Today marks the first day of Passover, the Jewish holiday commemorating the freeing of the Jews from slavery. People all over the world will be reciting the Passover tale, cleansing their homes of hamaetz (products and foods deemed to be unsuitable for Passover) and swearing off leavened baked goods.

At one time, what to eat during Passover was the cause for quite a bit of worry, especially when it comes to baked goods. In A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking, Marcy Goldman has a whole chapter completely devoted to Passover baked goods. The general consensus here at the Whitecap office is that the best recipe in this chapter (and possible the entire book) is by far the Caramel Matzoh Crunch. Check out the recipe for this delicious treat below.

Another great option for Passover is quinoa. While it tends to look and taste like a grain, quinoa is actually more closely related to spinach or beets. Unfortunately, quinoa flour or flakes aren’t considered kosher for Passover, so stick to the seed form. For great quinoa recipes (including tonnes that are Passover-approved) check out Quinoa 365 by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming.

 

My Trademark, Most Requested, Absolutely Magnificent Caramel Matzoh Crunch

 

An outstanding, unique, and easy confection. If you make only one thing at Passover, make this.

 

4–6 unsalted matzohs

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or unsalted Passover margarine

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup coarsely chopped chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate

 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large (or two smaller) cookie sheet completely with foil. Cover the bottom of the sheet with baking parchment—on top of the foil. This is very important since the mixture becomes sticky during baking.

Line the bottom of the cookie sheet evenly with the matzohs, cutting extra pieces, as required, to fit any spaces.

In a 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter or margarine and the brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil (about 2 to 4 minutes). Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour over the matzoh, covering completely.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350°F. Bake for 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure the mixture is not burning (if it seems to be browning too quickly, remove the pan from the oven, lower the heat to 325°F, and replace the pan).

Remove from the oven and sprinkle immediately with the chopped chocolate or chips. Let stand for 5 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate over the matzoh. While still warm, break into squares or odd shapes. Chill, still in the pan, in the freezer until set.

This makes a good gift.

 

VARIATION: You can also use coarsely chopped white chocolate (or a combination of white and dark), and chopped or slivered toasted almonds (sprinkled on top as the chocolate sets). You can also omit the chocolate for a caramel-alone buttercrunch.

 

After a quick tally, only two members of the staff here at Whitecap are wearing green today: Grace Y, one of our star editors and myself. It appears as though the Irish spirit just isn’t present at Whitecap today.

However, Grace has more than made up for everyone else’s lack of enthusiasm with her nifty St. Patrick’s Day button.

 

If you’re having trouble getting into a St. Paddy’s Day mood, why not try this great recipe from Entertaining with Booze by Ryan Jennings and David Steele? Slainte!

Forest Mushroom and Irish Ale Soup
Perfect for warming the belly and the soul, this soup can nourish a family of 4 right through the cold, wet winter—or on a lovely spring day in March.

2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups (500 mL) sliced cremini or portobello mushrooms
2 cups (500 mL) sliced shiitake or porcini mushrooms
2 Tbsp (30 mL) brandy
1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
2 cups (500 mL) Irish ale, such as Kilkenny

Heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, gently tossing with the onion mixture to combine. Add the brandy, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and beer. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve with a garnish of fresh thyme leaves and soda bread, if desired.

NOTE: Dried porcini mushrooms may be substituted if fresh are unavailable. Add them directly to the soup, heating until softened.

Quinoa 365 Designers Setareh and Michelle

 

One of my favourite parts about working at a publishing house is when new books arrive. Everyone stops what they’re doing and marvels at months (sometimes years) of work packed into 208 pages.

Yesterday our first shipment of Quinoa 365 arrived in the office and we couldn’t be more excited! This book is the ultimate guide to cooking with quinoa and everyone at Whitecap is thrilled with how beautiful it came out.

This shipment also marked the first of our Spring 2010 titles to arrive. The season has officially begun! Check out what else we’ve got cooking up for Spring in our catalogue.

Here’s one of the delicious recipes from Quinoa 365: Pomegranate, Almond and Feta Salad. Best of all, it’s both gluten-free and vegetarian.

Pomegranate, Almond and Feta Salad
Great for entertaining, this eye-catching salad has an intense flavor combination of feta, toasted almonds and pomegranate. The addition of spinach and quinoa makes for a super wholesome dish. This looks fantastic when made with black quinoa, but use red or white if you prefer.
Serves 4 as a small meal or 6 as a side salad.

1/2 cup (125 mL) water
1/4 cup (60 mL) black quinoa
1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced almonds
4 cups (1 L) baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup (185 mL) crumbled light feta
1/4 cup (60 mL) sliced red onion
1 pomegranate, seeded
3 Tbsp (45 mL) red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
4 tsp (20 mL) honey
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the water and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread the almonds over a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5 to 7 minutes until they are fragrant and lightly browned.
Divide the spinach into 4 large or 6 small servings. Sprinkle the feta, onion, quinoa, pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds evenly over the salads.
Whisk the vinegar, oil, honey and Dijon in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salads and serve.

We here at Whitecap are proud to announce that Kitchen Scraps by Pierre A. Lamielle has been awarded Best Food Book Illustrations in the World at the 2009 Gourmand Awards in Paris, France!

In the Best Illustration category, Kitchen Scraps competed against 19 other cookbooks from 17 countries from around the world. The winner was announced at an awards ceremony on February 11, 2010. Pierre Lamielle, who wrote and illustrated Kitchen Scraps, was on hand to accept the award in Paris. “Edward Cointreau made me deliver the acceptance speech in French,” laments Lamielle, an adamant Anglophone who was raised in North Vancouver and now lives in Calgary.

Whitecap could not be more proud of Pierre Lamielle and Kitchen Scraps!

PierreGourmand

Last week Anthony Sedlak's new restaurant The Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe finally opened its doors! Anthony is the author of The Main and star of the hit show The Main on Food Network Canada.  Anthony, a North Vancouverite by birth, has been a rising star in the food industry and we at Whitecap wish him luck with his new restaurant!

Last night some of the Whitecapettes and I got to eat at The Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe and it was delicious!  I had the station 7 burger, while other members of our team tried out the crispy pig's ear, beef tartare, and skate wing! We just may have to make restaurant trips a weekly (or daily? let's go with daily) fixture of our workplace...

Here's a recipe from Anthony Sedlak's book The Main for those who can't make it to his new restaurant:

Grilled Lamb Loin with Spiced Pomegranate Glaze

1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
1 Tbsp whole allspice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
2 lamb loins, trimmed and cleaned
salt

In a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind black peppercorns, allspice, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, combine pomegranate molasses with spice mixture. Spread glaze over lamb, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat barbecue grill to medium-high. Season lamb with salt and grill on barbecue for 3-4 minutes. Flip meat and grill an additional 3-4 minutes, basting with additional leftover glaze. Remove meat from heat and let rest 3-5 minutes. Slice lamb against the grain.