Is she really doing another post about kale chips?  

Yes. Yes I am.

After writing about how to make kale chips using long, elegant dinosaur kale leaves, then reviewing an artisanal kale chip product, I thought I’d said about all I had to say on the subject. Turns out I was wrong. I’ve just learned there’s a new kale in town – baby kale! 

I’ve always been a bit of a sucker for ‘baby’ anything. Just thinking about pocket goats, miniature ponies, petite rounds of Babybel cheese, or those tiny bottles of ketchup you get with room service makes me go all warm and fuzzy inside. Baby veggies affect me the same way. 

Some baby vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, are fully ripe miniature vegetables cultivated for perfection, while others are immature vegetables picked before they’re fully grown. Baby kales are the latter. Their leaves are harvested before they mature to make sure they’re extra tender and sweet. Unlike mature kale, baby kale leaves don’t have thick central stalks to trim away, and if you choose to buy organic, they are free of pesticides, pre-washed, and ready to use. Toss them with olive oil and a little seasoning, and you can have them in the oven in under a minute.

I used a medley of baby kales for this batch, some of which had long stems that were a bit tough. You can pinch them off before baking or leave them on like I did. They make a great handle if you want to dip your chips in a little vinaigrette. 

A note about salt:  The first time I made kale chips I seasoned them liberally, as if they were potato chips. Big mistake. They were so salty they were almost inedible. As the kale bakes in the oven, it dehydrates, causing the salt to become more concentrated. Now I season them lightly before baking, taste after they come out of the oven, then add more salt if needed.

Baby Kale Chips

2013-05-10 11:21:54

Crisp baby kale chips with a kick

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Ingredients

4 cups loosely packed baby kales

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, more if you like some heat

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 275 F

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper

Pile baby kale leaves in the middle of the baking sheet

Drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes and salt

Using your hands, toss well to combine

Spread kale out in a single layer

Bake 20 - 25 minutes, until leaves are very crisp

Check the seasoning. Sprinkle with additional salt if desired.

Enjoy.

Notes

Store in an air tight container. Do not refrigerate.

An Uneducated Palate http://anuneducatedpalate.com/

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I still know what you’re thinking…

Surely that’s the last of the kale chips posts.

Yes. Yes it is, but I can’t promise I don’t have one planned for a baby kale salad.

Sign up by email and never miss another bite…

“Do you have any questions about the menu?”

As a matter of fact, I did.  ”Does the truffle pizza have fresh truffles or truffle oil?” 

“Both,” she affirmed.

Both? Batali’s food philosophy is to cook with the highest quality, freshest ingredients, and prepare them simply so that they shine. Truffle oil, a synthetic compound produced in a laboratory, doesn’t really fit that brand. It’s as artificial as the butter flavoured topping some movie theatres use or the frozen dessert topping that doesn’t quite pass for whipped cream.* Whether or not truffle oil belongs in the professional pantry is a polarizing topic among many chefs. It’s been called everything from the fake boobs of food to a chef’s dream.

The server and I put on our best poker faces; me, concealing my surprise over the truffle oil, and her, suppressing what I can only image was horror at my cringe-worthy pronunciation as I continued our conversation, ”and what is bel paese?” 

“It’s a cow’s milk cheese from Italy. It’s creamy and mild; like fontina or havarti. It’s really good.”

I put aside my misgivings about the truffle oil and said “yes please” to the pizza. 

I smelled it before I saw it – musky, funky, unmistakable – and inhaled deeply when my server set it down in front of me, sensing the truffle’s penetrating perfume in every cell of my body. I closed my eyes and took a bite, relishing the perfect combination of earthy black truffle, wafer-thin potato, salty-creamy cheese, and peppery arugula, all on top of a crisp griddle-cooked crust. 

I ate the whole thing.

Truffle pizza with potato, bel paese, fontina  $25

After dinner, I waddled around The Venetian soaking up the streetmosphere in St. Marc’s Square and throughout the property. It was two days before Christmas and their Winter in Venice holiday extravaganza was in full swing.

