Chicken South Indian Style from Bal Arneson for Our Canadian Chef Series

Chicken South Indian Style

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know that a while ago I started a feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do.

There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are "up and coming". Some are not even chefs at all, but just Canadians who are passionate about what they do!!For the past year I have been featuring one of our Canadian chefs or personalities periodically and will continue to do so. As the seventeenth installment in my Canadian Chef Series I introduce you to:

Bal Arneson

Sweet Memories of Heirloom Tomato Pasta Bake with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Heirloom Tomato Pasta Bake with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Here it is the Labour Day long weekend. The kidlets are coming for a few days from Vancouver and I am in cooking mode. In the meantime, if you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know that a while ago I started a feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are "up and coming". Some are not even chefs at all, but just Canadians who are passionate about what they do!!For the past year I have been featuring one of our Canadian chefs periodically and will continue to do so. As the sixteenth installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Anthony Sedlak

Canadian Chef Cooks up a Slice of Spring with Salmon, Asparagus and Watercress Salad

Salmon, Asparagus and Watercress Salad

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I started a bi-weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs in 2009. This year I continue on this journey to bring you all that Canada has to offer in the renowned culinary world!!! Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will continue to feature one of our Canadian chefs. There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are "up and coming". Some are not even chefs at all, but just Canadians who are passionate about what they do!! It's time to beef up the action and present the fourteenth installment in my Canadian Chef series. I introduce you to:

Next in Our Canadian Chef Series Lynn Crawford Cooks up Lemon Honey Pistachio Chicken with Turkish Apricot Rice Pilaf

Lemon Honey Pistachio Chicken with Turkish Apricot Rice Pilaf

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I started a bi-weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs in 2009. This year I will continue on this journey full force to bring you all that Canada has to offer!!! Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will continue to feature one of our Canadian chefs when time allows. There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are "up and coming". Some are not even chefs at all, but just Canadians who are passionate about what they do!! As the thirteenth installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Canadian Chef Josée di Stasio and a Recipe for Pasta with Tuna & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Pasta with Tuna and Sun-dried Tomatoes

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs a few months back. Other commitments slowed my progress down, but now we are back in full force to bring you all that Canada has to offer!!! Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will continue to feature one of our Canadian chefs each week. There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are up and coming. As the eleventh installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Canadian Chef Ned Bell's Bulgur Wheat Stuffed Peppers

Canadian Chef Ned Bells Bulgur Wheat Stuffed Peppers

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs a few months ago. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will continue to feature one of our Canadian chefs each week. There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are up and coming. As the tenth installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Ricardo Larivee Speaks to Me With Falafels

Falafels withTarator bi Tahini Sauce

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are up and coming. As the ninth installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Chuck Hughes Makes Potato "Risotto" and Sausage on His Day Off

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are up and coming. As the eighth installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Chuck Hughes

Chuck Hughes is new on the Food Network scene this year hailing from Montreal in the province of Quebec. He may be new to his TV audience but he is well known and respected in the culinary world in Montreal. A love for food has always driven his passion. When he was 8 he insisted on being enrolled in a cooking class.

Like many of us it was clear he was crazy about the kitchen and all things "foodie" from an early age, but, he has taken it to the next step . This is made even clearer by his tattoos of lobsters, pomegranates, lemon meringue pie, bacon and even arugula. This suggests that maybe, just maybe, this guy REALLY loves his craft!!!

He started his career in something other than the culinary arts... in advertising... but quickly learned that he needed to turn his "affair with food into a full time relationship". He attended the prestigious culinary school at the Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec. While he was still in school, Chuck melded his passion for food with his love of rock 'n'roll by catering for the traveling punk rockers on the Vans Warped Tour. Years later, he ended up cooking for his favorite rock bands during the Coachella Music Festival, in the legendary Frank Sinatra Twin Palms mansion in Palm Desert Valley, California. Upon graduation he quickly started working in some of Montreal's hottest kitchens and hasn't looked back since.

The premise of his show Chuck's Day Off on the Food network is the question,

"What does the owner and chef of one the city's hottest restaurants get up to on his only day off?"

If you're Chuck Hughes, you cook!!! In every episode Chuck prepares good, honest food for his family, friends or staff while juggling the rock 'n' roll reality of running his own restaurant. In 2006, Chuck and his two best friends opened their restaurant, Garde-Manger in the heart of Old Montreal. His mom Francine makes all of the desserts as well. Chuck's playground is described as "a vintage crab-shack cum underground club" where he has full reign to put his magical spin on comfort food, and indulge his fantasy of creating decadent meals served up to his favorite rocking soundtracks. The name of the restaurant comes from his first job in a professional kitchen as a ''garde-manger,'' or pantry chef. The garde-manger's duties focus on salads, soups, cold food items, and dessert platings.

