transfer them to a sheet pan and pop them directly into the freezer.  When the berries are individually frozen solid you can transfer them to zip bags or plastic tubs for long term storage.  When you’re ready to use them they aren’t all squished and stuck together…as Martha would say “it’s a good thing”.  Maybe you ran out of days in your week and find yourself with a basket or two of berries that are just a bit too ripe for what you had in mind. No problem ! Pop them into the blender with a splash of orange or lemon juice and a spoon or two of sugar.  Give them a whiz and freeze the puree in clean yogurt tubs so you can add them to your smoothies or transform them into a delicious syrup or maybe even a Daiquiri !

We like to infuse our own Vodka with Fresh Strawberries, it’s perfect for summer cocktails.

Give it a try, you will be making the best strawberry martinis in town !

Here’s how…

Wash your peak of the season fresh strawberries thoroughly. Slice then and remove all of the stems.  Put about 14 thinly sliced fresh berries into a large pitcher and pour over 1 x 750 ml of your favourite vodka. Cover the pitcher with a tight fitting top or plastic wrap.

Place the container in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator for 7 days. Agitate the pitcher daily to recombine the vodka and berries.

Strain the fresh strawberries out of the vodka with a very fine sieve, catching the infused vodka in a clean 750 ml bottle (you can use the same one you emptied when you started)  Place a label on the bottle and store it in the freezer so it is ice cold when you are ready to add it to your cocktails.  The first few batches you make may not be perfect but practice and try some new flavours; you will soon get the hang of it.

You’ve got to try these….

* 3 pounds lean ground chuck
* 1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup dehydrated onion flakes
* 1/4 cup Fischer & Wieser Smokehouse Bacon & Chipotle Grilling Sauce
* Additional Smokehouse Bacon & Chipotle Grilling Sauce for basting

Preheat your grill to medium heat. In a large bowl combine the ground chuck, black pepper, dehydrated onion and 1/4 cup of Fischer & Wieser Smokehouse Bacon & Chipotle Grilling Sauce. Using your hands, blend the mixture well, distributing ingredients thoroughly. Separate the meat mixture into 8 equal portions of 6 ounces each; pat meat into firm burgers. Place burgers on preheated grill and cook, basting with additional Fischer & Wieser Smokehouse Bacon & Chipotle Grilling Sauce each time you turn them, for about 8 minutes per side. To serve, assemble burgers with your favorite condiments. Serves 8

Sparkling wine is such a lovely treat and we think you can turn any event into a special occasion when you serve a little bubbly. We especially love to raise the stakes a little by adding a beautiful Wild Hibiscus flower into the bottom of the champagne flute. It is fascinating to watch the tiny bubbles surround the blossom as it unfurls in the glass. The Wild Hibiscus Flower Company is a small family owned business in Sydney, Australia. Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup are the original creation of Lee Etherington who invented the product 11 years ago in 1997. Wild Hibiscus Flowers are unique and are now sold in 30 countries across the globe through specialty retailers. They are available at www.wellseasoned.ca $9.99 (jar contains aprox. 11 flowers)
What a treasure….these little beauties are totally edible and taste almost like a cross between raspberries and rhubarb – they are delicious. Wild Hibiscus Flowers come packed in a natural syrup and by adding a little of that syrup to your cocktail or glass of champagne it transforms the drink into a perfectly pink, slightly tart masterpiece. They are so much fun, a great conversation starter and totally original. Pick some up for your next soirée, you won’t be sorry.
Champagne Cocktail with Wild Hibiscus
Wild Hibiscus Flower Garnish
½ oz Wild Hibiscus Syrup
Champagne or Sparkling Wine
Place 1 Wild Hibiscus Flower into the bottom of each champagne flute & stand upright
Top with Champagne and pour in the Hibiscus syrup which will graduate from crimson at the bottom to light pink at the top
The flower will sit in the bottom of the champagne flute and slowly open up over a few minutes.

As spring marches forward one of the most anticipated moments of the season at my house is the preparation of the first BBQ’d burgers of the season. There is just something so incredibly satisfying about the warm juices from a fresh off the grill burger running down your forearm as that slice of tomato desperately tries to escape the confines of the bun. You just don’t get that experience unless you grill the burger at home.

