On Prince Edward Island Summer is here at last and with it lawn mowing, garden weeding and watering, car washing and waxing, frantic soccer schedules and mosquito swatting. Around here the chores never go away, even when the sun is shining. Of course summer is also full of daily trips to the beach, riding bikes with Gabe (who has just mastered the art of two wheeling), coastline hikes, picnics, outlandishly flavoured ice cream cones, campfires and cooking with local ingredients, which never seems like a chore.
After a long winter of flavours from away at last our local gardens are green and growing again. Backyard local too, because I finally found the time to get
my own herb garden planted. I’m now proudly mincing thyme flowers into my omelets, tossing sage blossoms into our salads and watching the mint patch take over the lawn. Best of all, just up the road our local organic farmer is back in business. Fortune Organics is once again delivering their weekly field box. We never know what will be in it but we do know it will be organic, fresh and local. We also love knowing the farmer who gets up early in the morning and gets her hands dirty to put food on our table. No middlemen getting in the way either.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a rapidly growing trend across North America. In the country, and in the city, consumers are finding ways to forge direct links with farmers. Farm stands, field boxes and farmers markets are thriving. Our current food system is simply not sustainable and one of best the solutions is a return to local.
Obviously food that only has to move a mile or two from the field to your table is more sustainable but it’s also healthier, for the soil at Fortune Organics, for the farmer and her family who are not exposed to toxic chemicals and for my family. Best of all, local food is allowed to mature in the field, reaching its peak flavour and nutritional intensity. Unlike truck food, which has to travel so far that it’s picked hard and unripe, interrupted before it can fully realize its flavour and health potential.
This summer I urge you to take a look around your community and find a farmer for your family to adopt too. You’ll treasure the purity of the relationship, you’ll be a trendsetter and your food lifestyle will include things like the following three summer salsas, perfect for dressing up whatever comes off your grill. You can even make a batch of energy free sun tea then reward yourself for your sustainable choices with a treat too. Included is my recipe for one of the all time best summer desserts, a crisp and creamy pavlova topped with fresh local berries!
If you’re going to
be in the Toronto area, mark your calendar for Saturday, August 16th
and please join us for the second annual “Evening at the Chefs Table”.
This amazing fundraiser is held in the historic Distillery District to
benefit the Children’s Emergency Foundation, a national charity that I
am proud to be the spokesperson for. We’re helping to feed 70,000 kids
a week across Canada. All of Food Networks Canadian hosts will be
there, hosting stations so come on out and meet your favourites. Bring
your camera! Full details are available at
www.thecef.orgAlso
please join me on Prince Edward Island for this years Fall Flavours
Festival. From September 30th through October 5th we have a huge lineup
of festivals and events showcasing the incredible flavours that make
PEI a world class culinary destination. Farm tours, local artists,
special dinners, cooking classes, chefs galore and lots, lots more.
Come for a few days or the whole week for one of Canada’s biggest and
best culinary festivals. Full details are at
www.fallflavours.ca Join
me in the Canadian Rockies at the legendary Jasper Park Lodge for the
twentieth annual Christmas in November festival. I’ll be there sharing
stories and flavours from my home kitchen and ongoing global culinary
adventures. I’ll be presenting richly flavoured traditional beef stew
with three different warm biscuits: frozen butter, cheddar cheese and
nutmeg cream. The sessions are high-energy, entertaining and
provocative and will help you sort out the mysteries of healthy, tasty
cooking amid today’s food revolution. For more details visit
www.christmasinnovember.com Salsas are perfect for freestyling because they’re one of the most informal things you can make in your kitchen. Start with a base like fresh local tomatoes, add something spicy then balance the works with aromatic ingredients and a touch of sourness. That’s it! You can add a taste of summer to just about anything with a quick and easy homemade salsa.
For some freestyling fun try using sharp peppery tarragon, cooling mint or aromatic basil instead of cilantro, freshly grated ginger or radishes for spicy heat, a finely minced garlic clove or two, lemon instead of lime, cherry tomatoes, tomatillos instead of tomatoes or a corn and avocado base. There are lots of ways to make a salsa!