A little known fact is that he regularly competes in oyster shucking competitions and once shucked over 1000 oysters for a fundraiser.

Many of his recipes such as Potato Risotto with Pan-Grilled Lamb Sausages highlighted on these pages, Home Smoked Salmon with Green Salad and Apple Vinaigrette ,Snow Crab Bloody Caesar ,Stove-Top Clambake or Flambeed Pineapple Creme Brulee can be found on the Food Network site.

I chose to prepare his Potato "Risotto" and grill up some sausages. Something about potato risotto just made me curious enough to give it a try. This is the most amazing dish I have prepared in my kitchen in a long time, and not just because potatoes are a passion of mine. I sauteed the mushrooms in the same pan as the lamb sausages so that the potato risotto would adopt their garlic flavours as well. All of Chuck's dishes are innovative and creative. Risotto of course is made with rice, but I will give Chuck license to call this risotto even if there is not a grain of rice within 100 yards of this dish, because it is prepared in the method in which risotto has been timelessly prepared. Sorry I had no leftovers.......

A year ago today I made..... Healthy Herbed Cream Fettuccine .

** Potato "Risotto" with Pan-Grilled Lamb Sausages**

6 large fresh lamb sausages
Water for boiling
1 T canola oil
A handful of fresh rosemary sprigs

Potato "Risotto"

6 – 8 large fresh mushrooms (like King Eringi or Shitake), sliced thinly
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced finely
A few good pinches of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, diced in ½ inch cubes
3 – 4 cups stock (chicken, vegetable, mushroom or water)
1 cup loosely packed, freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
A couple of good nubs of butter
A handful of baby arugula or baby spinach, for garnish

**********************
Pan-Grilled Lamb Sausage: Parboil the sausages for about 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water. Drain. Place large pan on med-high heat. Coat bottom of pan lightly with canola oil.
Tear off rosemary needles roughly and toss into pan.

Add sausages and pan-grill till browned on all sides, turning as needed. By the time the sausages are ready, the risotto will be ready.

Potato Risotto: Wash and dice potatoes into small cubes. No need to peel. Put potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water. Add a sprinkle of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn heat down and simmer about 5 min till al dente. Drain.

Heat oil in heavy, medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add minced shallots, drained potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and one ladleful of stock. Cook stirring, until the stock is almost absorbed.

In a separate pan (or as I chose to do, in the same pan as the sausages), sauté mushrooms in a bit of olive oil and toss gently till they’re beginning to brown.

Continue to add your stock to potato mixture, one ladleful at a time.(Unlike the traditional risotto, the stock can be warm or cold, it won’t matter) until potato is tender and creamy on the outside, about 5 -10 minutes. (Test it. If it’s too soft, you won’t need to add any more liquid. If it’s still got a bite in the middle, you can add a bit more stock)

Add mushrooms, and cheese, stir. Add butter and continue stirring, adding a bit more stock if needed. Begin to ‘press down’ into the risotto with your spoonula so that some of the potatoes get mushed which will help to build that ‘creamy’ texture.

Finally, add a handful of washed baby greens (arugula or baby spinach) and stir till just wilted.
Taste for seasoning. Adjust if needed.

TO SERVE: Make a nice mound on plate, top with a single large juicy lamb sausage, and serve warm.

Serves 6 as an appetizer, 3 as a meal.

Still speaking of food Lisa Orgler generously agreed to create an art piece from one of YOUR food photographs and donate it to be auctioned for Art Auction with a Twist over at BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine . Her love for food, art and journaling have brought her to blogging to combine all of her loves and driven her to create art from food creations. On her blog Lunchbox Project Lisa reaches out to fellow bloggers to create a masterpiece from your own photography. Thank you to all who submitted a recipe and a photo of your dish for this event.

And the winner is.........drum roll please...... Hummus and Roasted Pepper Sandwich by Hopie of Hopie's Kitchen!!!! Congratulations Hopie on the immortalization of your dish!!!

When completed the final artwork piece that Lisa has so generously donated to BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine will be displayed on the site for silent auction with the proceeds to the School Meals program. Stay tuned!!!!