A few weeks after I had returned home from my trip, I was watching The Chew when I heard something that made my jaw drop. During the last few moments of the show, Clinton Kelly asked the other hosts what restaurant food or trend they would like to see go away.

Mario practically spit out his answer, “Truffle oil!” 

What? Did Mario know what was going on in Nevada, or was this another case of what happens in Vegas staying in Vegas? I decided to ask him, and since he actually engages with his Twitter followers, (unlike many celebrities who rely on summer interns or robots) I was fairly confident he’d reply. 

@mariobatali Hi Chef! Is there truffle oil on the Truffle Pizza at Otto?

— An Uneducated Palate (@CulinaryWannaB) January 19, 2013

Nope RT. @culinarywannab: @mariobatali Hi Chef! Is there truffle oil on the Truffle Pizza at Otto?”

— Mario Batali (@Mariobatali) January 20, 2013

Wait a minute. He answered the question, but I wasn’t any closer to knowing what I wanted to know –  because I asked the wrong question! All I’d manage to do was set the scene for a classic he said/she said stand-off. If I were half as clever as I sometimes like to think I am, I would have figured out a better way to phrase that Tweet (while still staying inside the message box limit of 140 characters.)

Although it’s as tempting to me as a bowl of pistachio gelato, I’ll refrain from speculating about why Mario and the server at OTTO gave different answers to what was essentially the same question. I’m sure I’ll never know. I can, however, say with absolute certainty that my pizza was topped with black truffle. I saw it with my own eyes. Whether there was also truffle oil on it is more difficult for me to say. I would have had to rely entirely on my taste buds to make that call, and I don’t exactly have Karine Bakhoum’s million dollar palate. But here’s the thing: the truffle pizza at Mario Batali’s OTTO was the best pizza I ever ate – with or without truffle oil – and in the end, that’s all that really matters.

What do you think of truffle oil? Love it or loathe it?

*And just for the record – I love movie theatre popcorn and Cool Whip!

OTTO Enoteca Pizzeria 
The Venetian, Grand Canal Shops (3rd floor)
3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada
702.677.3390

UPDATE – April 21, 2013

My culinary education continues. Since publishing this post, I’ve learned that, when it comes to truffle products, there are more than just two choices. Jason Neve, the Culinary Director of Mario Batali’s restaurants in Las Vegas, contacted me last night to explain:

“Unfortunately I believe there was some confusion on our servers part when they led you to believe we use truffle oil. What we use is a Truffle Carpaccio that is packed in extra virgin olive oil; this is a product of sliced Italian black truffles that are preserved in olive oil. For the pizza we first top it with the slices of truffle and then finish it with a drizzle of the olive oil that the truffles are packed in. This oil has taken on some of the truffle flavor and spreads that flavor across the entirety of the pizza. However, it is by no means is [sic] the infamous/dreaded “Truffle Oil” that you hear so many gourmands debate at length over, and which has no comparison to actual truffle products. Hopefully you can understand how this did not get fully explained when you dined with us.”

 

Strawberries picked this early in the season are going to need a little extra love. Adding sugar will enhance their flavour, as will lemon juice, and a bit of vanilla.

It’s a good idea to pull ice cream or sherbet from the freezer 10-15 minutes before serving. Coldness suppresses sweetness, so that slight rise in temperature can go a long way towards maximizing flavour.

Strawberry Cheesecake Sherbet

2013-04-04 20:18:21

Makes 4 cups

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Ingredients

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 pound fresh strawberries

2 bananas

1/2 cup cream cheese (spreadable)

Juice from 1/2 of a lemon (about 1 tablespoon)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for one minute, until sugar is dissolved. Pour the simple syrup into a heat proof container and place in the refrigerator to chill.

Peel the bananas and slice into one-inch chunks.

Wash and hull the strawberries, then slice them in half.

Place fruit on a baking sheet in a single layer then freeze for at least two hours. At the same time, place an empty metal pan or bowl in the freezer to chill.