I am not much of a fast food kinda girl and I am generally repulsed by the pale gray, greasy little pucks that seem to endlessly appear on the menu at quick serve restaurants, mysteriously for less and less money every week. The price of ingredients goes up every single day yet the price of fast food continues to drop – an anomaly I truly struggle to understand. I am waiting for everything eventually to be free so you can just buy the toy your kid wants and get back to making real food at home.

I digress…

Now weather you are a vegetarian or a meat eater burgers are kind of a universal food…much like pizza. There is something there for everyone. Technically a burger is a sandwich containing a cooked meat patty – usually ground beef but occasionally pork, turkey or chicken placed between the two halves of a bun. Typically the burger is dressed with ketchup, mustard, relish and onions. For those with a wild streak – cheese! Just about everyone I know has a burger recipe they love, most guys I know claim the burger as their”signature move” on the bbq. Burgers and toppings are as individual as the person creating them. Personally I like to keep things simple. Into fresh ground chuck (I get my butcher to grind it for me while I wait) I add an egg, some seasonings, a finely chopped onion and a bit of just cooked chopped bacon. I form them into disks big enough to fill the bun and chill them until I am ready to grill. I get my grill nice and hot, lightly oil the grill and put them on over direct heat. Cooking them 4 -5 minutes per side, turning only once. Contrary to what your Dad probably did, please try to resist pressing down on the burgers with your spatula. That only squeezes out the juices, encourages flare-ups and dries out your burger. You’ve gone to so much trouble, do not want a dry burger! Now you are ready for the bun and your toppings. I am a cheddar cheese, mustard, tomato and mayo girl. I like a soft bun, not too crusty and the bun to burger ration is very important – too much bun or over toasting it can ruin the whole experience for me. Burgers aren’t an everyday food at my house nor should they be at yours, like everything moderation is the ticket but regardless of how you do your burgers you’ve got to admit there is something soul satisfying about a good one.

Happy grilling.

Fresh blood oranges are slipping away from the shelves at the local supermarkets but if you look, you can still find a few. It’s really worth the effort!
Nothing feels more like summer than sitting on your deck sipping the first cocktails of the season. If you’re lucky some of your herbs survived the winter and you can even pick some fresh. One of my favourite cocktails hands downs is the Mojito but I am always working on new ways to shake them up & keep things interesting so in this version I have incorporated the fresh squeezed crimson juices of the blood orange. It’s fantastic but be warned, the go down like water and if it’s a hot day they will sneak up on you. Invite some friends over and have some fun.

Blood Orange Basil Mojito

5 large fresh mint leaves
5 large fresh basil leaves
½ oz. Basil infused simple syrup
5 oz. Fresh squeezed blood orange juice
1 oz. White Rum
Club soda

In a tall glass, gently muddle the fresh mint and basil with the simple syrup. Add the blood orange juice and the rum. Fill with ice and top with club soda.

Basil Infused Simple Syrup

1 c. sugar
½ c. Water
½ c. fresh basil leaves washed & packed into the measuring cup

Place the sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat, and add the basil leaves. Allow the syrup to sit for at least 1 hour before straining through a mesh sieve. Discard the basil and store the syrup in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. Syrup will last for several weeks in the refrigerator.

I was reminded today that there is more than one Lane Snider in the world and that my blog post may have an impact on them.  It is not my intention to hurt the OTHER Lane Sniders.  It was only my intention to bring to your attention how the Langley version comports himself.

I have removed the post out of respect for the others and because my lawyers are now dealing with the details related to my complaints with him, his clients and his company.

I still think the Langley version is a hack and will resort to spreading the word the old fashioned way…by telling anyone that stands still long enough.

