Have a Safe and Happy Hallowe'en!!!!

Have Fun!!!

My daughter is the creative talent behind our pumpkin carving these days. When she was young she marveled at my pumpkin creations with gourds for eyes and ears. Like many things she has surpassed and outshone me for years !! Of course she is away at university this year..so this is last years creation. It is a guy crawling out of the pumpkin one foot and one hand first. Spooky!!!

For recipes such as Mud Bugs with Aioli, Slime Dip with Cumin, Tossed to the Winds Salad, The Devil's Black Martini and Eye of Newt Salad go to the side bar of this blog. Look under Favourites and click onto another section called More Than Burnt Toast. This was my original outlet on CD's Kitchen for organizing my recipes. On the side bar of that blog look under the section Hallowe'en and there are many different spook-tacular recipes for a crazy and fun Hallowe'en night!!

Baked Falafel Pitas with Feta Cheese Sauce

It is very hard to get back into the swing of things after our Couch Potato weekend at The Hills. I have been asked, "What does a Couch Potato weekend consist of?". Close your eyes and envision the stereotypical, lazy, overweight man ( I suppose it could be a woman as well, but that is not the stereotype) sitting on the couch in his underwear drinking beer. Now quickly erase this memory from your mind and envision 8 buff and fit ladies hiking on the cross-country ski trails through 20,000 acres of ranch land, horse back riding, canoeing, biking and enjoying down time with massages and spa treatments. A weekend at The Hills could be whatever you want it to be. I guess the premise of being a couch potato is to do as much as you want or as little as you want. The sky is the limit or not... They have so many wellness services ranging from yoga, pilates, aerobics, aquafit instruction, kineseology, reflexology and comprehensive lifestyle counselling. It is also a working ranch so there was horseback riding and line dancing mixed in with gourmet meals.

Thanks for the Memories Pumpkin Cheesecake

We have left The Hills behind and life continues as normal once again. Monday is always hard to get back into the swing of things for us all I'm sure..if you have a Monday to Friday job that is. Today will be extra hard after leaving the spa behind and being catered to hand and foot.

In honour of our weekend together I have reposted one of my favourite recipes for pumpkin cheesecake. I love the gingersnap crust and the caramel sauce. Somewhere around here I have a recipe for a pumpkin cheesecake with Praline Sauce that I will post as well. If it is not here it will be...I just have to locate it. We had Pumpkin Cheesecake as one of our desserts at The Hills. We also had dinner one evening at the 1821 Restaurant where I had Cornmeal Crusted Shrimp Skewers with Butternut Squash Risotto.

It always seems that I wait until the autumn and with it the cooler weather to prepare this delicious cheesecake. It is definitely a comfort food with its creamy and fulfilling textures. This is one of those recipes I am asked for often and have developed over the years, marrying different recipes and coming up with the solution I prefer.

Photo was taken at the Red Barn Fruit Stand in Enderby, British Columbia. Pumpkin season has arrived!


**Pumpkin Cheesecake**

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
3 T sugar
6 T butter, melted
*****
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin filling)
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tsp ground cinnamon
ground walnuts or pecan halves for decoration

******************

Preheat oven to 350F.
Place cookie crumbs, walnuts or pecans, and 3 T sugar in a food processor and pulse 3 - 4 times until combined; add butter and pulse 4 - 5 times, or until crumbly. Wrap the outside of a 10-inch spring form pan with aluminum foil, then press cookie mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Cool crust completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven heat to 325F.
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed 3 minutes, or until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar and the 3/4 cup granulated sugar, beating 4 minutes, or until blended. Add vanilla.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Remove and set aside 1 cup of batter.
Add pumpkin, whipping cream, and cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat on low speed of an electric mixer just until blended. Do not over beat. Pour batter over prepared crust. Dollop reserved batter in a circular fashion and draw a knife through to create a marbled effect.
Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until almost set (it will jiggle in the centre). Remove from oven; run a knife around edge of pan. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour with a large bowl inverted on top of cheesecake in pan to prevent cracking.
Chill 8 hours or overnight. Garnish with walnut or pecan halves and serve with caramel sauce.

