Twice de Spice Takeover!

My good MasterChef Canada friends, Marida & Narida hosted their first pop up restaurant event last night. For those who may not be familiar, a pop up restaurant is a temporary dining event held at a particular venue. It can be for just one or a few nights, but doesn't permanently conduct business in that venue. The pop up was held at Toronto's Cabal on King Street West. The twins created a four course tasting menu, specializing in elevated Trinidadian comfort dishes. 

Among the thirty or so who attended there were other members of MasterChef Canada's first season: Pino, Rob, and Carmela as well as my food blogger friend, Fouad. It was great to see everybody again. It was a very enjoyable evening. Even the weather, which was expected to be rainy and miserable, turned out to be quite mild and forgiving. 

Allow me to preface this by stating the obvious, I consider Marida and Narida good friends of mine. So this is going to be a biased article. I mean it when I say the food was fantastic. You'll see how beautifully plated everything was. The fare was delicious, warm and well balanced. There is a very special place in my heart for island food so this was a real treat for me. 

Let's go over the courses one by one. For the first course, we were served a creamy callaloo soup with salted pig tail. At the bottom of the bowl was a dollop of lime crème fraîche. So when you first stir the soup with your spoon you see a ripple of cream which was otherwise hidden. Very clever. Salted pig tail is a classic Trinidadian flavouring in soups and stews. I love callaloo (and all greens really) so this was a very tasty soup to me. When Marida faced off with Eric in the season finale of MasterChef Canada she made a version of this soup for her first course. Only on the show her soup incorporated a bit of pumpkin and a breadfruit chip. 

   



Our second course may have been my favourite, but to be honest, it is hard to choose. Trini-style stew chicken, buttery cassava (a tuber also known as yucca) and a cucumber chutney. All savoury Trinidadian food generally has a bit of heat to it and this was the spiciest course of the four. It was just delicious. The chicken was full of flavour and was fall-apart tender. Cassava is quite dense yet creamy when cooked well. It's an interesting texture if you've never tried it. I used a cassava purée in my audition dish for the second season of MatserChef Canada. The cucumber chutney was flavourful and refreshing as well as a little fresh cucumber which accompanied the dish. I loved this one!

I have my own recipe for West Indian stew chicken if you'd like to learn more about it.

    


For our third course we were served curried shrimp with a pumpkin purée. The shrimp was cooked to perfection. The natural sweetness of the shrimp was not compromised by the robust curry flavours. The pumpkin purée was creamy and luscious. The perfect accompaniment to the shrimp. 

We were served warm, paratha roti to eat the shrimp and pumpkin with. Roti is an Indian flatbread that is commonly used to wrap up curries and eaten as a sandwich. Paratha roti, (also known to Trinidadians as buss up shut or shot) is a particular kind of roti that's kind of mashed up in a way that leaves it tattered and left looking like a busted up shirt (hence the nickname, I'm not making this up). Paratha is ideal for pulling apart and sharing so it was perfect here. I'm not sure which of the two was in charge of the bread, or if it was a joint effort, but I have had Narida's roti more than once and it is amazing. Any kind of fresh, handmade bread trumps anything else you can find. Believe me. 

For the fourth and final course the twins made the most decadent dessert. Banana-carrot cake with brûléed banana, warm caramel sauce, coconut cream and a dark chocolate tuile. I mean, come on! It hit every facet of what a great and memorable dessert should be. I'm not even much of a dessert person and I inhaled this. The cake was warm, moist and flavourful. The caramelized banana was divine and the coconut cream added another tropical element all strung together by the classic combo of chocolate and caramel (I happen to love banana and chocolate together too). I don't use the word "fabulous" a lot but that's exactly what it was. The desserts were garnished with cape gooseberries and edible flowers. 

Clearly these ladies are very talented. I'm a lucky guy. Every guest left happy and satisfied. It was so much fun to see everybody again. What a great group of people. Life is good, lol. 

Be sure to visit www.twicedespice.com to keep up with the twins and more of the events they'll be putting together. 

If you'd like to learn more about Trinidadian food, please check out my post about my own visit to Trinidad and Tobago in 2013. That was just a few months before embarking on our MasterChef Canada journey and meeting each other for the first time. If you love spice and comfort food, then West Indian cuisine has got a lot to offer you. 

