Review: Woodlot

11 Aug

Summers are busy around here as the majority of birthdays in our family occur within four weeks of each other. This tends to lead to lots of dinners out on the town. In soliciting suggestions from friends, one restaurant came up frequently: Woodlot. I’d read much about Woodlot in the last couple of months: about the fantastic bakery, the locally-sourced ingredients, the simplicity of the food and decor. Between the personal recommendations and the fawning of the print and online food community, the decision wasn’t too hard to make. (The fact that it was voted one of the best new restaurants of 2011 by Toronto Life definitely didn’t hurt.)

We popped into Kalendar for a drink beforehand (check out the rojo martini if you go. Most excellent.) and watched the world go by, including the chef of Grace, Top Chef Canada contestant Dustin Gallagher. Mental note: must get to Grace! We wandered over to Woodlot and as soon as we opened the door, the aroma from that spectacular wood-burning oven wafted over us. Figuring that was a good sign, we inhaled deeply and sat down at our cozy table. The restaurant looks like it seats about 50 on the upper floor with room for another 10 or so downstairs at the chef’s table. The exposed brick walls are adorned with native Canadian art as well as knickknacks that lend a cottage-like vibe to the place. The waiters are dressed casually and it is explained to us that there is a standard menu, plus a separate vegetarian menu. I perused it quickly and was impressed to find a nice selection that didn’t fit into the standard roast-veg-or-pasta options.

We ordered a bottle of cabernet franc and eventually settled on three courses: the scallop ceviche with black quinoa, whipped avocado and julienned red cabbage; Red Fife whole wheat papardelle with wood mushrooms and hazeluts; whey-fed pork chop with grilled treviso,  tri-tip steak with caramelized onions and side of Jerusalem artichokes. I quickly texted to my girlfriend that we had ordered “an onslaught” of food, knowing that the dish sizes are not exactly skimpy.

When the bread basket arrived at the table after placing our order, we jumped right in. J loves bread and watching his face light up after taking that first bite of the gorgeous Red Fife bread was wonderful! I’d read about this particular grain in Sara Elton’s book, Locavore, and was excited to check it out. It kind of makes regular bread taste entirely pathetic. We both had a couple of pieces of the various kinds when the appetizer arrived. The scallops were soft, the avocado was whipped into a lovely, airy bubble and these textures were complimented well with the crunchy quinoa and cabbage. I wish there’d been more of it, but we weren’t exactly going to starve.

Next up was the papardelle which was out of this world. Again, the Red Fife makes a huge difference in terms of flavour. The wide, handmade noodles were cooked perfectly and provided much more dimension to the dish than you’d have otherwise. It was a very earthy plate, one that you wanted to hunker down with in front of a fire and never stop eating. I hope that’s on the menu year ’round, because I would have it again and again. It was hard enough to share it with the birthday boy.

The service at Woodlot is quite good, if not entirely exceptional. Importantly, however, they let you enjoy your meal in peace and the timing  in between courses is well paced. We needed a little time between the hearty pasta and giant slabs of meat that would imminently arrive at our table. And giant slabs of meat they were: delicious, juicy, perfectly-cooked pieces of meat. My pork chops had that little layer of fat around the outside that you know you probably shouldn’t eat, but can’t help yourself because you know how good it is. The grilled treviso was a perfect compliment, too. J’s steak was exactly medium-rare as he’d ordered it and was incredibly tender. The caramelized onions were an excellent accompaniment – in fact, I’d eat a whole bowl of those if they sold them. Even the Jerusalem artichokes were great – caramelized and not overcooked.

To say that we savoured every bite is not an understatement. Nothing was complicated (though I have a spot in my heart for complex food) or overwrought: in fact, we saw several dishes come out on wooden cutting boards. Dessert was very tempting, but we passed this time. I’d like to go back in the cooler months as I’m dying to try the marrow-infused whipped potatoes.  Of course, I also want to go back so I can eat ALL the bread that’s there. I neglected to take my camera on this trip, but for a feel of the restaurant and its amazing bread, check out this website: http://mellymadeit.com/2011/02/27/at-woodlot/.

So there you have it. Great food, cozy and welcoming atmosphere. It’s tough to get reservations on a weekend, but the hostess with whom I spoke to make our reservations was gracious and as accommodating as could be. I will definitely be making return trips here!

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Quinoa Tabouleh

2 Aug

I came across this recipe while doing some research for a friend and sent it on to a few others that I thought would enjoy it. One of those fabulous ladies made it for a group of us and it was a huge hit. It’s not your typical tabouleh; but, to me, flavor is more important than tradition and accuracy in this case. It has feta – how can you argue with a healthy, whole grain dish that incorporates such salty, lovely goodness?