**Caramel Sauce**

1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 T light corn syrup
1/2 cup whipping cream

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; add brown sugar and corn syrup, then cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Gradually add cream, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature.

Rustic Pork Roast with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, an Award and a Rambling

One more post before we head for the Great White North of British Columbia for our spa "Couch Potato Weekend" with my co-workers. It is always such a wonderful time to get to know each other on a more personal note...so relaxing as well! It is sad to say but I will miss my blogging in the mornings for the entire weekend. Some of you may relate to that because I really do enjoy my time on the computer in the morning!! Yes I do!!!

Filo Cluster Apple Tarts with Semifreddo for My Friends

Filo Cluster Apple Tarts with Semifreddo

WE'RE HEADING FOR THE HILLS!!!!

Each year our boss takes us to a health spa for a "Couch Potato Weekend". I have never met a potato I didn't like!The absolute best part, besides the 45 minute massage, reflexology, etc is that it is fully paid!!! We are headed there tomorrow as a matter of fact. The Hills is a guest ranch in 100 Mile House in British Columbia north of Cache Creek. We leave on Friday morning, stop for lunch in Kamloops and arrive sometime in the early afternoon. She has taken us there for the past 10 years. For the most part the staff has remained the same. The great thing is that you can do whatever you want to do once you are there. It is a ranch so they have the usual entrapments like horseback riding, hay rides and line dancing but it is also a fitness and health spa so they have power hikes, Pilate's, aqua size, nutritional seminars, etc. As well as all the spa treatments. Did I mention the 45 minute massage????? You can read a book, play pool ..it's totally up to you. It is a great way to bond with your fellow co-workers. This year we have a few new faces in our midst, so , it will be fun to get to know them a bit more and get a little insight over a few glasses of wine and Blueberry Teas.

Baba-less Perogies

When I lived in Calgary an enterprising young woman would hand deliver homemade perogies to my door. I would order several dozen at a time. Some with Cheddar cheese, some with cottage cheese and some with mushrooms. There is sometimes a discussion on whether perogies are Ukranian, Polish, Russian.??? The answer is that they are all of the above. They are vareneki, piroshki, pierogi, pyrizkhy...little dumplings filled commonly with potato and other fillings.

Meatloaf & Smashed Potatoes..The Ultimate Comfort Food

Here it is almost the end of October already. Shorter days, cooler nights. It has been a rainy fall here in the "Sunny Okanagan". Wink...wink...With these dreary days comes a multitude of comfort foods. Warm soups, Shepherd's Pie, Macaroni & Cheese, roasts of all shapes and sizes. This coming weekend we change our clocks back (I think). Then we will not be driving to and from work in the dark. It's time to sit by a cosy fire, enveloped in a warm blanket, engrossed in a good book (perhaps a cookbook) and enjoy the quiet evenings.

Meatloaf (at least in my opinion) has to be the ultimate comfort food! I served it up with some Smashed Potatoes and topped all with the tomato sauce. The Smashed Potatoes are a lighter version than the last recipe, but, equally as good. October 18th was National Meatloaf Day put on by Serious Eats. I missed the deadline but decided to post my meatloaf recipe anyway for all to enjoy...if you wish of course.

The photo is of my daughter when she about 6 at Algonquin Park in the province of Ontario. The leaves were just starting to turn.

**Meatloaf & Smashed Potatoes with Tomato Sauce**

Meatloaf

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup finely chopped white onion

1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper

1/2 cup grated carrot

1 lb ground round or sirloin, or ground turkey (93% lean or leaner)

1 can tomato sauce

1/2 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 large egg whites

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/3 cup chicken broth

vegetable oil cooking spray

Topping:

1-1/2 cups pasta sauce, heated

6 basil leaves

Smashed Potatoes

4 large baking potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed and cut into small pieces

1/2 cup skim milk

3 T light sour cream

3 T butter

1/2 tsp salt

dash black pepper

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 T fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

*********************
Preheat oven to 375F. Pour wine into a medium skillet and cook onion, pepper and carrot over low to medium heat for 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly, using hands. Spoon in vegetables and liquid from skillet. Shape mixture into a loaf approximately 5 inches wide and 10 inches long and 3 - 4 inches high. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray, then fill with mixture. Bake 1 hour, let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Top each slice with 1/4 cup warmed sauce and basil leaf.