Eat Shrink & Be Merry with Dilly Whoppers and Potato Salad

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. As the seventh installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Janet and Greta Podleski

The television series Eat, Shrink and be Merry comes to our airwaves courtesy of Janet and Greta Podleski, the wacky, pun-loving creators of the extremely successful recipe books Looneyspoons, Crazy Plates and Now Eat, Shrink and be Merry. In each episode of the television show Eat, Shrink and Be Merry, the sisters visit a chef famous for their classic dish and attempt to recreate a healthier version. The two sisters energy and friendliness come across to make this a popular television show with foodies.

Janet lives in Ottawa, Ontario and Greta in Waterloo. Janet is older, by 11 months, and the nutritionist of the two. Greta is the cook. Theoretically they are not in the category of Canadian chefs but they are certainly in the category of Canadian success stories!!

A decade ago Janet and Greta Podleski gave up their successful "day jobs" and dreamed up a project based on a line of healthy and hilarious cookbooks. According to their web site, "Greta, having just moved into her sister's basement, had been treating Janet to a daily dose of her culinary skills, spoiling her sis with hearty suppers that were gobbled right up. And to Janet's surprise, the meals, which were anything but rabbit food, were not only filling and delicious, but also healthy, nutritious and capable of shrinking the waistline. These recipes, thought Janet, needed to be shared with hungry mouths beyond just their own."

Looneyspoons: Low-Fat Food Made Fun, the pair's first cookbook, was not easy to convince publishers of it's marketabilty. After 14-months of cooking, researching and writing the cookbook was rejected time and time again and their manuscript returned.

"It was kind of like the Kevin Costner Field of Dreams movie when he hears that voice, 'If you build it, they will come,'" says Greta. "We just knew we had to keep going no matter what obstacles we faced."

The sisters teamed up with David Chilton to form their own publishing company and get Looneyspoons on the shelves. The rest, which includes selling roughly 850,000 copies of the book to date in Canada, as well as the publication of Crazy Plates: Low-Fat Food So Good, You'll Swear It's Bad For You! and the newer Eat, Shrink & Be Merry, is healthy-eating history.

In 2002, Janet studied at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition to become a registered nutritionist, and with her brain bursting with all the latest on nutrition, came to realize a lot had changed since Looneyspoons was first introduced to the public. A focus on low-fat had since been replaced with an awareness of good and bad fats and carbs, and such areas as weight loss, metabolism, cholesterol and heart disease had experienced drastic advancements.

Shocklate Cheesecake with Brownie Crust, Smackaroni and Cheese, and The Better Butter Chicken and many, many more .....

To highlight their recipes I chose their version of a salmon burger. We chose to serve it naked and "bun-less but it would be equally delicious served in the bun with the homemade, light tartar sauce. On the site I also found a recipe for a potato salad that suited our needs yesterday as well. They added bacon and made this into a hot potato salad, which I am sure is delicious. L'il Burnt Toast and I opted to add fresh garden peas at the end of the steaming cycle of the potatoes, omit the bacon and add finely diced red onion in the end with the carrots to serve a room temperature potato salad rather than a warm one. Both versions are exceptional.

It is so much fun to cook with L'il Burnt Toast and we needed to keep our menu light considering what we had for dessert....but that is another post for another day!!!

**Dilly Whoppers**

1-1/2 lbs (680 g) boneless, skinless salmon fillet, cut into chunks
1 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (see tip below)
1/2 cup crumbled light feta cheese (2 oz)
1/4 cup finely minced shallots or red onions
1 T honey mustard
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 egg
1 T minced fresh dill
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place salmon chunks in a food processor. Pulse on and off until salmon is chopped into very small pieces. (If you don’t have a food processor, use a very sharp knife and mince the salmon by hand.) Transfer salmon to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well using your hands.

Form mixture into 6 patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Place patties on a large plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Chilling will help the patties hold their shape while cooking.)

Spray a large, non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook for about 4 minutes per side, until salmon is cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the patties, and be gentle when flipping them so they don’t fall apart. If you don’t have a high-quality (unscratched!) non-stick pan, you might want to cook the patties in a tablespoon or two of olive oil.

If desired, serve patties on small, whole wheat hamburger buns with sliced tomatoes, lettuce, and honey mustard, or top them with a spoon of low-fat tartar sauce (see recipe below) and serve with a salad.