Once the strawberries and bananas are frozen, combine them with the simple syrup and all remaining ingredients in your food processor's work bowl. Blend, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl if needed, until the texture is smooth and creamy. You're looking for a consistency similar to soft serve ice cream.

Pour the whipped sherbet into the chilled metal pan or bowl and place in the freezer overnight.

By Laura Leigh Goyer

An Uneducated Palate http://anuneducatedpalate.com/

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You may also enjoy: Pineapple Ginger Sherbet

Fruit-flavoured beer wasn’t the only remarkable taste I enjoyed that night. The lemon curd ice cream I ordered for dessert blew me away.  It was luscious, lemony, creamy and bright, but not so sour that it made your lips pucker. A single spoonful tasted like both the filling and the crust from a lemon meringue pie! It was truly amazing. The following morning I went online searching for lemon curd ice cream recipes and I found plenty to tempt me. Too bad I don’t have an ice cream maker. *

Time for Plan B – a frozen treat with an equally exhilarating flavour – no ice cream machine required.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit it but, when I sat down to write this post, I realized that I didn’t know the difference between sherbet and sorbet. Here’s a quick guide to the more popular frozen desserts (just in case I’m not the only one):

• Ice Cream has a custard base made from cream, and typically includes milk, sugar and egg yolks. 
• Gelato is like ice cream but is churned at a higher temperature and a slower pace. The result is a denser, more intensely flavoured dessert.
• Sorbet is dairy-free and egg-free. Its made from fruit purée, juice or simple syrup. It’s also churned (like ice cream) so it has a light, fluffy texture.
• Sherbet is fruit-based like sorbet but it can also include milk, gelatin or egg whites.
• Granita is the same as sorbet, but it’s not whipped or churned. Instead, its flaked with a fork which creates an icy, granular texture (like a snow cone).

* I’ve always assumed you needed an ice cream maker to make ice cream. Not so! I just found a recipe from David Lebovitz for The Easiest Chocolate Ice Cream Ever (no machine required). I can’t wait to test it out.

Pineapple Ginger Sherbet

2013-03-28 17:20:57

Take the sherbet out of the freezer about 20 minutes before serving to maximize its flavour. Makes about 5 cups

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Ingredients

1 fresh pineapple

2 bananas

1/2 cup coconut milk

One-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated (about 1 tablespoon)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 - 3 tablespoons extra-fine granulated sugar (also called caster sugar or berry sugar)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Peel, core and slice the pineapple into one-inch chunks.

Peel the banana and slice into one-inch chunks.

Place fruit on a baking sheet in a single layer then freeze for at least two hours.

Once the fruit is frozen, combine all ingredients in your food processor's work bowl and blend, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl if needed, until the texture is smooth and creamy. You're looking for a consistency similar to soft serve ice cream.

Pour the whipped sherbet into a metal pan or bowl and place in the freezer overnight.

Notes

The amount of sugar you'll need depends on the ripeness of your fruit. Start out with 2 tablespoons, blend the mixture until smooth, then give it a taste. If its not sweet enough, add another tablespoon and blend for another 30 seconds.

By Laura Leigh Goyer

An Uneducated Palate http://anuneducatedpalate.com/

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Smack DAB ~ Manteo Resort
3762 Lakeshore Drive
Kelowna, British Columbia
250.860.4488

“When you’ve got a proper hunger you can’t top a Triple Whopper^®.”

At least that’s what the folks at Burger King would like you to think. Who’s so famished that they need to stuff ¾ of a pound of beef into their mouths to satisfy their hunger, proper or otherwise? It borders on obscene.

Fast food has had an unhealthy reputation for some time, as has red meat, but did you know that the risk of dying prematurely rises with red meat consumption? In other words, the more red meat you eat (especially processed red meat), the more likely you are to die young. So what is it about red meat that makes it so potentially harmful? Well, along with the high saturated fat content which can contribute to heart disease, charring red meat at high temperatures can produce carcinogens on the surface – and carcinogens cause cancer. The good news is that you don’t have to give up red meat entirely to cut the risk; just eat less of it.

