A few of my favourite things…halloumi

Hello, foodie friend. Have you met halloumi yet? If not, then it is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to this salty, crispy cheese.

Halloumi originated in Cyprus and is traditionally made with sheep and goat’s milk (yet it isn’t as tangy as goat’s cheese). It is salty with a texture similar to mozzarella, that is, until it is fried. Once fried, it becomes a crispy, golden slab of “squeaky” cheese. The world is a better place because of halloumi.

Halloumi is great for BBQ’s because it retains its firmness, even once grilled. I classify halloumi as a vegetarian steak because it is savoury, grill-friendly, and tasty. But vegetarians aren’t the only ones who should enjoy halloumi. Halloumi can be eaten on its own or you could add it to salads to beef them up a bit. Personally, I am quite happy eating stacks of golden, warm halloumi on their own.

In Vancouver it can be difficult to find halloumi but I have found it for sale at Whole Foods, les amis du FROMAGE, and Benton Brothers. Over the next few weeks, I will endeavour to find some recipes that use halloumi so that I can show you how versatile this delightful cheese can be.

Inside-Out Scotch Eggs

As much as I love brunch, there are times when I crave something different to the usual brunch items of bacon and eggs, French toast, or bennies. But it can be difficult to find a dish that is “different”, yet still late morning/early afternoon appropriate. When I discovered this recipe in my April edition of delicious magazine, I knew that it was going to be a good one, and indeed, I was right. The idea is a simple one – simply squeeze out the filling from a sausage and cover it in breadcrumbs – but if you choose your sausages correctly (flavourful, fatty ones) then this will be an impressive dish. I cooked this at a recent brunch that I hosted and it was very well-received (even the kids loved it). Seriously, who could turn down a crunchy-coated sausage??

As with most of the recipes that I enjoy cooking, this one takes hardly any time to make and is not overly complicated. The only advice I need to give on this one is to make sure that you use the tastiest, juiciest sausages that you can get your mitts on (Vancouverites, think Oyama Sausage). Also, for a bit of extra crunch you could substitute panko crumbs for the breadcrumbs.

Inside-Out Scotch Eggs – Serves 4

500 grams thick pork and herb sausages (the best you can afford)
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, or panko
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon white vinegar
4 eggs
Rocket (arugula) leaves, to serve

Method:
Squeeze sausage meat from the casings, then roll into 4 portions and flatten into patties. Coat patties in half the crumbs, then chill for 10 minutes to firm up.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a fry pan over medium heat. Fry patties, turning, for 8 to 10 minutes until golden, crisp and cooked through. Transfer to a plate to keep warm.

Return the pan to the heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Fry remaining 1/2 cup crumbs for 3 to 4 minutes until golden, then toss with herbs and lemon zest. Set aside.

Fill a wide shallow saucepan with water, add vinegar and bring to a gentle simmer. One by one, crack the eggs into a teacup. Swirl the water using a spoon to create a whirlpool, then carefully slide the eggs into the water. Cook for 3 minutes or until poached but yolks are still soft. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and drain on a tea towel.

To serve, divide patties and eggs among 4 plates, top with crumbs, rocket and a drizzle of oil, then season well.

Recipe from April 2013 delicious magazine.

Food Events in May – Vancouver and BC

Foodies…gather around. May is going to be an exciting month for food in BC and I’m here to tell you all about it. These are just a few things that are going on in May around our beautiful city:

Spring Farmer’s Markets – Saturday, May 11 & Sunday, May 12
Farms, orchards, and gardens are all brimming with seasonal fruits and vegetables and that marvelous time of year, where local producers expand their weekly farmer’s markets, is upon us. Pop into the Farmer’s Markets at Trout Lake and Kitsilano for a taste of what BC has to offer. On until the end of summer.

Annual Spot Prawn Boil – Saturday, May 11
What screams “Spring has arrived!!” more than the arrival of those sweet, tasty spot prawns that BC is so well known for? The short-lived season (only about 6 to 8 weeks) is celebrated with the annual spot prawn boil. It is a chance to sample a plate of fresh-off-the-boat BC spot prawns, watch some cooking demonstrations, and buy prawns direct from the fishermen. Get your $12 tickets here but do it quickly as tickets are selling fast!

Edible Canada’s Market Dinners
I attended my first Market Dinner this year and would love to go to another. This month showcases some pretty amazing local talent including, Chef Ted Anderson from Campagnolo Roma (sold out), Chef Ned Bell from YEW at the Four Seasons (Tuesday, May 14), and Chef Brian Skinner from The Acorn (Monday, May 27). This informal cooking demonstration/meet-the-chef/dinner event is great value for money ($80 per ticket) and includes wine.