Additionally, this is somewhat of a quinoa redemption dish for me. My first try at making quinoa yielded less than wonderful results. I suspect that I didn’t cook the quinoa enough my first go ‘round and instead of a light, fluffy side dish that pops a little when you bite into it, I took a bite and…well, it was crunchy. Like I said, less than ideal. With this dish, though, it came out exactly as it should have. Just remember: rinse the quinoa first and use a 2:1 ratio of liquid to grain. Once you’ve added the quinoa to the boiling liquid, let the entire thing come back up to a boil before you put the lid on and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes (or until the liquid has evaporated).

Serves 4 (with leftovers)

Ingredients

1 c quinoa
2 c water or vegetable broth
½ ts salt
½ red onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, cut to bite-sized pieces
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
8 oz feta, crumbled
juice 1 lemon
black pepper to taste

Directions
1. Rinse the quinoa and cook according to the instructions on the package. When finished, transfer the quinoa to a bowl and put in the fridge to cool for 30-45 minutes.
2. Cover the diced onion with a pinch of salt and water. Leave the onion to soak while the rest of the ingredients are prepped.
3. In a bowl, combine the garlic, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley and feta. Drain the onions and add to the mixture.
4. Combine all the ingredients. Add the lemon juice and black pepper to taste.

Optional – you can add a little sesame oil to the salad for a nutty flavor.

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Simple Bruschetta

2 Aug

Since it was a holiday here yesterday, the husband and I decided to put together a big, easy, fresh dinner. Popped into the market and found fresh Ontario corn, ciabatta bread, beautiful heirloom tomatoes and delicious, well-marbled steaks. The initial plan for the tomato was to simply slice and drizzle with a really good balsamic that we save for this kind of meal, sea salt and pepper. Since we had the ciabatta, though, I decided to make up a simple bruschetta. Good plan, lemme tell ya.

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Ingredients

1 large tomato, medium dice  (just smaller than bite-size)
1/4 red onion, finely diced
1/4 c fresh parsley, finely diced
2 tb extra virgin olive oil (the best you’ve got!)
1 tb good balsamic vinegar
Sea or Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 Ciabatta bread

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine tomato, onion, parsley, olive oil, balsamic and pepper. Stir and allow to sit 10 – 15 minutes.
2. Slice ciabatta lengthwise  and toast or place in a 350-degree oven to warm and crisp up for a few minutes.
3. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and add the salt to the tomato mixture.
4. Spoon the tomato mixture over the bun.

 

 

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Marinated & Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peanut Sauce

19 Jul

The pork tenderloin in the freezer had been calling to me: “You’ve made me the same way too many times. Try something new, foodNURD!” Who am I to argue? A friend sent this recipe along and it seemed it was high time to try it out. I marinated the pork in the creamy, smooth, sweet sauce for about eight hours which is about the maximum you’d want as you don’t want the lime juice breaking down the proteins and making the pork mushy. Anywhere from 20 minutes up to several hours will work well! I served this with basmati rice and a tangy salad of red pepper, carrot and snap peas with a white wine vinaigrette.

Serves 2.

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tb fresh lime juice
3 tb dark brown sugar
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 ts ground coriander
Vegetable oil for the grill
2 tb water

Directions

1. Combine and whisk til smooth the peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic & coriander in a large, plastic Tupperware dish or baking dish.
2. Cut the tenderloin lengthwise almost all the way through.  You want the two sides to remain attached. The pork should open like a butterfly (hence the name “butterfly cut”) or a book. If necessary, wrap it in plastic wrap and, using a meat mallet or a heavy pan, pound the pork down to 1/2″ thickness.
3. Place the pork in the marinade and refrigerate.
4. Clean the BBQ grill with some veg oil and then crank the temp up as high as it will go.
5. Drain off any excess marinade and place the pork on the grill. Cover and walk away. This should only need about 7 minutes to cook, turning once.
6. Meanwhile, place the marinade in a sauce pan with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for3 minutes. If it’s too thick, add a little more water.
7. When the pork is done, take it off the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve, pouring the sauce over it.

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Review: La Cascina

18 Jul

Every neighbourhood needs a La Cascina: a neighbourhood restaurant run by friendly, accessible owners who produce delicious, vibrant dishes and a welcoming, cozy, fun atmosphere. (Yes, it really is all of those things.) We have been going for about a year now and we are never disappointed. Everything from the variety of antipasti dishes at the beginning to the decadent desserts at the end is plate-scrapingly great.  We have always found the staff to be accommodating and knowledgeable, not to mention charming without fawning ridiculously over clients.

