Showing posts with label raspberries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label raspberries. Show all posts

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Some things don't need recipes

Last night, Phil came home with two punnets of the most amazing jewels from the farmer's market.

They glowed in the early evening light.


Black and golden raspberries, warmed by the afternoon haze.

I was entranced by the way the yellows and apricots of the golden raspberries seemed to capture and hold the sunlight. 


And the way the black raspberries' deep purple melted into shades of eggplant, mulberry and burgundy.


We could have eaten them  with softly whipped cream as part of a fool or tossed them with sugar.

Instead, we devoured each berry naked, savouring each explosive burst of sweet flavour, until there was nothing left of them but their memory on our stained fingers and lips.

Perfection.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Vanilla Rice Pudding with Raspberry Coulis

My little brother went through a period where he was obsessed with rice pudding. There was constantly a container of Kozy Shack in the fridge.

And when I say container, I mean Costco sized vat.

Basically, the entire fridge consisted of Kozy Shack. The rest of us were forced to live off the land and forage for food. It was a hard existence, but we learned to fend for ourselves in the wilderness of Andrew Haydon Park.

Okay. That might be an total slight exaggeration.


For the record, I think Kozy Shack is gross, but I do love a creamy, well made rice pudding, which this, another French Women Don't Get Fat inspired recipe is.

Use your best risotto rice for this, stir frequently and you'll get something amazing.

Vanilla Rice Pudding with Raspberry Coulis

(adapted from French Women Don't Get Fat)
serves 2

Ingredients

1½ cup raspberries, divided
1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/3 cup short grain rice (2¼ oz)
2 cups 1% or 2% milk (don't use skim)
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions

1. In a bowl, toss together 1 cup raspberries with 1 tablespoon sugar. Set aside in the fridge to macerate.

2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add rice and cook for 2 minutes in boiling water. Drain and set aside.

3. Bring milk to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Stir in rice, remaining sugar and vanilla. Reduce heat and cook gently for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste the rice to see if it's finished. If it is to your liking, remove pot from heat and stir in egg yolk. This will turn your pudding into a vanilla masterpiece. Add the butter and stir until melted. Set aside to cool.

4. Take berries out of the fridge and stir in a ½ tablespoon water. Toss, then press berries through a fine mesh sieve to create a coulis. You could replace the water with cassis for added oomph!



5. Layer coulis and rice pudding in clear glasses or serving dishes. Top with reserved berries.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Spinach Salad with Raspberries and Candied Almonds with Poppy Seed Dressing

Yesterday, I threw this picture up, and I wish I'd waited until today, because now I have the recipe to go with it!


This is one of my all time favourite salads... a HUGE Canadian Living winner from the late '90s (at least I think it was Canadian Living - there are no online traces of this recipe anywhere). It's my Mum's go to potluck salad contribution, but she reminded me this morning that I was the first one to try this recipe out about 10 years ago.

If I remember correctly, I made it for a Canada Day do in which I totally overestimated my own abilities and passed out instead of going downtown for festivities.

Now, the funny thing with this recipe is we lost it for a few years - until Mum remembered that she'd given it to a friend. So, Mum got the recipe sent back to her and we're back in business! This friend serves the salad as part of her family's French Canadian traditional Christmas Eve feast, so it seems only appropriate to include it in this week's collection of recipes.

Baby Spinach Salad with Raspberries and Candied Almonds 

1/2 cup    slivered almonds
1 tbsp.     corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
Pinch      each salt and cayenne pepper

12 cups   baby spinach
1 cup      fresh raspberries

Dressing:
1/4 cup  vegetable oil
2 tbsp    granulated sugar
2 tbsp    raspberry vinegar 
1 tbsp    sesame seeds, toasted, or poppy seeds 

Directions

In a small bowl toss together almonds, corn syrup, sugar, salt and cayenne until coated. Spread in single layer on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in 325 degree oven, stirring occasionally to break up clumps, for about 12 minutes or until golden and sugar is bubbly. Let cool completely on pan on rack. Break into pieces. 

Dressing: In small bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, vinegar, sesame seeds, salt and pepper.

In bowl, toss spinach with dressing. Sprinkle with candied almonds and raspberries.  Make 8 (large) servings.
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