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Archives for April 2017

Savoury Rhubarb Apple Compote with Pork Medallions

By Denise Pare-Watson

CHC CANADA 150 FOOD BLOG CHALLENGE Series

I am a proud Canadian. When the Culinary Historians of Canada invited food bloggers to participate in the “CHC Canada 150 Food Blog Challenge”, I knew that I wanted in! What a great way to celebrate and honour Canada’s 150th birthday by featuring a different Canadian dish or discussing a topic which reflects on what it means to be Canadian. This month: The First Fresh Foods of Spring! Savoury Rhubarb Apple Compote with Savoury Pork Medallions is the recipe that I will feature using fresh foods of spring. 

It has been a long, cool, wet spring in British Columbia. The first few leaves of our rhubarb plants and perennial herbs assure me that spring has indeed arrived.

Emerging Rhubarb Plant in Springtime | urbnspice.com

The first leaves of the Rhubarb Plant emerge from the soil in the spring

Rhubarb was a staple in the family gardens of 50 years ago – every home garden had its own rhubarb plant in the corner of the plot.   When I was a child, my family and friends typically used rhubarb in sweet dishes. When the first tender stalks of rhubarb appeared, we would pick them and dip the thin red stalks in sugar for a delicious sweet and sour treat. Mom would make rhubarb and apple crumble or use the rhubarb in fruit compotes. As Spring passes into Summer, the broad rhubarb stalks became tough enough to use as hockey sticks. We would pull most of these remaining sturdy stalks and finely chop them to make stewed rhubarb. A bonus crop of more tender new stalks would develop from the plant as long as lots of water was applied during the hot dry summer months.

Gardens certainly have changed over the decades with smaller yards or no yards at all. Rhubarb is not a container garden type of plant with its big root system needing at least 40 litres of soil and compost.   Today, fresh rhubarb is more difficult to find, although frozen rhubarb is readily available.

How we use rhubarb has, for the most part, remained unchanged over the years, with its continued use in sweet recipes such as rhubarb crumbles and crisps. Rhubarb has so much more to offer given its savoury properties. In this post, I share a recipe for Savoury Rhubarb Apple Compote with Pork Medallions that uses both rhubarb and chives as ingredients – two of the first fresh foods of spring.

Chives are one of the first spring fresh foods | urbnspice.com

Chives are one of the first spring fresh foods | urbnspice.com

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Filed Under: CHC Canada 150 Food Blog Challenge Series, Dairy Free Recipes, Egg Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, Main Dishes or Entree Options, My Recipes, Refined Sugar Free Recipes Tagged With: Canada 150 Food Blog Challenge 2017, Compote, Compotes, Pork, Rhubarb

How to Make Cauliflower Tabbouleh

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Inspiration of Urbnspice Series

I often make this Super Food Dish called Cauliflower Tabbouleh at the request of my family and friends. It is so delicious! I was inspired by one of my favourite chefs, Jamie Oliver and his Family Super Foods Cookbook. I have adapted his recipe for Herby Jewelled Tabbouleh Rice to accommodate grain free, gluten free and dairy free options by substituting the rice for cauliflower. The cauliflower can be steamed or roasted for this dish, which gives a completely different appearance and flavour.  I use the fine shredding blade on a food processor or box grater to turn the steamed or roasted cauliflower into a rice-like product. It literally takes seconds to make an entire bowl of ‘cauliflower rice.’

Plated Cauliflower Tabbouleh | urbnspice.com

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Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
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Filed Under: Inspiration of Urbnspice Series, My Recipes, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: Cauliflower, Cauliflower Rice, Knife Skills, Roasting Vegetables, Side Dishes, Tabbouleh, Vegetables

Apple Cream Pie – The Pie That Stole My Husband’s Heart

By Denise Pare-Watson

Apple Cream Pie – The Pie That Stole My Husband’s Heart

Also Known as: “Better Than Beer Pie”

And Also: “Pie in a Bag”

This Apple Cream Pie has many names because there are many stories connected to it. The name that I like best is “The Pie That Stole My Husband’s Heart”. The first time I made it was for my guy over 40 years ago when we first started dating. Making this pie was a huge step for me because up until then, my attempts at pie crusts were marginally successful (you can read all about my adventures in pie crusts here).

Apple Cream Pie cooling | urbnspice.com

I am not one to give up easily, so I watched, I learned and I practiced at my Mom’s side. In time, I became fairly confident making this special recipe for my guy and his brothers who were busy working on their family farm. I may have stolen three hearts that day because the feedback about my pie was outstanding. They proclaimed that ‘this pie is better than beer’ and that was high praise coming from self-described starving university students more accustomed to beer as their primary source of nutrition.

The interesting thing about that original pie recipe was that it was baked inside of a paper bag. I have always been a curious cook and baking a pie inside a paper bag really piqued my interest. The result was a soft juicy filling with a flaky crust. Ever since that day, any request for an apple pie was always for ‘The Pie in a Bag’.

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2017-2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
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License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Cooking Techniques, Desserts and Sweets, Inspiration of Urbnspice Series, My Recipes, Pastry, Pies and Tarts, Urbnspice Ultimate Recipe Series Tagged With: Apples, Baking, Baking Tips, Pies, Vintage Recipes

Mango, Avocado and Cucumber Salad with Lime Dressing

By Denise Pare-Watson

Mango, Avocado and Cucumber Salad is one of the most refreshing salads that I have ever tasted and one of the easiest to make. There is a perfect balance of textures and flavours enhanced with a zesty lime dressing. There are so many reasons to make this delicious salad again and again:  pot-lucks, barbecues, block parties, and summer patio al fresco meals.

Mango, Avocado and Cucumber Salad with Lime Dressing | urbnspice.com

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Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
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License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Casual Dining, My Recipes, Salads Tagged With: Avocado, Cucumber, Lime, Mango, Salads, Summer Salads

How to Make the Ultimate Mac and Cheese

By Denise Pare-Watson

Urbnspice Ultimate Recipe Series

Today is a special day. It is my only granddaughter’s eighth birthday! As well, it is Mac and Cheese Day because she insisted on having The Ultimate Mac and Cheese for her birthday dinner. There was a chorus from the entire family: “I wish it was her birthday every day!”

Plated Mac and Cheese | urbnspice.com

Plated Mac and Cheese | urbnspice.com

This particular comfort food recipe is one that I have developed over the years to include a flavour boost of finely diced sautéed onions and ham. These ingredients add a new dimension to the Mac and Cheese without changing the traditional Mac and Cheese we all have grown to love. You will also note that the ingredients in this recipe are easily obtained in grocery stores.

How to Make the Ultimate Mac and Cheese | urbnspice.com

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2017 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Cheese, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Pasta Dishes, Urbnspice Ultimate Recipe Series Tagged With: Cheese, Comfort Food, Kid Friendly, Mac and Cheese, Pasta Dishes

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Meet Denise – The Urbnspice Chef

Welcome to Urbnspice - A Taste of Heart and Home. Inspiration in my kitchen is often a trip to the market or an experimental coincidence! Come and join me on this culinary journey where I share my passion for the creative, technical and teaching components of the profession and unravel culinary quandaries for you with fun and easy to follow user-friendly recipes, tips & techniques.
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