I have an exciting announcement! I have been so busy lately but I have some time off next week which will give me an opportunity to decompress and free up some availability for the blog. I know that the flow of recipes hasn't been quite up to standard lately.

I have to be honest, I made a promise to myself that I would eat healthier and get back in shape this year. I'm very proud of myself because I've stuck with it, I feel great and I'm already in the best shape of my life, but my meals mostly consist of things I've already done on the blog like massaged kale salads, steamed fish and baked chicken. If you're on Instagram you should follow me to see more of my cooking and some of the healthy meals I've been eating, @foodbybram. Not to worry though, I'm still very passionate about this blog and inspiring people to cook and try new things.

A big thank you to Mar & Nar for putting together the event and for working so hard to make it pleasant and unforgettable.

That does it for now. Until next time, everyone! Thanks for visiting.

B 

Toronto's R&D

Last night was the grand opening of R&D, the restaurant project by MasterChef Canada season one winner, Eric Chong, and MasterChef Canada judge, Alvin Leung. After the show, Eric accompanied Alvin to Hong Kong where he was mentored at Alvin's Michelin-star restaurant, Bo Innovation. Lots of preparation has since gone into their own restaurant in the heart of Toronto's Chinatown. R&D represents Eric (the Rebel) and Alvin (the Demon). The restaurant serves elevated Chinese cuisine with a modernized Canadian flair. Danny Raposo from season one's top 13 gathered a few of us together for the opening. There were a couple of last minute cancellations but of the top 50, only Danny, Carmela Campolargo and myself were able to make it. We got to see Eric and Alvin, which was pretty cool for me since I hadn't seen either of them since we were all on set together. 

The restaurant has a very vibrant atmosphere. There are elements of sophistication in the form of reclaimed wood and contemporary lighting.  It's a somewhat narrow space with the restaurant bar at the entrance before opening up at the back with casual seating, colourful decor and kitchen in full view.

Eric was working for the opening and managed to step out for a quick photo op with Danny. 

Alvin Leung was also there expediting the kitchen, greeting tables and charming food critics. 

Alvin stopped to catch up with us and take a photo with Carmela and myself. 

Here's one of my fave photos of the night: Danny, Carmela and me hamming it up. 

 


We were also joined by Danny's son, Carmela's husband, our friend Denise and Mathieu Beausoleil, who made it to the final stage of auditions for both seasons of MasterChef so far, but yet to be selected. It was a great group so we got a chance to try many of the dishes. The concept of the restaurant is mainly tapas portions, perfect for sharing. 
 

The brussels sprouts side with black bean butter and puffed rice. 

I started with the fried sweetbreads in oyster sauce with crispy seaweed, mushrooms and sweet potato purée. I was really impressed with this dish. I loved the plating and it was a convenient combination of things that I like. I first tried sweetbreads earlier this year at Ruby Watchco and was very surprised at how much I enjoyed them. I'm not much of an offal person but sweetbreads don't have that muddy flavour I associated with most of it. They're quite tasty and R&D did them justice. 

Carmela ordered the chop suey which was prepared at table side by our friendly server, Julia. It was a combination of different vegetables and a smoky plum sauce served with bibb lettuce. You have the option of adding seared foie gras to this dish. 

Danny and Mathieu both ordered the chargrilled octopus with choy sum chimichurri and yu heung eggplant. This was probably the most beautifully plated dish of the night. 

One of the dishes I ordered was the crab bibimbap which comes with their house chili sauce, kimchi and an egg. If you're looking at this thinking, "this doesn't look at all like bibimbap!", allow me to explain. Bibimbap is traditionally served in a heated, stone bowl which kind of sears the sticky rice at the bottom and gives it a beautiful caramelized flavour and crisp texture. When the dish came to the table, it looked beautiful but then the server immediately began to mash everything together with a pair of spoons. In doing so he maximized the surface area of the rice against the bowl. Then he advised to let it sit for a minute or so to let the rice get crispy. Was this a good tasting dish? Absolutely. I did get the maximum amount of crispiness out of the rice but overall I wished they hadn't done that. I thought it looked like a mess. They brought me this beautiful dish and then murdered it in front of me. lol! I get the concept but personally I don't think it was worth it. What do you guys think? Really tasty though.  