This salsa earns its name from the aromatic smoky flavour of chipotle chilies, smoked jalapenoes. For best results wait for ripe local tomatoes but you can easily substitute a small can of whole tomatoes, just chop them up they too are picked ripe. But stay away from those rock hard, red, round objects masquerading as tomatoes at your supermarket, they just don’t have the personality for a true salsa.
Makes 2 cups or so
2 large ripe local tomatoes or a few smaller ones
a small white or red onion finely chopped and rinsed to cut down on pungency or 6 or 8 green onions, finely chopped
the zest and juice of a juicy lime or two
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped, tender stems and all
1 or 2 chipotle peppers, minced (I prefer chipotles canned in tomatoey adobo sauce but dried work well too, just soften them in water a bit to soften before chopping them)
1/4 teaspoon of salt or to taste
Toss everything together and serve immediately.
Strawberries are just like tomatoes: they’re a ripe red fruit with lots of sweet and sour flavour. As a result they make wonderful salsa. For a tasty free style variation try using balsamic vinegar and tarragon instead of lime juice and cilantro!
Makes 2 cups or so
1 quart basket of local strawberries, washed, hulled and chopped
a small white or red onion finely chopped and rinsed to cut down on pungency or 6 or 8 green onions, finely chopped
the zest and juice of a juicy lime or two
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped, tender stems and all
1 or 2 chili peppers, minced
1/4 teaspoon of salt or to taste
a splash of extra virgin olive oil
Toss everything together and serve immediately.
If you’re still waiting for your local tomatoes or strawberries tropical fruits make great salsas too! Especially when they’re tossed with some golden brown toasted coconut. Habeneros are often the chili of choice in the Caribbean so this salsa is particularly spicy, feel free to tone it down with a less spicy chili pepper or two.
Makes 2 cups or so
2 mangoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
6 or 8 green onions, finely chopped
the zest and juice of a juicy lime or two
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped, tender stems and all
1 habanero chili pepper, finely minced
1/2 cup of shredded coconut, lightly toasted in a 325° oven
1/4 teaspoon of salt or to taste
a splash of extra virgin olive oil
Toss everything together and serve immediately.
This is one of those desserts that looks complicated but its actually deceptively easy to make. Culinary historians are not sure whether this dessert was invented in Australia or New Zealand and history has long forgotten the ballerina that it was named after, Anna Pavlova. None of that will matter though once you bite into your first slice of this amazing treat and your table starts debating whether it’s a tart or a cake. You’ll agree it’s deliciously addictive because it features an unusual soft sweet marshmallow center and a crisp crust balanced with a sweet and sour fruity topping of some kind. It even comes with a secret ingredient or two: the addictive texture of the meringue comes from folding a little vinegar and cornstarch into the stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar.
Serves six
6 egg whites
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Topping:
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 cup of sliced local strawberries
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier orange liqueur
2 tablespoons of sugar
Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and draw an 8” circle on it.
Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer until they reach soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar, pouring it in slowly and continuing to whip until the whites form stiff peaks. Gently fold in the vinegar and cornstarch.
Spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet, forming a large round evenly shaped mound. Think of an extra large hockey puck. Bake for 1 hour or so, (as much as 90 minutes on a rainy or humid day) until the pavlova is crispy on the outside and has a soft, marshmallow center. Turn the oven off, wedge the door open and let the meringue cool in it for 30 minutes or so.
Just before serving carefully invert the meringue onto a serving plate. Toss the marmalade and strawberries together, evenly spread the mixture onto the top. Whip the cream with the Grand Marnier and sugar then spread it on the marmalade. Serve immediately and enjoy!
This is a great way to make tea for iced tea. The sun gently steeps your tea and releases it’s flavours without heating it.
Serves four
8 bags of your favourite tea flavour
1 bunch fresh mint leaves
the zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons grated ginger
2 liters of water
Place tea bags, mint leaves, lemon zest and juice, honey and ginger into a large clear glass jar or pitcher and fill with the water. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and place in direct sunlight for about 3 hours. Fill glasses with ice and pour about two thirds full with the sun tea.
Happy Flavouring!
Cheers,
Chef Michael Smith