Smashed Potatoes: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add potatoes and simmer 15 minutes or until they yield to soft pressure. Drain, then transfer to a swerving bowl. using a potato masher, combine remaining ingredients. Serve warm with meat loaf. The potatoes should be lumpy!!

Serves 6

Onion Cheese Pie for Presto Pasta Night

Onion Cheese Pie

When I lived in Calgary in the late 80's we would quite often go 4th Street Rose. At the time this was an up and coming and very popular restaurant in the south end. One of my favourite dishes there was a Spaghetti Pie they had on the menu. Years ago I found a recipe and tweaked it as best I could to try and replicate their dish. I haven't made this dish in years with all the health conscious choices I try to make in my "later" years. This dish eludes to butter and lots of cheese...or maybe I should say drips with butter and lots and lots of cheese. I was feeling a little nostalgic this week, so, while browsing through my old recipe cards I rediscovered an old favourite. It is a simple dish which I am offering up for Presto Pasta Nights over at Ruth's site Once Upon a Feast . She always has such a wonderful lineup up pasta dishes submitted by all you talented and innovative cooks out there. I love it's homey and simple but satisfying texture and flavour. If you love cheese...give it a try! It is a sort of quiche gone mad!

Spiced Chicken Skewers with Raita

Nicole over at For the Love of Food has a wonderful blogging event Taste and Create. I love this event because you are able to showcase someone else's talent. There are so many bloggers out there with creative and inspiring dishes. It is a novel idea to be able to shower someone else with praise. For this event you are paired with a fellow blogger and browse through their blog. From the wide variety of choices you choose a post, prepare the recipe, photograph your creation and blog about it. Nicole will put all the entries up at the end of this month. Have a peek!!

Sweet & Spicy Cashew Chicken

Sweet and Spicy Cashew Chicken

"Hump Day" has arrived. Yay!! Time to look forward to another weekend. Just a few more days....

Weekday meals usually consist of fast and easy dishes or dishes I prepared over the weekend to eat as leftovers for the week. This chicken dish fits the bill.

1) It is quick and easy
2) It tastes good!!
3) You will only get less cleanup if you grill something on the barbeque in aluminum foil.

I served it with a side of jasmine rice and supper was ready in less than half and hour from start to finish.

**Sweet and Spicy Cashew Chicken**

Sauce

1/2 cup tomato sauce

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup chicken broth

The Rest

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 whole (6 halves) boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1/4 cup oil

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

2 - 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

2 red peppers, cut in strips

1 small onion, sliced

2 carrots, thinly sliced on diagonal

2 cups snow peas

1-1/2 cups cashews

sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds

Combine sauce ingredients and set aside.

In a bowl, combine cornstarch, sugar and salt. Add chicken and toss.

Heat wok or frying pan to highest heat. Add oil. Heat to hot, not smoking. Add chicken, ginger, garlic and onion. Stir until chicken is opaque (about 1 minute). Add peppers and carrots. Stir 2 - 3 minutes. Add peas and sauce. Cook until sauce comes to a boil.

Add cashews and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serve immediately.

Serves 6

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

Kermode Bear of the North

Marie over at A Year From Oak Cottage and her story of the elusive white squirrel at her home in Kent brought to mind an elusive white bear here in Canada. The Kermode bear is an American black bear with white fir. Because they are rarely seen, they are also called Spirit or Ghost Bears. They can be found in northern British Columbia near Prince Rupert along the Skeena River. These bears are not the result of albinism, but of a unique recessive gene that produces white hair instead of black or brown. One of out every 10 bears is white. This remarkable population of black bears live in one of the most pristine areas of British Columbia. The area is an intact temperate rainforest. The white bears are protected from hunters but the habitat that supports their survival is in no way protected from logging.