Another dish I ordered was the lobster chow mein. This was one of Eric's dishes that he presented on the season finale of MasterChef Canada. What can I say? I was intrigued. The cook on the lobster was really good and the natural flavour wasn't compromised by any other element in the dish. Personally I would have preferred a thinner noodle, but that's just my taste. The thickness of the noodle matched his dish on the finale of the show and it helped him win the title. They're made fresh from scratch.  

Mathieu and Danny also ordered the R&D take on the chicken and waffles with sichuan maple syrup and plum sauce. The quality of this photo is especially bad, my apologies. I got to try a drumstick and it was really good. I'm a sucker for fried chicken and unless I'm mistaken I thought I tasted Chinese 5 spice in the crispy breading, which was interesting. Chicken and waffles might seem like an odd concept to some people but it's a classic pairing in soul food with roots in the deep south. It's hard to explain but I quite like it in a cheat-on-your-diet-so-good kinda way. I'd recommend this dish if you get a chance to try it. 

 


Our table also ordered the sweet-n-sour ribs with a hawthorn-lemongrass-ginger slaw and pineapple.

We tried all three of their desserts as well. This the the crispy milk with malt ice cream dish. I'm not so sure how they made these but they were really interesting. The milk was firm custard texture with a smoky, caramelized coating reminiscent of fire-toasted marshmallows. It really gives the impression of a campfire. 

They also have an interesting take on a banana split. Instead of the traditional, strawberry, vanilla, chocolate they give you a scoop each of sour cherry sorbet, tamarind ice cream and a peanut butter-condensed milk ice cream with crispy tempura banana fritters, coconut cream and macerated cherries. This dish was really good and a fun interpretation of a classic. I'm not so sure if I understood the sour cherry and tamarind combination (both sour) with condensed milk and peanut butter. I guess I was expecting three different and contrasting flavours to balance each other out. Each ice cream was really good on their own though. Fried bananas are hard not to love too. 

  


Carmela ordered the crème brûlée with coconut sugar which came with a scoop of their sour cherry ice cream on top. She said she enjoyed it. 

Overall a very successful and enjoyable grand opening. I want to extend a big congratulations to both Eric and Alvin for the fantastic restaurant. I'm looking forward to going back. To be quite honest, there wasn't a single thing on the menu that I didn't want to try. That's always a good sign. We saw another table ordered a peking duck with steamed buns and Asian slaw. It looked amazing! R&D offers some creative and sophisticated dishes which are elevated and yet still hit that comfort food mark that not every cuisine can do. If you get a chance to dine at R&D, please do. 

R&D is located at 241 Spadina Ave in downtown Toronto's Chinatown neighbourhood. Their phone number is 416-586-1241 and you can see their web-site here. 

Well guys, that's it from me!

See you again soon!

B

Gourmet Food and Wine Expo 2014 (Lynn Crawford & David Rocco)

This passed weekend we had the 20th annual Gourmet Food and Wine Expo at the Metro Convention Centre in downtown Toronto. It's the food and drink event of the year! I went with the beautiful MasterChef Canada twins, Narida & Marida Mohammed and their equally beautiful friend Thalia (lucky me). The GFWE is a convention that exhibits the works of caterers, purveyors, restaurants, wine, beer and spirit makers with thousands of samples to try along with live entertainment, cooking demos and even wine tutoring classes. Thousands of people show up for the event every year. If you are 19 or over and are ever in Toronto during the month of November you should look into getting tickets to experience it for yourself. Not only do you get to eat and drink to your heart's content but you actually get to meet and talk with the business owners and really get a feel of the product you're trying. 

Between the four of us we tried so many fantastic foodie treats. I'm sure I'm missing things but we sampled chicken paella from El Paella (a local caterer), fresh oysters from Rodney's Oyster House (a must), miso beef tacos, Japanese inspired salmon tartar, samosas, pakoras, creamy shrimp pasta, grilled salmon with apple slaw, almond bars, cannoli, hot sauces... It was all delicious. We got to sample a few wines, beers, ciders, cocktails and a really nice sangria. It was such a fun night.

Marida & Narida with the Zaza guys

     

It's funny, we all meant to take so many more pictures than we actually did. Unfortunately I don't have much to show in the visual department. I've been to the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo once before (in 2011) and remember having an incredible time then too. 