Makes 6 servings

Note: Fresh bread crumbs are simple to make. Just break up a slice of bread (preferably whole wheat) into several smaller pieces and place in a food processor or mini chopper. Pulse on and off a few times to create fluffy soft crumbs. An average slice of bread will make about 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs. Dry, store-bought bread crumbs are more compact (and drier, of course!), so if a recipe calls for fresh crumbs and you’d rather use dry, cut the amount in half.

To make low-fat tartar sauce for this and other yummy fish dishes, mix together 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise, 1 T minced fresh dill, 1 T sweet pickle relish, and 2 tsp each prepared horseradish and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Refrigerate until ready to use.

**The Greater Tater Salad**

3 lbs (1.36 kg) mini thin-skinned white potatoes
4 slices reduced-salt bacon, chopped small (omit if you like)
1 cup diced yellow onions
1 tsp minced garlic
2/3 cup finely diced carrots
2/3 cup finely diced celery

Dressing

1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp salt

Add last:
1 tbsp minced fresh dill (or parsley)
2 green onions, finely chopped (with white parts)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Wash potatoes (don’t peel) and slice into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange in steamer basket and steam for about 15 minutes or until tender. Let cool to room temperature.

While potatoes are steaming, whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside until ready to use.

Cook chopped bacon slowly in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until it just begins to crisp. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are tender. Add carrots and celery. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 3 more minutes. Pour warm bacon and vegetables over potatoes in a large bowl. Pour dressing over potatoes and toss gently to coat. Add dill, green onions and black pepper and mix again.

May be served immediately but tastes best when left to stand for an hour or two for potatoes to absorb dressing.

Makes about 10 cups salad.

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.

Canadian Chef Rob Rainford Serves up Grilled Pesto Peppers & Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breasts

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. As the sixth installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Rob Rainford

Robert Rainford is a Canadian chef and host of Licence to Grill on Food Network Canada, Discovery Home in the U.S. and Asian Food Channel across Asia. The format of the show involves Rainford hosting a get-together at his home for one reason or another, and preparing meals on his grills for the occasion. The different "occasions" provide the impetus for the food choices, and allow Rainford the opportunity to demonstrate different grilling techniques.

He was born in Jamaica and came to Canada at the tender of age of 3, the youngest of 5 children with a twin brother who is a few minutes older. He says, "His interest in food began with my mother and grandmother. They were both amazing cooks. My mom had 5 children and loved to cook. She taught me no only the importance of good food, but also that the kitchen was the heart of the home. Dinner time was family time." and there's a whole amazing barbecue tradition there. As for Canada, I guess after being buried under snow for six months we all just want to get outdoors and party."

According to his website throughout high school, Robert concentrated on playing basketball with dreams of becoming a pro player. In 1994 Robert enrolled in culinary school at George Brown College and after completing his formal training, began his professional career at the Kensington Kitchen, then onto Accolade/Crown Plaza. In 1999 he left Accolade and went to Senses to work with Chef Ned Bell. Together they made magic and Robert honed his talent at turning fresh seasonal ingredients into mouthwatering dishes. Today Robert is a teacher and chef instructor at the renowned George Brown College Continuing Education Program and continues to entertain his frequent guest with delicious and creative barbecued meals.

He has combined his love for food and talent as a chef with the casual nature of cooking at home for three children. Grilling has become his favourite way to prepare quick, flavourful, healthy meals. Rob has a philosophy when it comes to the barbecue: "It’s pretty simple. Just start with the freshest ingredients you can find and then you’ve got two choices: long slow cooking over low indirect heat or red hot and smokin’ for fast grilling. If you cook low and slow then you can use all sorts of rubs and smoking agents to infuse the food with a depth of flavour you just can't get out of an oven. As for high heat grilling, your barbecue puts out way more heat than your stove top so you can get that wonderful charring and searing, just like in a restaurant."

Check out his new web site the Rainford Method here to learn how to make "those beautiful char marks". Even though he’s seen on television around the world on “Licence To Grill” and has cooked in some of the finest establishments, he feels that as a chef he’s “always on a perpetual learning curve”, and is humbled by the talent around him. An instructor at George Brown College, a motivational speaker and a world class Chef, Chef Robert L Rainford is beginning to hit his stride and is very thankful for the opportunity to continually uncover the mystery that is food.

He takes the barbecue to new levels with recipes on his show such as Rotisserie Prime Rib with Roast Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Grilled Brie with Port Soaked Cranberries, Caribbean Style Chicken with Peanut Brown Sugar Spice Rub or Chicago Pizza Burgers.

