Canada. The land Up North that has poutine, maple syrup, hockey, and an interesting sense of humor.
That’s not all that makes up Canadian cuisine, though. Follow over the fold for more…
This butternut squash soup is perfect for cold winters in Alberta, Ontario and other provinces. It would work just as well in the relatively mild winters of British Columbia, too.
- Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
- Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
Bannock is a popular food for hiking, and is also simple to make.
- Measure flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir to mix. Pour melted butter and water over flour mixture. Stir with fork to make a ball.
- Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface, and knead gently about 10 times. Pat into a flat circle 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
- Cook in a greased frying pan over medium heat, allowing about 15 minutes for each side. Use two lifters for easy turning. May also be baked on a greased baking sheet at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes.
Bannock Recipe
Salmon is a healthy food, and is very delicious (particularly when filleted). This recipe makes me want to have some salmon; I happen to be visiting Vancouver currently and I have been fortunate to have really, really fresh and delicious salmon. Yumm!
- All you have to do is brush olive oil, salt, and pepper onto your Salmon.
- The trick is, preheat your oven to 400F with your pan in the oven (use a cast iron skillet or a baking sheet).
- Once the oven is hot enough put your Salmon filets onto the piping hot sheet.
- This will brown the bottom and create a great crispy bottom onto your fish. After about 20-25 minutes, pull it out of the oven (make sure you get a nice brown edge on the entire fish as you see above).
- Plate and squeeze some fresh lemon or lime onto the fish and enjoy!
Oven Roasted Sockeye Salmon
To round off today’s breakfast, why not try a Nanaimo bar or maple taffy?
- For the first layer: In the top of a double boiler, combine butter, white sugar and cocoa powder. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Beat in the egg, stirring until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and almonds (if you like). Press into the bottom of an ungreased 8x8 inch pan.
- For the middle layer, cream together butter, heavy cream and custard powder until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the bottom layer in the pan. Chill to set.
- While the second layer is chilling, melt the semisweet chocolate and 2 teaspoons butter together in the microwave or over low heat. Spread over the chilled bars. Let the chocolate set before cutting into squares.
Nanaimo Bars III
- Pack a large bowl or baking dish full of clean, fresh snow. Smooth the top of the snow flat, and place it in the freezer to stay cold while you cook the taffy.
- Pour the maple syrup into a large saucepan, bring it to a boil, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until a candy thermometer reads between 235 and 245 F (112 to 118 C), or a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm ball.
- Pour about 2 tablespoons of syrup per piece over the snow in thin lines about 5 inches long. Let the syrup strips cool and become firm for 3 to 5 seconds. Pull the candy strips out of the snow, and then wind into a lollipop around the end of a wooden pop stick. Eat while still a little warm.
Maple Syrup Taffy
OK, OK, so you really want to know how to make poutine. Honestly speaking, I think you will find the best poutine in Montreal, but this comes pretty close!
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy skillet to 365°F (185°C).
- Warm gravy in saucepan or microwave.
- Place the fries into the hot oil, and cook until light brown, about 5 minutes.
- Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Place the fries on a serving platter, and sprinkle the cheese over them.
- Ladle gravy over the fries and cheese, and serve immediately.
Poor Man’s Canadian Poutine