For more about the Kermode Bear and their precarious link in the ecosystem click here

Harvey Wallbanger Cake...Hic....

Harvey Wallbanger Cupcakes

This recipe is dedicated to Deb over at Debs Key West Wine and Garden . This recipe brings back a lot of memories for us both. This is the very first drink Deb ever tried. For me it was a Screwdriver... so...we had a similar taste in cocktails and what might be taste-worthy back-in- the-day.

Lillian's Banana Crater Cake

Lillians' Banana Crater Cake

Today is my friend Lillian's birthday. In honour of her special day I have made her Crater Cake recipe. Her banana cake recipe has been my favourite way to use up all those "dead" bananas for years! My freezer has been accumulating little frozen banana torpedoes for months now...so this means war! Time to take action!

Caesar Salad with Herbed Portobello Mushrooms and the Royal Foodie Joust...Let the Games Begin!!!!!!!

Caesar Salad with Herbed Portobello Mushrooms

The talented and creative Jenn over at Leftover Queen is the host for the Royal Foodie Joust each month. Her kitchen is always filled with wonderful Mediterranean aromas and satisfying and comforting dishes. Last month the challenge was won by the kind and creative Brittany at The Pie Lady. The winner chooses 3 ingredients for the next challenge. This month the 3 ingredients Brittany has chosen are :

mushrooms, herbs and cheese

These are 3 ingredients that can be found anywhere in the world which makes participation much easier for all who are up for the challenge. These 3 ingredients are open to wide interpretation which made it a tough choice with all the possibilities. This recipe is for my vegetarian and non vegetarian friends alike. It can be served as a main dish or as a side. I decided upon:

**Caesar Salad with Herbed Portobello Mushrooms**

1 egg yolk, coddled (instructions come later)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

2 anchovies (or 1/2 tsp paste)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (the real stuff not the dried)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup safflower or olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried, torn into mouthsize pieces

4 bacon slices, cooked, drained and chopped into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup coarsely grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese (about 2 oz)

2 garlic cloves, flattened, peeled

3 large portobello mushrooms (about 3/4 lb), stems discarded, caps sliced crosswise into

3/8-inch thick strips bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Place the egg in its shell, in boiling water for 40 seconds. Remove, run under cold water for 15 seconds to stop the cooking process, then use as directed (This is a coddled egg!!!!)

To make dressing: Add salt and pepper to the salad bowl (This creates a sandpaper-like base that will make the next steps easier). Using the back of a soup spoon, grind the garlic against the wall of the bowl until it becomes a paste. Then add the anchovies and once again use the back of the spoon to grind it into a paste. Follow the same procedure adding the Dijon, egg yolk, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, 1 at a time. Make sure each ingredient is blended into a smooth paste with the previous ingredients before proceeding. Whisk in the oil and vinegar and blend well.

(If you don't have a rough wooden bowl, the dressing can be made (with some sacrifice) in a blender. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, anchovies, Dijon, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Puree. Then add oil and pulse a few times. Add the yolk and pulse a couple more times, just enough to blend it.)

For Mushrooms: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add flattened garlic to skillet and cook until brown. Discard garlic. Increase heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms and saute until brown about 4 minutes per side. Add thyme in last minute of cooking. Remove from heat. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.

To assemble: In large bowl place torn romaine lettuce, bacon and 1/2 of the cheese of choice. Add dressing; mix well. Top with mushrooms and remainder of cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a main dish and 6 as a side.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

The shortened work week has been going well so far. The new doctor has brought along with her new ideas and changes for the good. I will be getting a new computer at work with a flat screen, so, that is something to be thankful for!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Monday was spent cooking up a storm. I have been eating leftover goat cheese stuffed chicken and smashed potatoes since then. Life is good!!!!

