Written by Rosemary Mantini | 29 January 2010

My earliest memories of lasagna are of my mother standing for hours in front of the stove flipping crêpes out of a frying pan, one after another until a stack of at least fifty were weighing down one corner of the table. Crêpes are the defining characteristic of a type of lasagna called timballo popular in Abbruzzi, a region in central Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea. A scrumptious mixture of ground meat, grated hard boiled egg, grated cheese, milk and tomato sauce is sandwiched between overlapping layers of crêpes. You can find a very good crêpe recipe here.

The other type of lasagna, the one that everyone recognizes, is made with strips of pasta. Signori e signore, it's time for a quick Italian lesson. Lasagna is singular and refers to either one, sole, sheet of pasta or to the actual finished lasagna dish. Lasagne is plural and refers to the sheets of pasta used to make the dish. Buy a couple of boxes of dried lasagne sheets, boil them according to the package directions, then layer them in between your favourite filling. Be careful not to overcook the lasagne sheets, otherwise they may not soak up the sauce properly. Fairly new on the market are oven-ready lasagne sheets that do not need to be pre-cooked. Layer them as you would cooked pasta, add the filling and enjoy.

 

Written by Rosemary Mantini | 18 January 2010

Southeast Asia includes Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam. That's quite a cultural mecca in an area half the size of Canada. Each of these cultures has managed to incorporate foreign influences into their own local ingredients and techniques. The result is a scrumptious array of dishes, like consommé, stew, stir-fries and curries. They're dishes based on easily found ingredients, like lemon grass, coconut milk, fish paste and spicy chilies.

Below are two classic Southeast Asian dishes that can be interpreted in any number of ways depending on where one happens to be in that wide expanse of territory. The first recipe is a hot and sour soup served over rice noodles. Flavours of tamarind, lemon grass and galangal permeate the dish. The second recipe is an aromatic pork ribs dish infused with coriander, garlic and ginger. Serve over stir-fried rice noodles sprinkled with soy sauce.

Written by Rosemary Mantini | 17 December 2009

This is definitely my favourite part of the season. I must admit that, for years, the thought of making a gingerbread house from scratch scared me -- all of that measuring and making sure everything is just so, I was sure I'd end up with some kind of lopsided structure. What finally tipped the scales for me was the taste of the cookie in gingerbread kits sold in stores. I didn't like it. But how would I find a recipe I did like?  I love gingerbread with pronounced flavours of cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Most of the recipes I've come across don't use nearly enough spice for my taste. The gingerbread recipe below is the result of lots of trial and error, and worth the time it took to create. It's spicy, but light thanks to the use of honey instead of molasses.

So, now that the dough is blended and ready to go, what do you do with it? First, invest in some good quality cookie cutters - gingerbread people, stars, candy canes, anything at all that catches your eye. Once you've baked up some cookies, attempt something more complex. Making a house is an obvious and popular choice, but you might want to try an apartment building, a bridge, Santa's sleigh or even votive candle holders! Last year, I made a tennis court complete with two tennis players in mid game. The key is to make a pattern to scale out of paper first. That old motto about measuring once and cutting twice is totally à propos here. Roll out the gingerbread dough and lay the cut-out pieces of paper on it. With a sharp knife, slice around the edge of the pattern. The dough will expand a bit as it cooks, but it won't throw off your design. Second, make sure you have on hand all the candies, coloured sugar and chocolate you'll need for decorating. Third, mix up a batch of Royal Icing (recipe follows). It's very strong (edible) glue that spreads smoothly and dries quickly.

Written by Rosemary Mantini | 15 December 2009

A roast done well is always a thing of beauty. Browned and caramelized on the outside, yet juicy and tender on the inside. This dinner party centrepiece is always a showstopper. Perfect for a party of 4 or 14, a roast is super easy to prepare. But, the finished masterpiece will look extremely elaborate and elegant, especially when laid out on a festive platter. As a bonus, you will have extra time to spend with your friends and family while it's cooking away in the oven.

It's true that a crown roast of lamb or a few pounds of beef tenderloin can be pricey, so make sure you invest in a high quality digital thermometer and take your time with the preparation. You'll be glad you did. Make sure you have a handful or two of assorted herbs on hand (rosemary, bay leaf, parsley, thyme). Lay them across the top of the roast along with 6 or 8 cloves of garlic. These flavours will permeate the meat as it cooks. You might even want to sprinkle the roast with about a half cup or wine. Otherwise, reserve the wine for the gravy.