I signed up for Chef Antonio Cerullo’s cooking class, The New Carnivore, at Choices Market, hoping to learn more about how to enjoy red meat as part of a (mostly) healthy diet.

Chef Antonio Cerullo, Choices Markets

The first recipe Chef Antonio demonstrated was Beef Salmonato; a riff on the classic Italian dish Vitello Tonnato. Instead of searing or grilling the beef, he chose to safeguard against carcinogens by simmering it in stock. Once the meat had chilled, he sliced it very thin and topped it with a heart-healthy salmon sauce.

Chef Antonio told us that he focuses entirely on taste without worrying about presentation. I’ve never heard a chef say that before. *

 Next, he used some of the leftover stock to make a delicious soup.

The main course, Ginger and Tamari Marinated Rack of Lamb, highlighted several healthy cooking techniques. First, Chef Antonio marinated the racks of lamb overnight before he seared them over high heat. Studies have shown that the right marinade can reduce HCAs by as much as 96%. He also chose to load the marinade with powerful antioxidants - ginger, sesame oil, tamari soy sauce, lime juice, mint, and cilantro. These antioxidants help counteract any carbon that might form during cooking. Finally, he chose to cook with responsibly raised meat, Ovation Free Range New Zealand Lamb. For the healthiest option, look for terms like grass-fed-and-finished, certified organic, free range, certified humane, and natural on the package.

For dessert, Chef Antonio taught us how to make Bacon Rosemary Chocolate Fudge; a sweet and salty little slice of heaven. The crust is made from bacon, rice puffs and bacon fat. The top is a rosemary-scented ganache made with the standard 1:1 ratio of milk chocolate to whipping cream. The idea here is to use a small amount of intensely flavoured meat (like bacon, prosciutto, or pancetta) to deliver a huge hit of happiness.

The New Carnivores eat meat less often and in smaller portions, and are willing to spend more to get the best available. They also choose cooking methods that reduce carcinogens and deliver powerful antioxidants. Oh, and they don’t eat the sandwich Burger King describes as “the best threesome you’ve ever had”, the Triple Whopper^®, for lunch.

* I confess I was really surprised to hear Chef Antonio say that as long as a dish tastes great, presentation doesn’t matter. What do you think? Do you agree?

Bacon Rosemary Chocolate Fudge

2013-03-27 00:05:02

Serves 12

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Ingredients

250 g bacon (all-natural if possible)

1-1/2 cups rice puffs

1-1/2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons bacon fat

400 g milk chocolate

400 ml whipping cream

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (chopped)

Instructions

Cook bacon on medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the fat and place on a paper towel to cool. Reserve the bacon fat and keep warm (not hot).

Once bacon has fully cooled, place in a food processor and chop finely. Add in rice puffs and sugar and process on high until everything is well combined. Remove mixture from processor and place in a medium mixing bowl. Pour in the warm bacon fat and mix until well combined.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line six 3-inch or one 8-inch cake ring cake molds with parchment paper. Divide bacon mixture between the rings and press down evenly. Bake for 20 minutes then remove from oven.

Place the chocolate and rosemary in a double boiler. When chocolate is completely melted, add whipping cream and stir until well blended. Divide chocolate mixture between the rings and spread evenly. Set overnight in the fridge.

Notes

Enjoy this treat simply as is or serve it with a side of custard or vanilla ice cream.

By Courtesy of Chef Antonio Cerullo

An Uneducated Palate http://anuneducatedpalate.com/

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Choices Markets
1937 Harvey Avenue
Kelowna, British Columbia
Canada  V1Y 6G5

The New Carnivore
Date:  January 29, 2013
Cost:  $25.00 CDN
Style:  Demonstration, Dinner with Wine Pairing
Duration:  2 hours
Chef Instructor:  Antonio Cerullo

Highlights:  At only $25 per person, this class is a steal!  
Registration fee includes an informative cooking demo, recipes, 
generous portions of appetizer, soup, entrée, and dessert paired 
with three exquisite wines from Summerhill Pyramid Organic Winery.