Three Cheese Spinach Bake in Filo - WHB Anniversary

Three Cheese Spinach Bake in Filo

Weekend Herb Blogging has been in the forefront now for 2 years. Browsing through the archives Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen has received so many wonderful entries and recipes over the past 2 years since it's conception. Congratulations to her for a job well done!!! This has been an event that we have all thoroughly enjoyed for the past 2 years. It has been a thrill to read posts from around the world with all the exciting and creative dishes created by foodies out there in the blogosphere.

Goat Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts.. and a Foodie Event

Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts

The talented and creative Nicole over at For the Love of Food has come up with an event that I find challenging and exciting.

Taste and Create is a monthly event where:

You are paired with another foodie.

You visit their blog.

Make a dish of your choice from their mouthwatering posts.

Photograph it.

Blog about it!

Give a short review of your thoughts on the dish.

There are so many wonderful blogs out there!! Each day I am inspired by all the wonderful sites and professionalism of people with similar interests as myself. I appreciate all the encouragement and kind words on my own ramblings and recipes. I am always inspired to go one step further when creating a dish, to improve upon the aesthetics and flavour combinations of my own dishes. It's hard to keep up with "The Jones's" but I thrive on trying!! I love to accept the challenge to create something "outside the box" using ingredients I wouldn't normally pair together.

Ode to The Okanagan Wine Festival...

Today was a day that we have dreamed of for the past week....a sunny, warm and inviting fall day. The ladies and I attended a wine festival event on the last day of the 10 day festival . We chose an event at St. Hubertus Winery. The view was stunning...

We Give Thanks for Health, Happiness , Family and...Cinnamon Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie!!!.

Streusel Topped Pumpkin Pie

This weekend here in Canada is the Thanksgiving long weekend. It is a time to celebrate and get together with family and friends to give thanks. What you give thanks for is an individual thing.

I am thankful that my daughter is coming home from university for the weekend!!!Yay!!! She is bringing home some Australians who can't be with their families during the holiday long weekend. Our own family lives on the other side of the country, so, we have always created our own Thanksgiving traditions. Over the years I have given up spending days preparing a lavish meal of turkey and fixings to create a more simplified, relaxed and enjoyable meal.... OUT!! I know it's not the same, but this cook thoroughly enjoys this family tradition!!! Now don't get me wrong, I love to cook a juicy aromatic turkey and all the fixings, but, it is a lot of work for just a few people! At Christmas I spend days cooking up a storm!!!(there is that "C" word again before Hallowe'en. Will there be a plague of locusts or massive flooding....) In our household we do not hold Thanksgiving on the holiday Monday but on Sunday when the restaurants are open. Wink...wink...Monday I will go for a hike if weather permits and enjoy a beautiful fall day.

Cheddar English Muffin Loaves

Cheddar English Muffin Loaves

When I was in my early teens I sent away to the Fleischmann's Yeast Company for a small cookbook, or, really just a flyer I suppose, with bread recipes. Since that time my sister and I have been making this English Muffin Loaf periodically for all these years. My sister says it would not be Christmas without it. (Did I just say the "C' word...even before Hallowe'en???) We think it is delicious toasted for breakfast.

Walnut-Crusted Cod with Parsnip Sauce & W.H.B.

I hold a special place for Sylvia Jurys and her cooking school Wine & Thyme here on my blog . Her cooking school on Lake Okanagan turns out some of the most wonderful dishes. This is truly my favourite way to cook cod from now on.

When I participated in her French class I just had to go home and make this recipe for my friends that very weekend. When preparing the parsnip sauce you cut out the sometimes bitter inner core. It creates a lot of waste, but it is well worth the effort. Also, use a stick or emulsion blender for the best results. When I made this at my friends house for our get together we used a regular blender. It was a little time consuming but also worked well. . The key is to get very, very creamy parsnips for the dish. The marriage of flavours and combination of textures in this dish are to die for!!!!