BC Spot Prawns – one of our favorite seasonal foods fresh from the waters off the coast of Vancouver Island. BC Spot Prawns are best known for their sweet delicate flavour and firm texture…they almost remind me a little of a sweeter version of lobster. They are reddish brown in color with horizontal stripes on the shell and very distinctive white spots along their abdominal segments. The season for these little beauties is relatively short, it literally starts right now and runs until about the first or second week in July. You can get frozen prawns all year but we think they are best when they are fresh. Fortunately for us the best fish monger in the Fraser Valley is right here in Langley – One Fish Two Fish (205 & Fraser Hwy.) http://www.1fish2fish.ca Heather Jenkins and her crew are excited to be receiving their first spot prawns of the season TODAY! Just in time for the weekend!

When you are buying your Fresh BC Spot Prawns you want to make sure they feel firm, that they have a few or no black spots and smell just like the sea. Your fresh prawns can be grilled, baked, sautéed or steamed, they only require 2 or 3 minutes cooking time and are done when they just turn pink. Over cooking will instantly toughen these little babies up so keep a very close eye.
One of my favorite ways to treat the Fresh BC Spot Prawns is to start by sauteing finely chopped shallots and a clove of minced garlic in a generous amount of butter. Sauté until the shallot is translucent and you can smell the fragrance of the garlic. Bring the temperature of the pan up and toss in the peeled & deveined prawns. Give them a quick sauté, throw in a handful of fresh herbs, season with a little salt & pepper to finish. Simple is best, you really want to enjoy the flavour of the prawn. Serve these up as a first course with some fresh bread and a cold glass of Cava. Cava is a beautiful sparkling wine from Spain – the perfect match for your garlic spot prawns. And as you sit on the deck or in your dining room licking the last little bit of butter off your fingers you can take great satisfaction in knowing you just enjoyed some wildly sustainable BC prawns that make a great contribution to our local economy. In fact – you should really celebrate that with another glass of Cava.
Cheers.

These are the two recipes Camille, Sophie and I cooked on Global TV. The segment will air Saturday morning around 8:15am.

“Momosa”

Make mom’s morning extra special by serving her a delicious “Momosa” in bed while the pancakes are
cooking !

½ cup fresh strawberries stemmed and cut in half
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
½ cup ice
½ teaspoon honey
club soda, sparkling water or 7-up

Combine strawberries, orange juice, ice & honey in blender. Blend until smooth and serve in a tall glass garnished with a whole strawberry and a splash of club soda.

Banana Pecan Pancakes with Maple Syrup

My secret in this great kid-friendly, easy to make recipe is the yogurt. It replaces the oil you usually have to add to the mixture to keep the pancakes nice and moist. By using a flavored yogurt you can change it up however you like. Try Blueberry yogurt with fresh blueberries, Lemon Yogurt with fresh strawberries, Coconut Yogurt with toasted pecans etc.

1 cup of all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
¾ cup vanilla yogurt
3 tbsp butter, melted
Dash of freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp vanilla extract or paste
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
1 large over-ripe banana, smashed with a fork
2 firm bananas and 1 cup of maples syrup

Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt in a large bowl, stirring well to combine. Combine yogurt, 2 tbsp. butter, nutmeg, eggs, pecans, and mashed banana in a small bowl, mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture, stirring until smooth.
Pour about ¼ cup of batter per pancake into a hot lightly buttered non-stick pan. Cook 2 minutes or until the tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 2 more minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.

Slice the 2 firm bananas and add to a sauté pan with 1 tbsp. of melted butter. Sauté until warm, add the maple syrup to heat through and spoon over the hot pancakes. Serve immediately.

The 5^th annual BBQ on the By Pass is excited to announce that you should

SAVE YOUR FORK – THERE’S PIE !

Announcing the 1^st Annual Great BC Bake-off

You think you’ve got some skills ? Let’s find out….