Improvement Opportunities: Add tables to the room setup so that
students don't need to juggle their plate, drink, utensils, 
napkins, recipes, pen, purses, and in some instances, cameras all 
in their laps.

Last weekend, ten of Canada’s finest chefs competed in the 2013 Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna, B.C; a gruelling three-event competition that took place over two days. The judges selected gold, silver and bronze medal winners based on performances in all three events (each event having equal weight). Guests had the opportunity to taste the dishes presented at the Mystery Wine Pairing Event as well as the Grand Finale.

Here’s a look at the chefs’ signature dishes presented at the Gold Medal Plates Grand Finale.

Chef Östen Rice, Winnipeg ~ Gravlax – A Modern Japanese Approach: Beet Cured Butterfish, Miso Mustard Sauce, Fuji Apple and Golden Beet Slaw, Shiso Compressed Cucumber, Caper Berries and Taro Chip

Chef Darren Craddock, Saskatoon ~ Cannon of Lamb, Braised Lamb Shoulder, Truffle & Chanterelle Croquette, Celery Root Soubise, Green Pea & Mint Foam, Lamb Reduction

GOLD MEDAL WINNER Chef Marc St. Jacques, Toronto ~ Terrine of Fois Gras, White Soy Gelee, Black Sesame Financier, Roasted Lemon Curd

Chef Mark Filatow, Kelowna ~ Bar “M” Ranch Lamb, Charcoal Grilled Loin, Moroccan Braised Belly, “Neck” Merguez, Potato Doughnut

Chef Shaun Hussey, St. John’s ~ Potato Wrapped Salt Cod with Pressed Ham Hocks, Local Braising Greens, Smoked Apple Relish and Apple Cider Brown Butter

Chef Daren Bergeron, Montreal ~ Veal Tenderloin, White Tuna, Sweet & Sour Calamari with a Radish Broth

Chef Nathin Bye, Edmonton ~ Noble Tonic 01 Maple & Triple Smoked Bacon Panna Cotta, Sunny Side Up Quail Egg & Omega Egg Floss, Wild Chanterelle “Pop Tart” & Blackberry Grapefruit Bircher Muesli

SILVER MEDAL WINNER Chef Jamie Stunt ~ Pan Seared Tiraislin Farms Yak, Northern Divine Caviar, Pioppino Mushroom, Spiced Boar Vinaigrette, Herbs, Vinegar

Chef Eden Hrabec, Canmore ~ Brown Buttered Sweetbreads with Apricot Masala, Smashed Baby Potatoes, Wilted Spinach, Preserved Lemon & Chicken Skin Pappadom

photo credit Brian Hamilton

BRONZE MEDAL WINNER Chef Milton Rebello ~ Lamb and Goat Cheese Duo: Mustard and Pistachio Crusted Oven Roast Lamb, Green Pea and Mint Puree, Corn and Golden Heritage Potato Hash Cooked in Lamb Jus, Cherry Port Wine and Ginger Reduction; Goat Cheese Dusted with Beet Powder and Encased in Indian Inspired Vegetable and Spices, Paired with Pear Chutney and Lentil Tuile

Watching Canada’s top chefs work under intense pressure and tasting their innovative cuisine was very exciting, as was the opportunity to introduce so many new delicacies to my taste buds. It’s not everyday I get the opportunity to dine on yak, caviar, fois gras and sweetbreads – and I surprised myself by accurately predicting the gold medal winner! (I also picked the silver and bronze medal winners, but in the opposite order, choosing Milton Rebello to win silver instead of Jamie Stunt.) Maybe my palate is just a little more ‘educated’ than I’ve given it credit for.