We also got to catch a couple of celebrity chefs and sit in during their cooking demos. We saw David Rocco prepare a braised beef and wine dish as well as a cured pork stuffed calamari. David is the host of David Rocco's Dolce Vita, a show shot on location all over Italy showcasing the culinary fares and wines of the area. David is a Toronto born Italian who is very passionate about Italian food. David not only hosts the show but produces it along with his wife Nina. David is also the author of three cookbooks. 

David Rocco

     

Finally, and one of my favourite experiences from the entire night, was that we got to meet chef Lynn Crawford. She was doing a cooking demo but unfortunately we only caught the very end of it. Lynn Crawford has a very inspiring set of accomplishments as a chef. She is the owner of the critically acclaimed Toronto restaurant Ruby Watchco. She has published two cookbooks. She's made several appearances on the Food Network's Restaurant Makeover, Chopped Canada and she competed in last year's Top Chef Masters. She is the former executive chef of both the Toronto and New York Four Seasons and she's the third Canadian to have ever competed on Iron Chef America. Talk about an impressive resumé! Narida and Marida got a photo with her and I got one with her as well. I posted it to Twitter yesterday and she retweeted it (@CHEF_LYNN). So that was a special honour. It just goes to show you, you never know whose paths you may cross when you follow your passion of doing what you love.

Lynn Crawford and myself

   


Stay tuned because there is lots in store for the blog before the new year. In the meantime, keep cooking and eating well!


B 

Shucking Oysters with Christina

Monday of this week I got together with my fellow MasterChef Canada season one contestant, Christina. We became friends since the taping of the show but career opportunities took her to Edmonton last April so we haven't been able to get together since. She made a visit to her native Toronto this week so we thought we'd use one of the days she had here to shuck fresh oysters. This is Christina's second appearance on the blog. She and I both checked out MasterChef Canada judge, Michael Bonacini's restaurant, Bannock, for Toronto's Winterlicious festival earlier this year. It was over our meal that we discovered we both enjoy raw oysters. I had only ever eaten oysters at restaurants, pubs or street festivals. Christina actually had experience shucking her own oysters.

The act of shucking is opening the oyster's shell with a specialized knife (aptly called an oyster knife) to release the fresh oyster meat and liquor from inside. Shucking requires skill and a lot of practice. This was my first time ever shucking and Christina had done it a few times before but not recently. She was much better than I was. If you are a skilled shucker of oysters then I would advise you to avert your eyes from this post as I'm sure it exposes all kinds of technical flaws in the photos. I'm not saying our shucking was perfect, but the product was very tasty.

Oysters can be eaten many different ways: fried, baked, stewed, smoked, steamed and pickled are some popular options. In my opinion, they're not bad, but the best way to enjoy an oyster is fresh and raw on the half shell. Just like clams and mussels, oysters must be eaten or cooked alive. They close their shells as a defense mechanism. If an oyster's shell is open and does not close after a few gentle taps, then it must be discarded. Shellfish degenerates quickly when it expires and it doesn't take very long before it could make you ill. If consumed properly, oysters are not only delicious but a great source of iron, protein, omega 3's, zinc and even Vitamin C. They can be eaten naked (as is), or dressed with fresh lemon juice or Tabasco sauce. Some people like a little freshly grated horseradish on their oysters. Those seem to be the most common dressings for oysters but there are an endless variety of others. Another one that I enjoy is a bit of the sweet brine from pickled beets.

We sampled six different varieites of oysters. I'd like to share a little bit about each one before showing the basic method of shucking oysters. As I mentioned, this was my first time shucking so I'm not qualified to be able to teach anyone how to do it just yet. This post is more to share the experience. 


First up, we tried Salt Grass Point oysters, from Mapleque Bay in Prince Edward Island (PEI is well-known for its shellfish). This was one of our favourites. Just a mild, refreshing oyster lifted by the bright sour-spicy acidity of the lemon and Tabasco. If you can find these, definitely give them a try. I didn't get a good photo but the shells have a beautiful army green colour.        

  
Next we tried Kumumoto oysters. This variety originates from Japan but these specific oysters came from Washington State. They were plumper and saltier in flavour. The shells were quite frilled on the edges, contained several pronounced bumps and were speckled black, grey, brown and white.

