Cioppino

This recipe is based on Rachael Ray's recipe, although I've adapted it slightly, and I prefer to serve it with pasta. It's quite spicy so if you like a milder dish go light on the crushed red pepper flakes!

• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small can of anchovies
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 dry bay leaf
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 32 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped (reserving some to garnish)
• 1 1/2 pounds cod (tilapia works well too), cut into bite-size chunks
• 2 x 1 lb bags frozen mixed seafood, thawed
• salt and pepper
• 
  
• In a large Le Creuset pot combine olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, anchovies, garlic, and bay leaf over medium heat. Break up the anchovies with a wooden spoon so that the fish dissolves into the olive oil. This gives the stew a great fishy base.
  Add the chopped celery and onion to the pot, and saute for a few minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the wine to the pot, and allow the sauce to reduce for a few minutes before adding the vegetable stock, tomatoes, thyme, oregano and parsley. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and then reduce heat to medium low.
  Lightly season the fish chunks with salt and pepper, and add them to the pot. Simmer the sauce for about five minutes, giving the pot a gentle swirl now and then. Add the thawed seafood and cover, and allow the stew to cook for about ten minutes, giving the pot an occasional swirl to prevent the stew from sticking.
  Serve the stew with pasta and garnish with chopped parsley.

South Beach Spinach Quiche

My sister-in-law Lori made this for us on a recent visit to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It's a delicious and jam-packed quiche-every spoonful is delightful!

1 lb cottage cheese

1 cup mozzarella

1/3 cup parmesan

10 oz frozen spinach

small jar of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1 tsp oregano

4 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together, and put into a greased Pyrex pie dish. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes, until it looks like it's set. This quiche is delicious served warm or at room temperature.

Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is adapted from the fabulous Ina Garten's recipe Mac and Cheese from her book "Family Style." As Gruyere is so expensive I often use quite a bit less and add some other cheeses such as feta to beef up the quantities, but the Gruyere definitely makes this recipe extra special!

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 lb elbow macaroni (or spirals)
• 4 cups milk
• 8 tbs unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup flour
• 12 oz Gruyere, grated (about 4 cups)
• 8 oz Cheddar, grated (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Add a few tablespoons of olive oil into a large saucepan of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

Heat the milk gently in a small saucepan and set aside. In a large saucepan melt 6 tablespoons of butter and then add the flour. Cook gently over low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. As you whisk, add the hot milk and cook for a few more minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Take the saucepan off the heat, add the grated cheeses and ground black pepper. Add the cooked pasta and stir well. Pour the mixture into a large Pyrex dish.

Melt the remaining butter and stir it into the fresh bread crumbs, then sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the macaroni and cheese mixture. Bake for about 30 minutes until the sauce is nice and bubbly and golden brown.

This is delicious served with a green salad and fresh tomatoes with fresh basil.

Toojay's, Stuart, Florida

On a recent visit to Florida we stopped at Toojay's for lunch. The signage was quite nondescript, and you could easily miss the restaurant, but fortunately we knew where we were going! Toojay's was absolutely mobbed at lunchtime, but it was well worth the fifteen minute wait. I tried the Ultimate Brisket Sandwich which was quite delicious. Toojay's has quite a few locations in Florida so definitely stop in to see if there's anything you fancy next time you see one!

2502 SE Federal Hwy
Stuart, FL 34994
(772) 287-6514q

Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup

Our friends in Vancouver, British Columbia made this soup for us when we visited them over Thanksgiving. It has a wonderful texture, and a delicious blend of sweet and savoury flavours. We made this soup for Christmas, and it was just perfect. The recipe is from the California Cling Peach Board.

1 can of pear halves in fruit juice
1 lb parsnips
1 carrot
1 small onion, cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves, peeled
4 cups of vegetable stock
1/2 tsp ground ginger
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 40 degrees F. Drain the pears, and reserve the juice. Peel the parsnips and carrots and cut into 1/2 inch strips, and place in a large Pyrex dish. Add the onion, and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for about 20-25 minutes.
Add the pears and garlic cloves to the dish, and roast for another 15 minutes or so.
Spoon the vegetables and pears to a large saucepan and blend using a stick blender. Add a little of the reserved pear juice, and before adding all of it, taste the soup for sweetness. Reheat, and serve with a little Greek yogurt and some tasty rustic bread and butter.