The January/February issue of Cooking Light magazine includes a special section to Start Your Year Off Light! It’s filled with fresh ideas, easy recipes and tips for eating healthy without sacrificing taste. Their collection of chocolate treats under 100 calories is particularly drool-worthy (especially the Graham Cracker-Nutella Sandwiches) and although slightly less indulgent, their Chicken-Avocado Salad with bulgur is also a stand-out. I made my own version of it for lunch today, modifying it to fit my taste and cooking style. It was so satisfying, I wanted to share it with you.

Chicken and Bulgur Salad with Avocado, Tomato and Feta

2013-03-27 00:18:22

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Ingredients

1/2 cup bulgur

1/2 cup water

2 oz chicken breast (skinless, boneless)

2 + 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon orange juice (freshly squeezed)

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

1/2 avocado (chopped)

6 - 8 grape tomatoes (halved)

1 tablespoon feta cheese (crumbled)

1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)

kosher salt

black pepper

For the Bulgur

Combine bulgur, water and a pinch of kosher salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to a medium bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool.

For the Chicken

Heat 1/2 teaspoon olive oil in a small saute pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Transfer to board and rest for 5 minutes. Cut into bite-sized chunks.

For the Dressing

Combine 2 teaspoons olive oil, freshly squeezed orange juice, sherry vinegar, dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Check seasonings and adjust if needed.

For the Salad

Remove the chilled bulgur from the refrigerator and add the chicken, grape tomatoes, avocado and feta cheese to the bowl. Drizzle with dressing then toss lightly to coat.

Place a metal ring on a chilled plate. Spoon salad mixture into ring and press down gently with the back of a spoon. Gently remove the ring. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

By Laura Leigh Goyer

Adapted from Cooking Light's Start Your Year Off Light

Adapted from Cooking Light's Start Your Year Off Light

An Uneducated Palate http://anuneducatedpalate.com/

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EVENTS

Mystery Wine Pairing – February 8, 2013

On the evening before the first event, the chefs will be given identical bottles of a unlabeled mystery wine. They then have 24 hours to create a dish that pairs perfectly with it. They’ll have a $500 budget to source their ingredients locally and will be cooking for a sold-out crowd of 400.

The Black Box – February 9, 2013

In the most intense challenge of the competition, the chefs will be given a black box containing an array of ingredients. Once they’ve opened the box, they’ll have 10 minutes to strategize with their sous chefs before having to create two dishes, using the mystery ingredients in one or the other. Dishes must be produced and plated in one hour. For last year’s box the judges chose bakeapples, goose breasts, blue cheese, wild rice, steelhead trout, and parsley roots.

The Grand Finale – February 9, 2

In the last event, chefs will create their ultimate dish and pair it with a premier Canadian wine, spirit or beer. In a pre-competition Q&A, Cassandra Anderton of Good Life Vancouver asked the chefs what dish they will be cooking for the finale. While some remained elusive, most confirmed they’ll be reprising the dish that won them gold in their regional competitions.

photo courtesy of Ron Sombilon

COMPETING CHEFS

• Daren Bergeron – Fou d’lci, Montreal, Quebec. Favouring Japanese influenced combinations, Daren won gold at the Montreal regional competition with a plate featuring veal tenderloin and white albacore tuna. When asked what he’d be preparing for the finale, Daren said he wasn’t sure yet.

• Nathan Bye – Wildflower Grill Restaurant, Edmonton, Alberta. A two-time regional gold medalist, Nathan is a seasoned competitor with experience in both cuisine and pastry. He created “Breakfast for Dinner” to win the Edmonton GMP, a dish that centered around a panna cotta with bacon and pork pâté.

• Darren Craddock - Riverside Country Club, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Like his father, Darren received his culinary training in England. His duo of lamb loin and croquettes earned him the gold medal in Saskatoon. When asked what dish he’ll be preparing for the finale, Darren replied “that will remain a secret”.

