Baguette Mini Pizzas

Quick appetizer with a massive taste overload. Pepper salami and garlic dominate the palate. Delicious.

Makes 8 mini pizzas.

8 slices of baguette of thickness 3/4 inch (~1.5 cm)
1/2 c seasoned tomato sauce (see below)
pepper salami, very thinly sliced
1 c baby spinach leaves, chopped
1 c cheddar cheese

The seasoned tomato sauce is just a canned tomato sauce with dried spices added to taste. I recommend the following (rough) guideline:

1/2 c tomato sauce
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp chili flakes
pinch of salt, pepper

Smear the sauce evenly over the baguette slices, topping each with a slice or two of pepper salami. Add a little spinach, top with cheese and broil on high for 2 minutes, just until the cheese begins to bubble.

Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is sweet and rich. Apples and squash are a great combo and here we show how easily one can exploit their delights.

Serves 4 to 6.

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into small cubes
2 gala apples, peeled, cored, chopped
2 c vegetable stock
1 c half-and-half (10% m.f. cream)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large saucepan, brown the onions in the butter until golden. Add the squash and apples and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from burning to the bottom of the saucepan. Once the squash softens (yields to the stabbing of a fork), add the stock and bring to boil for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and purée the soup (I just use a hand-held blender right in the pot), then add the cream and season with nutmeg and cinnamon to taste. Bring soup back to serving temperature by heating on a low temperature. You can garnish this dish by serving the soup into bowls and adding a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of finely chopped chives or green onions.

Meatlover's Pesto Pizza

Use a basic pizza crust recipe (I like my Quick Pizza Crust recipe with basil added into the crust) and top with the following -- it will terrify you. Mix and match the quantities of meats as you please, and feel free to add crushed garlic after the pesto (if you're into that kind of thing.)

Makes 2 pizzas.

1/2 c pesto
100g capicola sausage (very thinly sliced)
100g smoked ham (very thinly sliced)
3 medium pork/beef sausages, removed from casings and fried
2 red bell peppers, roasted and coarsely chopped
1 c cheese, mozzarella and/or cheddar
100g (1/4 lb) back bacon (chopped, fried, and drained, but not crisp)

Split the ingredients between two pizzas, adding the toppings in the order shown above. The bacon on top will crisp under the heat of the oven.

Quick Pizza Crust

This dough is fast and versatile. Add more salt and herbs for savory pizzas or more sugar for sweet doughs.

Makes two 12'' crusts. Combine in a large food processor,

3 1/2 C flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried basil (optional)

Pulse for a few seconds. If you're using instant yeast, add one packet (2 1/4 tsp) to the dry ingredients above and pulse again. Otherwise, if you're using regular quick yeast, combine 3 1/2 tbsp yeast with the warm water below and let it sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine in a separate bowl

1 1/2 c warm water (approx 50°C)
2 tbsp olive oil

Add to dry ingredients gradually while running food processor. May need more or less water, depending on the humidity in your house. You do not want a sticky dough. Keep processing until the dough is smooth (2-4 minutes in the food processor). Remove the dough from processor and let rest for 10 minutes. Make into desired number of rounds. Add toppings. Let rise for about 10 minutes. Bake pizzas at 400 F for about 15 to 20 minutes. You'll get a crunchier crust if you bake the pizza on a wire cooling rack, but I prefer to make the crust on a cookie sheet with a liberal helping of olive oil underneath.
Note: Recipe can also be made by conventional method and hand kneading.

Crabmeat and Mushroom Bisque

When asked why this was a bisque and not a chowder, I could find no answer. The internet told me that chowders conventionally contain potatoes. This bowl of pure deliciousness does not, but I'm sure they could be added. Feel free to copy and paste this recipe into an email, add potatoes, and tell me how it worked for you.

The recipe originally came from an ancient McCall's recipe can, but I have added seafood and I sometimes drop the mushrooms if I'm not in the mood. Mom would kill me if she knew that.

Serves 4.

6 tbsp butter or margarine
4 tbsp finely chopped green onion
4 tbsp finely chopped green pepper
1 scallion, chopped
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 c thinly sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 c milk
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground mace
dash Tabasco
1 c half milk, half cream
1 1/2 c cooked crabmeat (or 12 oz frozen)
3 tbsp sherry
200g prawns, sliced in half (optional)
200g bay (small) scallops (optional)

In skillet, heat 4 tbsp butter. Add onion, green pepper, scallion, parsley and mushrooms; sauté until soft but not brown. Set aside. In large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp butter; remove from heat. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Stir in salt, pepper, mace and Tabasco. Add sautéed vegetables and half-and-half. Bring to boil, stirring. Reduce heat; add crabmeat; simmer, uncovered for 5 min.

Just before serving, stir in sherry, scallops, and prawns -- once the prawns have curled from heat, the bisque is ready.

Lamb Pita

Achieving an intense flavour is the goal and the means is sweet, succulent lamb. Find it fresh so that you needn't overcook it in order to kill bacteria (you can still see some pink flesh in my photo). Any assortment of your favourite vegetables will do, and any sauce can be added.

Serves two (one chop per person)

4 small pitas
2 lamb chops (each the size of your palm)
1 small onion, sliced into long, thin pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
cucumber, quartered and sliced
green peppers, sliced
tomatoes, diced
200g feta cheese, crumbled

Rub the lamb chops with some salt and any desired spice (I prefer just salt -- the flavour of lamb is pungent and stands well alone). Heat a medium skillet to extreme temperature, then quickly add one tbsp of olive oil and drop in the lamb chops, searing one side and flipping after a minute or two and searing the other side for 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to low, remove the lamb to a cutting board and add the onions to the pan with a tablespoon of water. Remove any bones from the lamb and chop it into slices, ready for stuffing into the pita.

Now is a good time to heat your pitas if you like them warm: a 350 F oven for 4 minutes will do the trick, but a microwave makes a quick (albeit slightly tougher) substitute.

Once the onions have been sautéed and are beginning to soften, remove them from the pan and turn off your stove -- it's time to stuff the pitas and add your sauce of choice. A sharp tzatziki does nicely, or even a balsamic vinaigrette.