Our first meal there was a three course prix fixe seafood menu that is now a monthly special. The tuna croquettes were the stand out of the five antipasti dishes, but there wasn’t a morsel left in any of the five small bowls that had been brought to the table. Next up was the linguine vongole, or linguine with clams. The homemade pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente and the brininess from the clams was perfect. Salty deliciousness, I tells ya. The main was a beautiful piece of seared trout, with crispy skin that crackled as you cut into it. I said it then and I’ll say it now: it was probably the best piece of fish I’d ever been served.

After that stellar meal, there was no doubt we’d found a new neighbourhood fave. Subsequent visits have only reaffirmed how much we love the place. Their Valentine’s Day menu was an ambitious, mouth-watering, seven-course extravaganza with oysters, cheese plates, risotto, pasta, mains (choice of lamb or halibut…we had one of each) with a side of unbelievably great roasted potatoes and a dessert. (nb – the potatoes were SO good that when the chef came out to say hello, J grilled him on how he did it and then spent the next two weeks trying to perfect it at home. Mission: accomplished, by the way.)

When my birthday rolled around, J asked what I’d like to do and I replied that I’d love to have dinner at La Cascina. So off J went and discussed with the front of house maven, the fabulous Sharifa, what could be done for a special dinner. We were greeted by our very enthusiastic and sweet waitress who showed us to the prime table by the open, garage-door-type window where we could watch the world walk by. The meal opened with the usual complimentary bread with house-made pecorino oil (crazy hot, I must warn you) and then the five antipasti dishes arrived: braised fennel with cheese & onions; roasted zucchini cooked with almonds;  potato gratin; baccala w/ red peppers; and eggplant. Now, I must admit that I am not normally a fan of eggplant. But this? THIS was delicious. It was creamy and beautifully seasoned. If anyone can get me to like eggplant, it’s going to be chef Luca.

And that's just to start.

Next up was the absolutely-to-die-for ricotta ravioli smothered in truffles. As always, the pasta itself was made well and cooked perfectly; but that truffle kicker? Holy smokes. This particular dish had been on the Valentine’s Day menu and became an instant favourite. The pungent, earthy truffles don’t overwhelm the homemade pasta, but they certainly do enhance it. J and I each had four nicely-sized pieces and probably could have eaten fifty more, but then we wouldn’t have any room for what was to come next…

Hello, truffles. I love you.

Following that fantastic pasta course, a plate of beautifully seared arctic char arrived…..once again, slathered in truffles. This is the way to eat, my friends. The fish had a beautifully fatty layer just under a crispy skin, and the orange/ruby flesh melted in our mouths. The fish alone would have been wonderful; the layer of truffles on top was excessive decadence in the best way possible. It was so good, I took a piece of bread and sopped up the teeny remnants on my plate.

Delectability.

After that kind of dish, what could the kitchen possibly serve that would top it? I’ve had desserts at La Cascina before, so I knew I was in for something good. What I didn’t know was that a luscious, creamy panna cotta topped with berries was headed to the table.  Oh, drool. We devoured every little bit of that dessert, happily scraping up the last little bits and then contentedly sitting back to ponder the wonderful meal we’d just had.

Dessert of Champions

La Cascina is one of those restaurants that you don’t come across that often: it balances local ingredients with authentic flavours in a welcoming, warm environment. It’s a somewhere you want to hang out for hours and I have.  (I went in the fall with a girlfriend and we sat for HOURS eating and drinking wine and never once felt like we were being nudged out the door, which is more than I can say from some other local restaurants.) They often have live music and from 5pm-6pm on weekdays you can pop in for a drink and free appetizers. The menu changes from week to week, so some faith in the kitchen is required. On average, there are generally a couple of pasta options, a meat/fish course and sides to be ordered. If they have the figs, honey & cheese plate available, get it! Or the gnocchi with lamb ragu. Or…well, I could go on.

I can’t recommend this place highly enough: it’s one my absolute favourite spots in the city.

La Cascina on Urbanspoon

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Thai Red Curry Mussels

5 Jul

My new obsession in the kitchen: mussels. These are fast becoming addictive to both cook and eat! I love how simple and tasty they are, and how many different ways you can make them. I said I wanted to make a new kind every month and, two months in, I’m making good on my word. Next month, I want to try to replicate the beer-lime juice-tomato broth that I had at Dos Amigos on my first visit. But first up…

Serves 2.