• Mark Filatow – Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar, Kelowna, British Columbia. Mark is the local favourite and one of only a few chefs in Canada who is a member of the Sommelier Guild – an accomplishment that could give him an edge in the Mystery Wine Pairing event. His hometown advantage may also come into play when it comes to sourcing ingredients locally. Mark’s winning dish in Vancouver showcased lamb three ways. He has also chosen not to reveal what dish he’ll be preparing for the finale.

• Eden Hrabec – Crazyweed Kitchen, Canmore, Alberta. The only female chef in the finale, Eden won her regional competition cooking sweetbreads. Her mother also won the gold medal in Calgary a few years earlier.

• Shaun Hussey - Chinched Bistro, St. John’s, Newfoundland. Shaun’s winning dish at the St. John’s GMP embraced his twin passions – charcuterie and the food and culture of his native Newfoundland. The judges voted his salt cod with pressed ham hocks a gold medal winner.

• Milton Rebello - Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza, Regina, Saskatchewan. Milton was born in Mangalore, India. Like Chefs Craddock and Filatow, he also won his regional competition with lamb.

• Östen Rice – Wasabi Sabi, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Östen captured first place at the Winnipeg regionals with cured butterfish, a dish that illustrated his appreciation for Japanese cuisine and flare for artistic presentation.

• Marc St. Jacques - Auberge du Pommier, Toronto, Ontario. Belgium-born and trained in the United States, Marc is known for cooking French cuisine. He won his regional competition with a umami rich dish of fois gras, mushroom, pine nut and dashi.

• Jamie Stunt – Oz Kafe, Ottawa, Ontario. Jamie is the only chef competing in the finale who didn’t attend culinary school. He won the gold medal in Ottawa with an original plate featuring Tibetan yak, a first in the history of the Gold Medal Plates.

In his 2012 Culinary Report, head judge James Chatto pointed out a bit of trivia that could bode well for Kelowna Chef Mark Filatow; that “5 out of 6 Canadian Culinary Champions have a first name that begins with the letter M”.

Good Luck Chefs!

Chef Marc Filatow – photo courtesy of Ron Sombilon

Follow #CCC2013 for live tweets throughout the competition and a peak behind the scenes with @CulinaryWannaB.

Special thanks to Cassandra Anderton of Good Life Vancouver for her pre-competition Q&A posts, and to Head Judge James Chatto for his mouth-watering culinary reports from the regional Gold Medal Plates.

]]> http://anuneducatedpalate.com/2013/02/07/2013-canadian-culinary-championships-kickoff-in-kelowna/feed/ 5 http://anuneducatedpalate.com/2013/01/01/happy-new-year/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=happy-new-year http://anuneducatedpalate.com/2013/01/01/happy-new-year/#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2013 03:54:21 +0000 Laura Leigh Goyer http://anuneducatedpalate.com/?p=6062

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice.” – T.S. Eliot

Thank you to everyone for your support over the last year, and an extra big thank you to those who took the time to leave comments on posts that, for whatever reason, resonated with you. By asking questions, sharing your thoughts, and adding your own culinary experiences and wisdom, you’ve made this blog a better place, and I truly appreciate it.

As I look back over the last year, it doesn’t surprise me that the most popular posts were all from the JC100 celebration – a fifteen week campaign during which a group of bloggers cooked fifteen of Julia Child’s most celebrated recipes, sharing our stories, successes, failures, and photos along the way. Although that campaign concluded back in August, those posts continue to draw the most visitors to An Uneducated Palate, month after month. It delights me to no end that there are thousands of home cooks out there that just can’t get enough of Julia and her timeless recipes! So here they are – the top three posts of 2012:

1. The JC100: Fillets of Sole Meunière

2. The JC100: Leek and Potato Soup, Two Ways

3. The JC100: Coquilles St. Jacques A La Provençale

I wish you all a year ahead filled with good food, great friends, and plenty of cheer.

Happy New Year!