In keeping with my cooking with wine theme I have going for the 10 days of the wine festival here in the valley.... I am presenting this dish. There is no wine in the preparation (what you say?) but I will have a glass of wine on the side... plus the fact that the recipe is from Sylvia over at "Wine & Thyme" cooking school.

I am also entering for my first time the Weekend Herb Blogging challenge created by the encouraging and talented Kalyn over at Kalyn's Kitchen and hosted this week by Haalo over at Cooks Almost Anything This dish features PARSLEY.

Parsley is not only the worlds most popular herb but is also a wonderfully nutritious and healing food that is often under-appreciated. It derives it's name from the Greek word meaning "rock celery". Most people do not realize that this vegetable has more uses than just being a decorative garnish on your plate. I remember going to restaurants when I was young and my mom teaching me to eat the parsley garnish. She said it would freshen my breath. Perhaps that is true?

Parsley is a storehouse of nutrients and has a delicious and vibrant flavour. A sprig of parsley can provide volatile oils such as Myristicin that have been shown to be a "chemoprotective" food and a food that can help neutralize particular carcinogens (such as benzopyrenes that are part of cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke).

The flavanoid luteolin is a powerful antioxidant that prevents damage to the cells. Parsley is also an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. So, the moral of the story is to keep eating those parsley garnishes!!!

The ancient Greeks felt that parsley was sacred, not only using it to adorn winning athletes in their games and contests , but , also for decorating the tombs of their loved ones. It started to be a part of the culinary cuisine sometime in the Middle Ages in Europe.

This cod dish is delicious with its parsley, walnut and breradcrumb coating. The light at my friends place in the evening does not do the dish justice but believe me when I tell you it also makes a great presentation as well as being flavourful and healthy.


Great food, great friends....a sip or two of wine in honor of the Wine Festival....what more could you ask for!

*******************************

**Morue enrobee de noix avec aux panais (Walnut Crusted Cod with Parsnip Sauce**

8 slices of white bread, crusts removed
4 oz Italian parsley, roughly chopped
2 tsp thyme leaves
16 walnut halves, chopped
6 T olive oil
8 x 6 oz/175 g cod fillets, skinned
butter for greasing


For The Parsnip sauce:

8 parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise
knob of butter
500 ml Homogenized milk (for best results)
squeeze of lemon juice

****************************************

Cut the bread into cubes, then place in a food processor, blitz until beginning to crumble. Add the parsley and thyme until the crumbs are reasonably fine and a rich green colour.Season with salt and pepper and add the chopped walnuts. Quickly blitz again to crush the walnuts slightly. Remove the mixture to a bowl. Add the olive oil a little at a time to moisten the texture ( the mixture should not be wet and sloppy).
Season the cod fillets with salt and white pepper, then cover the flat side (the skinned side) with the crumb mixture. Place the cod fillets on a baking sheet. These can now be chilled until needed.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:

Cut the core from the quartered parsnips. Cut each piece into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Melt the knob of butter in a saucepan and add the parsnips. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring from time to time, and not allowing the parsnips to colour, until just beginning to soften. Add the milk and simmer for 15 minutes, until the pieces are completely cooked through. Season with salt and white pepper. Liquidize the parsnips to a puree. (we used a stick blender). A squeeze of lemon juice can now be added to enliven the flavour, taste and adjust the seasonings accordingly. Keep aside ready to reheat.

TO FINISH THE FISH: Preheat the oven to 400F and the grill to HOT. Place the cod fillets under the broiling grill, not too close to the heat, for a few minutes until the topping reaches a light golden edge( the walnuts will appear toasted). Transfer to a preheated oven and bake for 8 - 10 minutes until the fish looks opaque. Do not overcook - the fish should feel soft to the touch.

To Plate: Put a large spoonful of the warmed parsnip puree on the plate. Tap the bottom of the plate under the puree to smooth out. Place a piece of fish on the puree. Serve with roasted potatoes, or wild rice, green beans and carrots.


Bon Appetit!!

Serves 8