Pork Tenderloin Seared With a Mushroom Crust

I’m convinced that the prices of meat cuts have more to do with popularity rather than its true value. Chicken wings used to be given for almost nothing yet now cost almost $10 for a lb. of wings at the bar. How about flank steak? That used to be the cheap “every man’s steak” but […]
The Other Giouvarlakia

Greek cuisine has always been about simplicity, the dishes are not complex but rely on seasonal, fresh and seasonal ingredients. Many of Greece’s most popular dishes were born out of need and necessity – peasant dishes. More than ever, a return to more traditional ingredients is the mindshift in Greece – be it out of […]
Pan-Fried Cajun Rainbow Trout

For those familiar with Toronto, you might remember the Whistling Oyster. Although I’m not a fan of basement establishments, this once used to be innovative, had an open kitchen, one could sit at a table or eat casually at the bar. I’ve been told it has since closed but I hold dear memories of eating […]
Pork Belly & Quinces

File this one in your “Sunday Dinners” roster of recipes since most of us don’t have a few hours to spend after getting home from work and none of us likely want to eat dinner around 11PM. Sundays are made for relaxin’ and slow food rules! One of my favourite cuts of pork are used […]
Giouvetsi With Veal (Μοσχαράκι-γιουβέτσι)

Worth a second look: same recipe as when I first published this very popular Greek dish back in October 2007 with updated photos today, enjoy! This is another traditional Greek dish and it’s still often made in an earthenware pot, a kind of glazed terracotta vessel and baked in the oven. Like many Greek dishes, […]
Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup

This recipe combines some of my favourite flavours: earthy mushrooms and nutty, smoky wild rice which really isn’t a rice! Wild rice is the seed of an aquatic rice that’s been consumed by Native Indians. Here in Canada, wild rice is grown in shallow lakes in rivers in the provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and north-western […]
Patates Plaki

Some of you may be still salivating at the steak dish I posted just a couple of days ago but the side dish served with the meat is no slouch either and it’s one of family’s favourite during the cold months. Potatoes are big around here and when we agreed to cook-up some steaks for […]
Roast Pork Belly and Potatoes

It’s been awhile since I’ve shared a Sunday meal with you but I think the wait was well worth it. In this dish, pork belly makes a return and I pair it with roast potatoes, fresh herbs from my garden, olive oil, lemon juice, seasonings and good ole’ fashioned heat from your oven. The only […]
Lobster Stock

Lobster is a splurge and each and every time I eat it…it’s special, a delight to eat and I savour each morsel. I use almost everything in the lobster, save the gills (which get discarded). Lobster is not cheap and you may as well squeeze out as much value as you can from this expensive […]
Endless Summer Pork Cutlets

One of my favourite cuts from the pig is the pork butt. This cut is NOT from the rear but it’s connected to the shoulder. It’s got some marbling in the meat and I’ve made my pork souvlaki from this cut, Gyro, a similar pork steakette. Pork butt is the preferred cut when making pulled […]