 

Then we tried the comically named Four Inches Of Pleasure, from New Brunswick. The name, as you might have guessed, refers to the size of both the oyster shell. These are definitely the largest oysters that I've ever tried. They had a nice mild flavour of the sea. The shells are rippled with off-whites and browns. We use this variety for the demo later.

Next we up we sampled the Japanese Kushi (or Kusshi) variety from British Columbia. These stood out as another one of our favourites. Plump, mild and refreshing. I would absolutely recommend these. The shells were a little more square in shape and were speckled white, brown and black. The reddish spots that appear in the photo below are Tabasco sauce. 

Then we tried the Wiley Point oysters, named after where they come from in Western Ontario. We both agreed that of the bunch, these were our top favourite. They were just everything a good oyster should be: mild, refreshing, just salty enough and simply satisfying. The red you see in the photo below is also Tabasco sauce. The shells are mostly brown and black with a few hints of green. If you find the opportunity to try these, take advantage!  

Finally we sampled Gigas that had just arrived that morning from Ireland. They had an aroma to them that made me think they might have a stronger flavour (kinda marshy), but luckily they tasted just fine. I should point out that fresh seafood should smell like the sea or nothing at all. Any fishy funk you may get is a sign of seafood losing its freshness and quality. With shellfish, like oysters, discard any that may have a foul smell. I just wanted to clarify the difference between the smell of oysters that have gone off and oysters with a marshy aroma. The shells very much resembled limestone. Overall they were not bad, but ended up being a nice finale to the different varieties we tried.   

Here are the basic steps in prepping and shucking an oyster. First you'll need to clean them thoroughly. Oysters that have not been properly clean can leave an unpleasant grit behind. Fill a bowl with cold water and scrub them clean. Generally they will already have been cleaned well when you buy them but this is still a mandatory step. Replace the water in the bowl once or twice if needed. 

You will notice that an oyster will be tapered on one end with a roundish butt on the opposite end. The butt end is the hinge and the area that needs to be pried apart first. Many professional oyster shuckers wear protective gloves, but a towel will also work. Hold the oyster with a bunched towel, exposing the butt and leaving your fingers behind the towel and away from the blade.

   

Just next to the middle of the hinged area, apply to the blade of the oyster knife and begin to "wiggle it" with some pressure. The knife should be inserted at the same angle of the groove of the shell (this will vary by oyster). This is the part that requires the most skill. 

Use too much force and risk possibly injuring yourself or literally stabbing through the oyster and ruining the presentation (the latter of which happened to many of the ones I did). Use too little force and you'll never get anywhere but slowly ruining the appearance of the shell. To gauge the right amount will take practice. There were some oysters that took two minutes, others a couple of seconds. The goal is to hear the popping noise that releases the two parts of the hinge apart.

Shimmy the tip of the knife around the rim of the shell until you are able to open the oyster like a book. Be careful not to insert the knife too far in or you'll slice the oyster. 

The oyster will be attached to one of the shells of the tapered end (opposite from where the butt was unhinged) by a muscle. Slide the blade of the knife under the oyster to cut through that muscle and release the meat.

When the muscle is severed, use the blade to flip the oyster over to expose a slightly more presentable side.

Then dress however you like and enjoy. 

So again, my apologies to anyone who is good at shucking oysters that I'm sure was able to make out all of the flaws, chipped shells and mutilated meat. With practice I'm sure I'll get better. Another thing to keep in mind is that each oyster also contains liquid referred to as the liquor. To eat a fresh oyster you would bring the shell up to your mouth and tip your head back allowing the oyster to be slurped up. The liquor adds flavour and assists with the transfer from shell to mouth. Be sure not to spill the liquor while opening the oyster. It is also customary to place the oyster on crushed ice once it is shucked and eat it right away. The ice retains a cool temperature and therefore freshness. 

Oysters are so tasty and a very occasional treat to me. This experience was a lot of fun and with good company. Together, Christina and I ploughed through three dozen oysters! If you get the opportunity to try shucking your own oysters give it a go. You might find that you're quite good at it! Who knows. A big thank you to Christina for being part of this post and for my first oyster shucking lesson!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Oysters may be an acquired taste for some and I respect if someone doesn't like them. In North America I have found that some people find the texture and appearance unappetizing. I have to admit, the first time I ever tried an oyster I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but luckily I did. It's good to be adventurous in the things you will try (and this goes towards more things in life than just eating). Surprise yourself now and again.