Enter all three categories or just one…

1. Fruit Pie (any kind of fruit cherry, peach, apple, berry etc.)
2. Open (anything goes within the outlined rules – entries must not require refrigeration)
3. Butter tarts  (this is a Canadian competition after all)

Official Rules

• This contest is open  to individuals or groups working as a team
• You can enter just one or all 3 categories
• Pies must have bottom and side crusts – a top crust is not mandatory
• A neatly handwritten or typed recipe for the pie and pie crust must be submitted on a single sided standard 8 ½  by 11 sheet of paper.
• $10 entry fee per pie/tart entry – enter as many as you like (minimum of 6 tarts must be turned in per entry) Entry fee must accompany the pie/tart entry and paid in cash only.
• All entries MUST be made from scratch – including the pastry, no store bought entries will be accepted
• If you pie plate is not disposable it must be clearly marked for easy return
• Contestants agree to have their photos and recipes published without compensation
• No toppings should be submitted with the pie including whipping cream or ice cream
• All pies submitted for judging will become the property of Well Seasoned and will not be returned to the entrant after judging
• Contestants must be 16 years of age or older
• Entrants must be amateur bakers – meaning you cannot make all of part of your living by baking
• if you are competing in the BBQ Contest you may bake your pies/tarts off site and bring them with you or you can bake on site if you are so inclined

Prizes:

• Ribbons will be awarded for the top 3 submissions in each category
• First place winner in each category will receive a $150 Well Seasoned gift card

Judging

• Pies/Tarts will be judged by a panel of 6 judges
• Pies/Tarts will be judged  -
  • 50%taste -   taste is judged on flavour
  • 20% appearance -  appearance is judged on both the pre-slice & post-slice look of the submission
  • 20% crust  -  crust is judged for tenderness & flavour
  • 10% for originality & overall appeal -  how impressive in general for originality & execution of the recipe
  • Each judge assigns a numerical value in each criteria category, without consultation with the other judges.  For a total of 100 points.  The pie receiving the highest total numerical value is the winner in that category.   In the case of a tie, the judges will judge those pies/tarts again.
  • Entries will be accepted from 10am – 12noon at the designated tent at the Well Seasoned BBQ on the By Pass
  • LATE ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
  • Prizes will be awarded during the main BBQ awards ceremony at 4pm.
  • Judges decisions are FINAL
  • We will NOT accept PIES THAT REQUIRE REFRIGERATION (i.e. dairy or cream pies). The person running the Pie-Baking Contest will have the final say on acceptability of pies.
  • If you are a winner, you give your permission to have your photo taken during the awards ceremony and have it used along with your recipes for promotional purposes, including the BBQ on the By Pass and Well Seasoned websites.

You can find the entry form and all of the tasty details right here

http://www.bbqonthebypass.com/?page_id=250

I am super excited to finally meet Canada’s Legendary King of the Q – Ted Reader. Ted will be at Well Seasoned in Langley on Friday May 14th for a cooking class & book signing to launch his brand new cookbook;

Napoleon’s Everyday Gourmet Burgers

The book looks great – there is something in there for everyone along with some very inspirational cocktail recipes. Seating for this event is limited – we would love to see you there.
All of the details are at www.wellseasoned.ca or you can call the store for more info 604.530.1518

Ted’s quest for creating “real food for real people” has seen this high-profile culinary barbecue guru demonstrate his flair for grilling in all venues from swanky ball rooms to the Pacific Ocean to a downtown Toronto parking lot. Today, he owns more than 100 barbecues, grills and smokers in all shapes and sizes and never goes anywhere without one in the back of his truck – he is definitely our kind of guy! Known for his pyrotechnic charm and fearless culinary spirit, it’s no surprise that GQ magazine labeled him the “crazy Canuck barbecue kingpin”. The dude just loves to cook!
One of the mainstays of summer—the humble hamburger—leaps off the grill with the help of Ted Reader’s truly unique interpretations of how hamburgers can be prepared and presented. With more than 100 different burger recipes, created using the finest grills in the world, readers will learn how to make more than just plain, old hamburgers. Exciting recipes take readers on a journey to hamburger heaven with every recipe accompanied by a full-colour photo of the final product.
Tips and tricks–such as cooking on an uncovered grill and using the right meat binders, to seasoning and chilling ground meat properly prior to shaping—on how to make the most delicious of hamburgers are explained in detail, as readers transform a variety of ingredients into a fiesta of flavour. Whether cooking over gas or charcoal, Ted provides directions for making the perfect burger every time.
Whether grinding your own meat or buying from the grocery store, creating professional quality burgers without all the fuss is guaranteed. Home cooks will learn how to grill burgers that are moist and juicy every time. Ground chuck will never be the same again!