]]> http://anuneducatedpalate.com/2013/01/01/happy-new-year/feed/ 13 http://anuneducatedpalate.com/2012/12/12/kale-joy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kale-joy http://anuneducatedpalate.com/2012/12/12/kale-joy/#comments Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:20:12 +0000 Laura Leigh Goyer http://anuneducatedpalate.com/?p=5945 Today’s post is one of firsts – the first time I’ve reviewed a product, the first time I’ve held a sponsored giveaway, and the first time I’ve used kale and joy in the same sentence.

Freshly Wild Kale Joy is an all-natural, artisanal product made from fresh kale that’s been tossed with herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, and juices, then dehydrated to create a power-packed super food. Kale is one of the world’s healthiest foods and an excellent source of vitamins K, A, C and manganese. It’s also loaded with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cancer-preventive nutrients.

I had never tasted a commercially prepared kale product (artisanal or otherwise) before trying Kale Joy so the only thing I can compare it to are the kale chips I make at home using Tuscan* kale, olive oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper. (I like Tuscan kale because its flavour is slightly sweeter and more subtle than curly kale.) If you’ve never eaten kale chips before, you might be surprised by the transformation they undergo when roasted in a slow oven. The slightly bitter greens morph into delicate crisps, so fragile that if they aren’t handled with care, they can crumble between the fingers like singed parchment paper.

*Also known as Tuscan cabbage, Italian kale, Dinosaur kale, or Lacinato kale.

Very few commercially prepared foods will win a taste-test against homemade (only Heinz ketchup comes to mind) but since Kale Joy is a quality product made with only natural ingredients, I hoped it would be a close match. Here’s how it measured up:

Texture – Kale Joy has the same wonderful weightlessness as homemade but, in a retail product, that frailness can present some challenges. Even though the snacks are packaged in an award-winning resealable bag (complete with a desiccant to absorb moisture) many were in tiny pieces, and as with most packages of ‘chips’, there were quite a few crumbs at the bottom of the bag.

Convenience – With a ready-to-go-anywhere package, no cooking and no clean-up required, Kale Joy is the clear winner in the convenience category.

Flavour – When it comes to flavour, Kale Joy snacks are much bigger and bolder in flavour than the chips I make at home. They come in three different varieties:

• Original Recipe – a mix of kale, cashews, lemon juice, sesame seeds, apple juice, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, walnuts, and sea salt
• Must Eat Mesquite – a southwest inspired blend of kale, cashews, lemon juice, sesame seeds, apple juice, chia seeds, organic evaporated can juice syrup, chili powder, walnuts, mesquite, sea salt, and onion
• Jazzy Sweet Mustard – a sweet and tangy blend of kale, cashews, lemon juice, sesame seeds, organic evaporated cane juice syrup, apple juice, chia seeds, mustard powder, walnuts, sea salt and onion

The Winner – At the risk of sounding wishy-washy, they’re both winners. As a side with dinner, I prefer kale chips that are fresh from the oven. The clean, simple tastes of olive oil and sea salt complement most foods and the long, flat leaves look nicer on the plate. For a snack, I’d pick Kale Joy for its convenience and zippy flavours.

To find out more about Freshly Wild Kale Joy or find a store near you, visit them at Freshly Wild Super Foods.

Freshly Wild Super Foods and Fresh Ideas Group have offered to give away a delicious Kale Joy prize pack to one lucky reader.  To enter, just leave a comment on this post answering the following question:  have you ever eaten kale chips?

• The giveaway is open until Thursday, December 23, 2012 at midnight PST.
• The winner will be chosen randomly using the WP Plug-In ‘Pick Giveaway Winner’ and notified by email.
• The prize pack includes one 1.2 oz (32 g) bag Original Recipe, one 1.2 oz (32 g) bag Jazzy Sweet Mustard, and one 1.2 oz (32 g) bag Must Eat Mesquite. Approximate prize value $14.97 USD.
• U.S and Canadian residents only.

Good luck!

Disclaimer: I received one complimentary Kale Joy prize pack for review. I was not compensated for this post nor was I required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.  Product images are courtesy of Fresh Ideas Group.