Until we meet again Foodies! Take care,

B   

Crostinis 2 Ways and a MasterChef Canada Reunion

From Right: Derrick Nantes (crew), me, Danny Raposo, Dean Hennings (crew), Andrew Lawton, Carmela Campolargo, Brooke Feldman, Narida Mohammed, Mylene Facchini, Marida Mohammed & Sarah Nguyen

This passed weekend I attended a potluck hosted by fellow MasterChef Canada top 50 homecook, Carmela Campolargo. Other contestants from the show were there too: Danny Raposo (top 13 who brought his food truck to the event), Andrew Lawton, Brooke Feldman (who is now a private chef) Mylene Facchini, Sarah Nguyen, and twins Narida & Marida Mohammed (owners of Twice de Spice). Dean and his husband, Derrick, who were part of the crew also attended and I brought my friend and fellow food blogger, Fouad Makadsi. As I'm sure you can imagine, the food was incredible! It was a fun night and what a pleasure to see everybody again. Friends for a lifetime, I tell you!

Danny & I in the Big D's House of Munch food truck
(Photo: Andrew Lawton)

Danny's food truck business has exploded since the show. He has a contract with The Beer Store and you can find his truck at certain locations across the Greater Toronto Area. Danny specializes in burgers, "sangwiches", poutine, piri piri chicken, salad and much more. Check out his web-site to learn more and follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

A few other photos from the night...

Myself with beloved host, Carmela (complete with epic photobomb)

Fouad with MasterChef Canada runner-up Marida

Face time with Brooke

Narida & Mylene

"But first, let's take a selfie!" Dean, Mylene, Narida & Brooke

Narida & Myself

You may have noticed that many people are wearing shirts with the same insignia on them. The shirts were designed by Carmela. They say "Liberation Army for MS (Multiple 
Sclerosis)". Carmela is one of about 100,000 brave Canadians living with the disease. It affects the nervous system of a person, generally beginning in their adulthood. So far there is no known cure and the cause is not fully understood. If you'd like to learn more about MS and how you can donate to help benefit those with it, please visit the MS Society of Canada web-site. As Carmela said on the first ever episode of MasterChef Canada, "I have MS, but MS doesn't have me." 

For my contribution to the potluck I made two kinds of crostini. A crostini is an Italian appetizer consisting of a small piece of grilled or toasted bread and miscellaneous toppings. A popular crostini that most people are familiar with is bruschetta. I made a version of bruschetta with heirloom cherry tomatoes, red onion, micro basil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano. I made a second style of crostini with a rosemary goat cheese and a cranberry-walnut chutney. Both were a big hit and I'd like to show you how I made them.

Let's start with the goat cheese crostini. First you'll want to make the chutney. If you can spare it, make the chutney a day or two in advance to give the flavours time to build. This makes a great sweet-n-sour relish and it would make a fantastic cranberry sauce to accompany a Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey. In this recipe I used the zest and juice of an orange. It was delicious, but I was talking about it with Sarah and she made a great suggestion. Instead of the fresh orange juice, you could use the same amount of brandy or cognac instead. You could use Grand Marnier which is an orange flavoured cognac (perfect). That would give the chutney a real boost in flavour and robustness. If you make this and decide to use booze instead of the orange juice, use 1/3 cup. Otherwise, this is what I did...

Cranberry-Walnut Chutney

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries
Zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 orange
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise


Warm a heavy bottom pan over medium heat and add the orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon stick and star anise. Let the spices infuse the liquid for about a minute as it warms up. 

   

Before the liquid starts to simmer, add the sugar, cranberries and walnuts.

All you need to do is stir the mixture occasionally while it reduces for 10-12 minutes.

As the chutney bubbles away the liquid will thicken. The skins of the cranberries will begin to burst and make a popping noise. Don't be alarmed when that happens. It's perfectly normal.