Food from Chef Brian Skinner of The Acorn

Spring Long Table at The Irish Heather
For only $18 you can grab a seat at the Long Table, meet some friendly folk, and fill up on a home-cooked meal and a beer. The menu is dependent on what night of the week you visit but you could be feasting on roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, Cortez Island mussels, or porchetta with salsa verde. Vegetarians are also catered for but you need to request this when you make your reservation. Menu and details: http://ltsmenu.blogspot.ca/

Eat Vancouver – May 24/25/26
Vancouver’s largest food expo is back! The crowds are insane so get there early to experience food, drinks, cooking demonstrations, and new products. There will also be some Food Network cooks present that you can schmooze with.

Vancouver Craft Beer Week – May 31 to June 8
The VCBW squeaks in just on the last day of May. For 8 days craft beer lovers will be in heaven. The week includes many beer-focused events including a gala, a beer and BBQ event, food and beer pairings, and a beer festival.

Spring in BC

If you want to venture further afield, Whistler has some incredible value-for-money spring menus. My favourites are the 5 course $31 Araxi menu, Rim Rock’s 3 course $45 menu, and Bearfoot Bistro’s 5 course $48 menu.

Feast Tofino is also taking place in (duh) Tofino during the month of May. If the 21 different events aren’t enough to entice you, perhaps the beach will?

As you can see we are certainly not short of events throughout May. There is plenty to do, regardless of taste or budget. Hope to see you out there!

Frozen Banana “Ice Cream”

In a recent post, I promised to let you know if I found any other sneaky ways of getting more fruits and veggies into your diet. Well, I’m happy to say that I’ve found another recipe and this one is exciting to me for two reasons. 1/ It’s a healthy dessert, and 2/ It is exactly like a treat that I used to get when I was living in Australia (and hadn’t had for years until I made this).

There aren’t many things to do in my home town of Darwin but one thing I would do religiously was to visit the weekly (now bi-weekly) Mindil Beach Markets. Darwin has some kick-ass markets! One visit to this beach-side, night market and you would understand immediately where I get my love of South East Asian food from. The market is full of locals and tourists all there with one purpose – to get some delicious food from the almost 60 food stalls that are brimming with international cuisine, and to eat it whilst watching the sunset. It was one of my favourite things about growing up in Darwin and something that I still miss.

A Darwin sunset (photo taken by B)

One of my favourite ways to end my meal at the balmy markets was with a frozen banana ice cream, which was made with nothing but frozen fruit. The frozen fruit was churned through a fancy ice cream maker and the result was a cooling, tasty treat. I have yearned for that ice cream for years. I was recently reading Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Diet when I came across a recipe that sound suspiciously like that ice cream, except that you didn’t need a fancy ice cream maker, you just needed a simple food processor. Hallelujah!! I have one of those! And guess what? The ice cream tastes exactly the same as I remember it!!

So, not only is it cheap, but it is low in calories whilst also providing another serving of fruit into your diet. If all of this health talk is making you crazy, you could jazzy it up by adding some peanut butter (whilst you are whizzing), or by sprinkling some chocolate chips or nuts over the top for some crunch. I know what I’m going to be making copious amounts of this summer!

Frozen Banana “Ice Cream” – Serves 2

2 bananas, cut into thin rounds and frozen

Method:
Place frozen banana into a food processor and whiz for about 3 to 4 minutes until the banana is whipped like ice cream. You will need to constantly push the banana down whilst you are whizzing it in order for it to whip properly. Do not over whip or the ice cream will melt. Serve immediately.

*If the starchiness from the bananas is too much for you, add frozen blueberries or strawberries to cut the starch.

Weekend Round Up – April 2013

Like most people, I tend to get caught up in returning to my favourite restaurants/cafés/bars time and time again. Let’s be honest, it can be difficult to continue exploring new places when you know exactly where to find your favourite pizza/burger/pasta/whatever. It is a habit I occasionally slip into and so this weekend I made an effort to visit some places that I’ve had on my radar but hadn’t managed to get to yet.

Beta 5 (Industrial Ave/Main Street)

I have been wanting to visit their location for months and I finally made it there. As I’ve already tried their chocolates before,  I was keen to visit them more so for their fresh baked goods. Their baked goods absolutely did not disappoint – in fact, I returned today for another pastry hit. I sampled their butter croissant and their vanilla cream puff, which was texturally very interesting. It was similar to the cream puffs that Beard Papa sells however this had a firmer, crisper shell, which provided a really interesting texture to the bite. Just look at that bite…

Vanilla Cream Puff

Beta 5 makes some tantalizing pastries, such as their chocolate croissant and their twice-baked croissant, but I had to go with the original butter croissant. At just $2.50, this is incredible value. There was a lot of butter, a lot of layers, and many flakes – just how I believe a croissant should be. I would definitely recommend their baked goods (and their chocolates). I also picked up one of the Snickers-inspired peanut and nougat bar, which was well-worth the calories.