This time around I tried these recipes below starting with a delicious grilled pepper with pesto and boccocini and a stuffed grilled chicken breast. These were the perfect way to end Mother's Day. L'il Burnt Toast invited me for a breakfast of homemade waffles, then we were invited for a personal tour of a local winery, then back to my place for a barbecue. All in all it was a perfect day:D

**Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breasts**

4 large, whole, boneless, skin on chicken breasts (each 10oz) (each 280g)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (60ml)
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano (60ml)
1 cup goat cheese crumbled (250ml)
1 tsp chopped lemon zest (5ml)
1 T pure maple syrup (15ml)
2 T toasted pine nuts (30ml)
1 whole head roasted garlic (see note*)
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Garlic

1 head of garlic
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper (2.5ml)
1 teaspoon olive oil (5ml)

*******************
In a bowl add crumbled goat cheese, basil, smashed roasted garlic, oregano, zest, syrup, pine nuts and pepper. Mix together until evenly combined.

Wash and pat the chicken breasts dry and then cut a pocket lengthwise in each. Stuff the mixture into the pocket. Not too much. Secure the opening with toothpicks. Coat the chicken with oil.

Oil the grill well. Place chicken skin side down and allow to cook for approximately 7 minutes or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip chicken and continue to cook the other side for 7 minutes. Remove from grill. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with onion marmalade

Roasted Garlic

Preheat barbecue for 300ºF/150ºC keeping one side off to prepare for indirect cooking.
Cut the top of a head of garlic. Poke holes on the exposed flesh of the garlic using the tines of a fork. Place the garlic onto a sheet of foil, drizzle with oil and cracked pepper and top with a sprig of thyme. Fold in sides of the foil and make a package ready for the grill.

Place the garlic on the side of the grill with no heat under it. Close lid and allow to cook for 30 minutes or until soft. Remove from grill allow to cool.

**Grilled Pesto Peppers**

4 red peppers
2 large garlic cloves cut into thin slivers
4 T olive oil (60ml)
3 T pesto (45ml)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 balls of Boccocini cheese, sliced
******************************
Cut peppers in half lengthways. Scrape out and discard the cores and seeds. Drizzle olive oil, season with salt and pepper and add a few slivers of garlic into the cavity of each pepper.

Preheat the grill to 375°F/200°C or medium high heat.

Place the peppers on the grill, cavity side up, until charred (approximately 3 minutes). Add a spoonful of pesto into each of the peppers and slices of Boccocini cheese. Continue to cook peppers until cheese is melted (approximately 3 minutes).

Christine Cushing Lamb Souvlaki

Lamb Souvlaki

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. As the fifth installment in my Canadian Chef series I will introduce you to:

David Rocco Makes Pasta anto te!!!

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. As the fourth installment in my Canadian Chef series I will introduce you to:

David Rocco

To use David Rocco's own words, "He is not a chef, he is Italian!" He is one of Canada's favourite TV hosts and lets face it he is also very easy on the eyes!!!

David Rocco credits his love for cooking simple and delicious foods to his Italian heritage. Born in Toronto, to Neapolitan parents who immigrated to Canada in the '50's, the 36-year-old Canadian-Italian is the youngest of three children. He says, "His lifelong appreciation for good food was formed in his mother's kitchen when he was a little boy and it continues to inspire him today". As is the custom in Italy, mealtimes were always special in the Rocco household.

During his school years, David took up acting and modeling which allowed him to travel worldwide while earning his degree in economics. But after graduation, it was the kitchen, not the business word of Bay Street in Toronto, that called him. He and his wife Nina opened up their restaurant “La Madonnina” in Toronto. After 2 years or running their successful business, the couple decided to change course, and merge their mutual passion for cooking and all things Italian with David’s natural abilities in front of the camera. They formed their production company, Rockhead Entertainment. David and his wife Nina, were given the chance to present Avventura: Journeys in Italian Cuisine, a 26-episode travel and Italian cooking show, which aired in Canada. It was a hit and he branched off with his first cookbook. The show is currently syndicated in 40 countries in 6 different languages.

The Roccos wanted to continue to share their love and passion for food and life that reflected their own personal style, so, they created “David Rocco’s Dolce Vita” and pitched it to the Food Network. They oversee every single aspect of the show from planning to editing to final delivery to the networks. David Rocco’s Dolce Vita” is a unique show. According to his web site, "It provides the viewer with accessible and delicious classic Italian food, focusing on fresh and seasonal ingredients and techniques that any home chef can master, along with a taste of the Italian lifestyle." The show is now seen in 120 countries and counting! The show is shot in Florence, Sicily and the Amalfi Coast. David and his wife Nina divide their time between their homes in Florence, Italy and Toronto, Canada. They are the proud parents of twins Emma and Giorgia born in 2008.