After 10-12 minutes you will end up with a jammy texture. Remove from the heat and leave to cool (it will be piping hot). Once cooled to room temperature, remove the spices, store in the fridge and consume within two weeks. It has a tangy, sweet, slightly citrusy flavour with the sporadic crunch of walnut and the lingering hum of autumn spice. 

The goat cheese portion is even simpler. I ended up making so much more than I needed so feel free to cut this recipe in half but there are endless options that you could use any excess for. Use it as a savoury spread for just about anything, add depth to a cream sauce or enrich a frittata....

Rosemary Goat Cheese

Ingredients

600 grams of goat cheese, room temperature
4 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Plenty of fresh ground black pepper


Being Canadian, I sometimes speak in metric and imperial. It's just the price of being a Commonwealth country with our only neighbour being the United States. I know I used 600 grams because of the label on the packaging, but if you don't speak in grams, use 21 ounces of goat cheese.

All you need to do is mix the ingredients together. Goat cheese is plenty salty so you don't need to add any. I recommend a generous amount of fresh ground black pepper to compliment the saltiness. Using goat cheese at room temperature will make mixing easier but adding the olive oil will not only help to loosen it up a little but will help to carry the rosemary flavour through the cheese. Store in the fridge, but remember to bring it back up to room temperature before serving. 

 

Bruschetta is great because it is a combination of a few fresh ingredients that is dead simple but creates a brilliant flavour combination. Traditionally you would dice Roma tomatoes and chiffonade some fresh Genovese basil but this version is a little more contemporary by using heirloom cherry tomatoes and micro basil. 

Bruschetta Topping

Ingredients

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/4 medium red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Fresh micro basil, for garnish
Salt
Pepper

Begin by chopping your tomatoes. This part can be slightly tedious because creating 2 cups of chopped cherry tomatoes is a decent amount of chopping. Any larger ones can be quartered and the smaller one can be halved. Aim for generally even sized pieces. An easy task, but it will take a few minutes. Then toss with the diced red onion. It's important to get a fine dice on the onion because if the pieces are too large they can easily overpower the palette.

Then toss in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper (to taste). I did half of the prep at home and the other half at Carmela's house before serving, in case you were wondering why the containers change in the photos. This is your basic bruschetta topping. Keep the Parmigiano and the micro basil aside as they will be used as garnish at the end of assembly. 

Now that we have all of our toppings ready, it's time to prepare the bread. For crostinis I recommend a good ol' white flour, French baguette sliced diagonally to increase the surface area. I used one whole baguette for each kind of crostini. Evenly toast each slice of bread to your desired doneness. You could use a toaster and do this in batches or lay them evenly on the rack of your preheated 400F/204C oven and keep an eye on them. As I mentioned, Danny brought his food truck to the event and it has a charcoal grill. You'd better believe I took full advantage of that. I was impressed. It barely took a minute each side.

You may have noticed that there is no garlic in the bruschetta topping. Garlic is an integral ingredient in bruschetta. Once the bread is toasted, the surface area will have become crispy and rough. The traditional way of making garlic bread is taking a fresh garlic clove and lightly rubbing each piece of toast with it, kind of like you're using an eraser against a piece of paper. Raw garlic packs a powerful punch so you don't need much (2 or 3 light strokes on the side facing up). I recommend doing this for both the bruschetta and the goat cheese crostinis.

The rest of the process is pretty self explanatory. To assemble the bruschetta crostinis, take your garlic toasts and spoon some of your marinated tomato/onion mixture on top of each one. 

Then garnish each crostini with a pinch of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the micro basil. There is no need to chop the micro basil. A couple of leafy stems on each crostini is perfect. Serve immediately.  

The goat cheese crostini is even easier to assemble. Take your garlicky, toasted slices of baguette and smear a bit of the rosemary goat cheese on each one. Having the goat cheese at room temperature is ideal.

Dollop about a tbsp of the cranberry-walnut chutney on the goat cheese. For colour and garnish, I topped each crostini with a single leaf of fresh rosemary. 

Now that fall is officially upon us the only fresh herbs I have left at my disposal are rosemary and sage so this gave me a great opportunity to use up a lot of the rosemary in its final few weeks. 

A big thank you to my friend, Fouad, for taking most of the assembly photos! I hope you all enjoyed this post. Please consider making a donation to the MS Society and spread awareness for a very worthy cause.

See you again soon!

B