Ingredients

2 lbs mussels, cleaned (discarding any mussels that are open)
1/2 red pepper, sliced thinly
1/2 yellow/green pepper, sliced thinly
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1/3 c white wine
1 13oz can coconut milk
1 1/2 tb garlic, minced
1 1/2 tb  red curry paste
1 tb fish sauce
juice of 2 limes
1 tb sugar
1 small handful cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. In a large pot (the wider, the better), heat to a boil the white wine, coconut milk, garlic, curry paste, fish sauce and lime juice, stirring to incorporate all the ingredients.
2. Add the  peppers, onions and mussels into the broth.
3.  Put a lid on the pot and let everything steam for 5 – 7 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally.
4. Serve with crusty, warm bread.
IMPORTANT: Discard any mussels that do not open after they have been steamed.

Mussel-y Goodness!

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Chicken, Mango & Brie Quesadillas

28 Jun

I came across this recipe while surfing the net and knew I had to try it out. I was already planning to do a roast chicken over the weekend, so I knew I’d have some leftovers that I could use. But even if you don’t have any chicken already cooked up, you could just buy a couple of chicken breasts and poach them for 20 minutes or so. Let ’em cool and pull them apart – easy peasy!

Serves 2 hungry people.

Ingredients

4 large tortillas
1/2 cooked chicken, shredded
1 mango, sliced
125g brie, cut into small pieces
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
3 tb picked jalapenos (or fresh – up to you), diced
1/4 c sour cream
zest & juice of 1 lime

 

 

Prepping!

Directions

Lime Dip

1. Heat a non-stick surface to medium-high. (I used my Griddler, but a non-stick pan, sprayed with oil, will work!)
2. Place one tortilla on the heated surface. On half of the tortilla, place 1/4 of the chicken, mango, brie,  jalapeno & cilantro.
3. Fold the tortilla in half over the ingredients. If using a Griddler, lower the top half and press. Leave for 4 minutes. If using  a pan, cook for 2 minutes per side. Repeat process for remaining three tortillas, keeping the cooked quesadillas in a warm oven.
4. Meanwhile, mix together the lime zest, juice & sour cream. Season with a little salt & pepper to taste.
5. When all the quesadillas are ready, cut the halves into quarters and serve with the dip!

 

Finito!

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Sunshine Salad

22 Jun

This recipe comes from a little Mexican cookbook that’s been kicking around the apartment for years, but we really only started using it recently. I sent this recipe to a friend of mine a couple of months ago and she raved about it.  We decided to make it for Father’s Day and after a couple of bites, I understood why she’d liked it so much: it’s fresh, it’s simple and it’s kind of addictive. So much so that we made it again the next day…

Serves 4, as a side dish.

Ingredients

1 c pineapple (1 can)
1 avocado, diced
1 1/2 c corn (or 1 14oz can)
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
1 – 2 green onions, sliced
2 oranges, peeled & sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 ts black pepper

Directions

1. Assemble all ingredients in medium-large bowl.
2. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. …Eat.

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Black Bean and Mango Salad

20 Jun

We made this salad up for Father’s Day and it was most definitely a hit! It can be done pretty quickly and makes a great summer dish. Add corn to it for a little more bulk, if you like.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 mango, peeled & cubed
1 red pepper, cubed
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 c fresh lime juice
2 tb vegetable oil
1 tb soy sauce
1/2 ts red pepper flakes – optional, but add a nice kick
2 tb cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine beans, mango red pepper and green onions.
2. Whisk together lime juice, oil and red pepper flakes. Pour over the bean mixture and toss.
3. Add in cilantro and toss again.

And, really? That’s it. Crazy simple, but incredibly delicious and healthy!

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Steamed Cod in Ginger-Soy Broth

14 Jun

In the ever-expanding search for more fish recipes, I came across this one and gave it a go last night. I decided to add in some sweetness to the original recipe, as both the ginger and rice wine vinegar are both quite pungent. It follows my rules, though: simple, quick and ultimately, pretty damn delicious. I recommend serving it with rice: the sauce in which the fish is cooked is delicious on basmati.

Serves 2.

Ingredients

Cod Fillets

2 cod fillets
3 tb rice wine vinegar
2 tb soy sauce
1 1/2 tb ginger, grated or finely chopped
2 ts hoisin
1 ts sugar
2 scallions
salt & pepper

Directions

1. In a large skillet, combine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, hoisin and sugar. Bring to a simmer.
2. Salt and pepper the fish and place the fillets in the pan. Bring liquid to a boil.
3. Cover and lower the heat so that the liquid is only simmering. Cook 6 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, slice scallions into 2″ pieces, lengthwise. After the 6 minutes, lift the lid and place the scallions on the fish. Cook one more minute.
5. Remove fish from the pan and plate. Taste sauce and adjust as necessary.
6. Spoon sauce on to fish and, if serving with rice, on to rice.

Finished product!

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