Tomatoes, cilantro and green onion

So, using Bayless’ recipe as a mental map, Epicurious.com’s Lentil Salad with Tomato and Dill recipe as a visual guide, I created Lentil Salad with Tomato & Cilantro.

Finished Lentil Salad with Cilantro and Tomato

This is a very simple and healthy recipe to accompany all sorts of meals. I highly recommend sautéing chayote, a Mexican squash, to accompany it, and/or serving the salad on top of baby spinach. A number of other vegetables, especially ones that retain a crispness or solidity but don’t have an overpowering flavor, would go well with the salad too. And by all means, substitute (or combine) a preferred herb for the cilantro (parsley, dill, basil, etc).

In any case, without further ado, here is the recipe. With Epicurious’ proportions in mind, I aimed for 4-6 hearty side dish portions.

1.5 cups dry lentils (I used standard green lentils)
6 cups water (or broth of choice)
2 cloves garlic (chopped or crushed through a press)
3/4-1 pound tomatoes, diced (I used grape tomatoes)
Large bunch cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
5 large green onions, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Over high heat, bring water, lentils, garlic and salt to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, uncovered, until lentils are firm but tender, about 15 minutes.

While lentils are cooking, prepare and combine tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and green onion in a bowl. Add oil, vinegar pepper and salt, mixing well. Time saving tip: Combine in your serving dish. You can do this step a few hours ahead of time, simply cover ingredients and keep in the fridge.

When the lentils are finished, drain the water thoroughly and while still hot combine with the other ingredients. Mix well and taste; add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or room temperature. Garnish with additional cilantro or serve on a bed of spinach.

Dry green lentils waiting to be cooked

Bon appétit!

Although I haven’t become fatigued by our current lifestyle, we are not so absorbed in our travels that we haven’t thought about what will happen when our year abroad ends. We are thinking about things like where we might work, and where we will live in Toronto.

Today, however, these things seem quite trivial compared to where I will dine when I am back in Toronto.

You see after more than two years spent living on our own in Chicago, and unearthing so many of Chicago’s culinary and cultural delights, I have a certain, well, inclination towards what I have come to know so well.

Of course, having been born and raised in Toronto, there is plenty I know about what the city has to offer, but I feel a little embarrassed to admit I don’t know Toronto in its present-day form quite as well as I have come to know Chicago. As a result, I am a little nervous about what I will find there when I finally start doing some exploring. I already know the Italian food is excellent — I just need to knock on my grandparents’ or parents’ doors, or just about any other relative’s door for that sort of authentic and delectable nourishment. And there are certainly many Italian restaurants and cafés that will help when I want to venture away from home-cooked meals (it’s been hard for me, but I have come to see the benefits of paying someone else to make me an Italian meal).

I am especially nervous about the Mexcian food scene in Toronto. It is so wonderfully delicious and bountiful in Chicago, and so many authentic ingredients can be so easily had at local Mexican grocery stores. The articles are no longer available, but the Toronto Star ran several pieces outlining Toronto’s abysmal Mexican food options, and even going so far as to point out just what fine food can be had in Chicago, including that offered by our favourite chef, Rick Bayless. I should point out that at least two of the pieces talked about the opening of several new Mexican-themed restaurants, which seemed to hold promise, as well as where to find Mexican food in Toronto. A small consolation, though, when the Mexican population of Toronto is but a few thousand, while Chicago boasts hundreds of thousands of these fine folk — enough to keep up the demand for the real deal, whether fresh foods like poblanos or tomatillos, or the ubiqutous fresh corn tortilla (you can even visit the locations where these are made and shipped from in Chicago) or a restaurant meal, like chiles rellenos, horchata, or one of jft’s favourites, tacos al pastor.

I admit my outlook is rather poor, and even childish. Toronto is home, after all, and I have known it to be a great city — truly understood what a magical place it is — for many, many years. Seven months in Egypt in 2000/2001 helped me realize just what an amazing and successful experiment multicultural Toronto had become, and if anything, things have only gotten better and more colourful in subsequent years.

I will admit that my grumbling stomach is not making it easier to focus on what awaits for me in Toronto restaurants, in particular, since over the last few days I’ve been craving many of my favourite tastes of Toronto the Good that I usually get at home, like perogies and pasta e broccoli. But I will also concede to having a small hankering for things I can’t get at home like Toronto’s street meat albeit it in its veggie form.

As I caught up with the backlog in my inbox today, I came across some of the Toronto Life newsletter dispatches I started subscribing to a while ago, something I had done to begin to get back in the loop with Toronto happenings.

And much to my surprise and delight (but my stomach’s chagrin!) several short pieces rated some of the best to be found in Toronto (according to Toronto Life food critics, of course) of some of my favourite eats:

• Perogies
• Crepes
• Fancy Sunday brunch

Realizing I know many of the places listed in the best of lists I’ve linked to, I am feeling mentally satiated (my stomach growling seems to just be getting stronger and louder) already.

Oh Toronto, I was so foolish to doubt you! I am trying hard now to look past by current hunger pangs to recall I will be able to pick up several local publications — magazines and newspapers — as well as dozens of web sites. And in this printed matter and online places I will be able to examine what food critics and everyday citizens have to say about the Toronto food scene, whether rating a new, ambitious restaurant, or devining about a hole in the wall joint still going strong after several decades. And how could I forget all the delicious meals I’ve had in Toronto at places like Salad King, Ethiopian House, Commisso Brothers and dim sum in Mississauga, just to name a few?

And those best of lists I linked to above? Toronto Life has gone ahead and created a whole section they call “Quest,” all in search of some of the city’s best eats.