Butter Croissant

Hawkers Delight (Main Street)

This is a hole-in-the-wall on Main at King Ed and they do cheap (super cheap) dishes from Malaysia and Singapore, which happen to be some of my favourite cuisines. The restaurant is quite small and was an absolute mad house when I visited, which added to the charm of the place. With all the yelling and chaos I felt as though I could have been in humid, exotic South East Asia (for a few minutes anyway). I ordered the mee goreng, which is essentially fried noodles, and I was surprised at two things. 1/ The price – only $6.50 and 2/ They were really good! The reason why this place is so busy would come down to the value for money – serving sizes were huge and the prices are cheap.

Mee Goreng

Harvest Union (Union Street)

I’m really starting to love that stretch of Union Street that is home to The Union, The Parker, and Harvest Union. I visited Harvest with one thing in mind; green onion and cheddar waffles with bacon and a fried egg. It is one of the items on their brunch menu, however, once I got there the ramen with pork shoulder and candied bacon somehow managed to persuade me. Harvest is super cute inside and they have a simple menu (mostly ramen or udon) with a focus on local foods. Their small store also sells local products, such as Earnest Ice Cream and Beta 5. I really enjoyed the ramen, particularly with the addition of some chilli oil, which gave it a great kick. I’ll be returning for the waffles.

I love exploring new spots and this weekend reminded of how many great new places pop up in Vancouver and why I should continue to keep exploring, even when sometimes I just want something familiar.

Photo Visit – Bao Bei – April 2013

163 Keefer Street
Vancouver, BC
V6A 1X3

T: 604 688 0876
www.bao-bei.ca

Brief Description: A funky, Chinatown-based restaurant offering non-traditional Chinese fare in tapas style. Bao Bei appeals to those who aren’t necessarily looking for an authentic Chinese experience but more of a modern, up-market version of that experience. Prices are between $4 (for small “schnacks”) but most are around the $14 mark.

It has been some time since I was last at Bao Bei but after tonight’s dinner I am wondering why I had left it so long. The flavours were popping tonight, the serving sizes were spot on, and the price (without drinks) was an affordable $43. One of my previous complaints about Bao Bei was the cost of their simple fried rice dish. At $17 a bowl I had a hard time justifying it, even though it was delicious. Well, I’m happy to report that the price (and size) of the fried rice has come down to a reasonable $12. This makes me much happier as the decrease aligns it with the cost of most of the other menu items (understandably, lamb and salmon are slightly more expensive).

Truffled Pork Dumplings – $7.50

Shao Bing – $12

Mantou – $9Seasonal Fried Rice – $12

The shao bing was well-rounded with a lot of flavour from the cumin lamb, punctuated with pickled onions and the fiery heat of the salted chillies. The seasonal fried rice sounded unusual (with iceberg lettuce and prosciutto) but the end result was actually very good but made even better by the addition of the chilli oil condiment available. The truffled pork dumplings were warming, with a light splash (more like an aroma) of truffle oil, and the mantou buns were soft, and spongey with just the right amount of pork belly (cubes rather than a big slab).

For a Tuesday night, the restaurant was steady and they still aren’t taking reservations in advance so either show up on a weeknight or plan for a bit of wait. Thankfully, there are now a few bars in the area where you can whet your appetite before waiting for a table to become free (I recommend The Keefer or The Union).

Photo Visit – Bob Likes Thai (Fairview) – April 2013

1521 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6H 3G6

T: 604 558 3320
www.boblikesthaifood.com

With so many recent restaurant closures in Vancouver it is uplifting to see a restaurant that is expanding, rather than closing. Bob Likes Thai opened their original location on Main street in 2010. Following their success in that location, they quietly opened their Fairview location at the end of last year in the space that once housed Go Fish 2, and prior to that, Bin 942. This location seems to be a tricky one – lots of people coming and going but they are not necessarily looking for somewhere to eat. Having said that, there were a few other diners in there with us on Sunday night.

Miang Kham – $7Pad Pik King Chicken – $13Pad Si-ew – $13Caramelized pineapple – $5

It has been my experience, at this location and the original, that the food is good but not necessarily rave-worthy. I think it is a decent spot for Thai (in a city with few worthy options) and it is quite affordable but it wouldn’t be my first choice for Thai.

I was a little disappointed with the Miang Kham, which is a snack dish that translates into “eating many things in one bite”, at this location. I have eaten the same dish at the Main street restaurant and found them to be fresh-tasting and bursting with flavour. The ones we had on Sunday were covered in a sweet sauce which, unfortunately, drowned out the other flavours. The Pad Pik King Chicken was good but I would have liked to have seen some more noodles in the Pad Si-Ew. The Caramelized Pineapple with vanilla ice cream was simple and tasty. Bob Likes Thai hit the spot for a quick and cheap dinner on a Sunday night.