David is also personally responsible for picking all of the music on the show. The music is a mix which reflects his own eclectic tastes to specially written themes played under the cooking segments to original songs written by musicians who loved the spirit of the show and wanted to contribute. The music has struck a major chord. As a result, Rockhead Entertainment released their first soundtrack which is available in stores.

Fans have been waiting for his latest cookbook!! Eagerly anticipated, this book is full of everything that makes the TV show such a favourite such as beautiful food photography throughout Italy, and, of course, David's sense of la dolce vita, the sweet life. According to Amazon, "His cookbook is all about taking a relaxed, enjoyable approach to the everyday, and the foundation of this lifestyle is simple, elegant food. David's easygoing style embraces straightforward ingredients and techniques to create wonderful dishes anyone can enjoy without stress. He emphasizes the philosophy of quanto basta, or "just enough," and encourages readers to suit their own tastes. Try some of David's wonderful fizzi, simple but sophisticated snacks: Fiori de zucca (zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies) or Frico (parmigiano chips). Delight in Spaghetti con pomodorini e pecorino (spaghetti with cherry tomato sauce and pecorino cheese), delicious Beef carpaccio (easier than you think!), or meltin- your-mouth Gnudi ("naked" ravioli)."

I wanted to share a pasta dish with you from his web site. This pasta dish requires using several methods I have not come across before and with the addition of the rosewater it has a distinctive flavour that is really quite delicious.....I think SPRING IS HERE!!!!!!!!!

**Pasta anto te**

1 cup parmigiano cheese, finely grated (228g), plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup milk (117ml)
1 T unsalted butter (14g)
0.8 lb fresh tagliolini pasta (362g)
4 T extra virgin olive oil (59ml)
2 T rosewater (44ml)
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped (114g)
0.2 lb fresh sheep­s milk ricotta cheese (100g)
a sprinkle of saffron
a bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt to taste

********
To make the sauce, first make a parmigiano cream­ by combining parmigiano cheese, milk and butter in a stainless steel bowl.

Rest bowl over pot of simmering water. Stir until creamy and uniform and set aside.
Cook the tagliolini in a pot of boiling salted water. Stir to prevent from sticking together.
While the pasta is cooking (fresh pasta takes very little time to cook), place olive oil and rosewater in a saucepan over low heat.

Add pistachios, ricotta and saffron. Mix thoroughly.

Drain the pasta approximately 2 minutes before the al dente­ stage, reserving some of the pasta water.

Add pasta and the reserved pasta water to the saucepan. Mix well. Then add parmigiano cream, salt and stir thoroughly.

Sprinkle with parmigiano cheese and parsley.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Anna Olson's Orange Olive Oil Cake

Anna Olson's Orange Olive Oil Cake

I am sure you have all made something at one time or another that is a keeper. Something that you know you will make time and time again, something that is special enough to make for company, something that your friends ask for the recipe? This cake from Anna Olson is one of those things. I took a few pieces to work and now I will be making this cake once a month because a co-worker wants me to make him THIS cake and pay me for it. I am happy to oblige because I am happiest when I am creating in the kitchen...although it doesn't usually involve sugar and flour.

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. As the third installment in my Canadian Chef series I will introduce you to:

Carlo Rota and The Great Canadian Food Show....

Lamb Toutiere

Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. As the second installment to my Canadian Chef series I will introduce you to Carlo Rota. Many of you will know him as an actor, a host, and for his clever sense of humour, but most of all Carlo Rota is an outgoing individual who appreciates culture, great food, and above all loves putting on a performance!!!

Laura Calder's Nicoise Salad

Laura Calders Nicoise Salad

Starting this week I will be featuring some of our more famous Canadian chefs each week. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of them. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. Laura Calder is a chef who was featured on this blog not that long ago with More Than Burnt Toasts' 2 Year Giveaway. TS of Eating Club Vancouver chose Laura Calder's new book "French Taste" as her prize.

Prince Edward Island Smoked Salmon Pasta

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I started a bi-weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs a few months back. Other commitments slowed my progress down, but now we are back in full force to bring you all that Canada has to offer!!! Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will continue to feature one of our Canadian chefs bi-weekly. There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are up and coming. Some are not even chefs at all, but just Canadians who are passionate about what they do!!As the twelfth installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Michael Smith