Toronto, I think I will be just fine when I explore you with fresh you new eyes and tastebuds. I have the south of India to finish savouring, and then I will unleash my gourmand tendencies in France for a while, then on to Chicago to get my fill of Mexican and Hot Doug’s, along with some ravioli making with jft’s dad, but I look forward to reaching your streetcar chiming streets again in the new year. I will be there soon, I’m just getting there one bite at a time.

UPDATE: I’ve added a new links section to the right called “we [heart] this city, too” featuring links about Toronto, much like our Chicago section just above it. I also added a link in our food section to Chatto’s Digest, the blog of Toronto Life food critic James Chatto. If you have any food, cultural or other interesting links about Toronto please send them way so I can build up our Toronto list.

That was one hot wok! This is why stir fries and other dishes made in a wok just aren’t as good when made at home in North America – they just can’t get hot enough! The BTUs of the gas stoves are too low, unless you get one special. But here, no problem! We boiled a big pot of water on the farm in 5 minutes or less. It would take at least 10 or 15 minutes on our new stove in Chicago – even on the “power burner.”

Anyhow, the real high heat gives the food what I call “wok breath.” I think I got that term from Ming Tsai. Anyhow, there is a flavor… an essence, as Emeril would say, that the super high heat provides that turns a good stir fry into an amazing one.

It’s funny, I’ve been wanting to post on a couple topics for a while now, but these last two I hadn’t been planning at all. I’ve got one or two other posts started and saved, waiting for the right inspiration to finish them properly. In the mean time, I’ve gotten many more photos uploaded to flickr – we’re up to 514 on the trip so far, I believe – so have a look if you’re interested. I’m sure you’ll be surprised to hear there are a lot of food photos.

Also, we take pictures of and write about things that we think are interesting or cool, but we also take note of things we think other people would find interesting. So if you’re sitting on the other end of this post thinking “it would be great to hear about …” or “i wonder what … is like?” let us know. We’re always happy to have something else to be on the lookout for.

As for an itinerary update, we’re in Chiang Mai now. This is part cool city and part tourist dump… like the Wisconsin Dells and Niagara Falls, there is genuine beauty that has been completely surrounded by tourist trap. But they sure do it different here! More on that in another post. The main city is surrounded by a moat, and most of the ancient wall that was inside the moat, and there are about a bazillion wats (temples), most of which look really beautiful.

In the next few days we plan to visit some of those wats, go to the zoo, up a nearby mountain, ride elephants and eat really, really well. On that point, I have just two words for you, which will have to be explained more fully in a future post: khao soi. It might not yet, but it should make your mouth water hearing those words.

It’s making me want to run right out of this internet cafe and down the street to get some khao soi… and that’s just about exactly* what we’re going to do!

*in this lifestyle of ours, we basically don’t run anywhere. not only is it not all that fun, it’s way too hot to run anywhere.

Anyhow, neither of us were too interested in doing much cooking, nor did we get overly enthused about pasta e broccoli, typically one of our favorites. rIAm suggested a simple broccoli in butter bread crumbs, a dish that takes about 10 minutes and 3 ingredients. I suggested sautéing the mushrooms with a bit of the wine left over in our fridge, and if we wanted something to go with all this we could heat up some leftovers.

rIAm agreed, neither of us were totally satisfied, but it sounded tasty enough. and rIAm issued this one edict: “I don’t feel like being creative tonight,” referring to the kitchen and also a general disinterest in doing much cooking.

So naturally, when I called on my way home I find out rIAm has come up with the briliant idea to make a quiche. A mushroom, broccoli and cheese quiche. Oh. My. God. It was unfreakingbelievably good. And there was enough broccoli to have some butter bread crumbs on the side!

Not creative?! Right. Don’t be creative every night.

Yes, finally, a post of the recipe that inspired our blog’s name! It’s also another “what we had for dinner tonight” post. Lately we’ve been enjoying this dish with shrimp; we get the bag of small salad shrimp from the Trader Joe’s freezer section and toss them in just before adding the pasta and broccoli to the pan. They add a great bite-sized delicious flavour!

For more photos of the cooking process, click here. Otherwise, enjoy the following receipe.

Pasta e Broccoli della Famiglia Mercuri

rIAm’s mother has made this recipe for as long as rIAm can remember. Using fresh and classic Italian ingredients, this dish can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. Quick preparation and delicious flavours keeps this recipe in regular rotation in both rIAm’s & jft’s, and rIAm’s family’s households.

1 pound (454 g) farfalle, or other pasta shape
1 head of broccoli, stem included
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 large cloves finely chopped or crushed garlic, or to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for serving
Salt to taste

Wash broccoli, peel stems and cut all into bite-size pieces. Steam broccoli until crisp-tender, or boil broccoli with pasta during last few minutes of pasta cooking so pasta absorbs broccoli flavour. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente preparation. When pasta is 5 minutes from ready, heat garlic and oil on medium-low in a pan large enough to hold all ingredients. As garlic begins to sizzle, add red pepper flakes and cook for one minute longer. Be sure not to burn garlic. Add broccoli, and toss to coat with oil. When pasta is done, drain well. Add to broccoli mix, and toss together over medium heat. Add cheese, salt, and more olive oil if desired, and toss well. Remove from heat and serve immediately, preferably in pasta bowls. Sprinkle with more cheese to taste. Serves 6.

Variations from rIAm & jft:
> Add in pre-cooked shrimp when adding broccoli.
> Substitute steamed cauliflower or other favourite greens (e.g. spinach, swiss chard, rapini).

Not that it’s a contest or anything, but the epod user in Seattle has two posts that inspired this one: here’s what we had for dinner tonight. Super tasty and delicious! (click the photo to get a description of the meal)

~Carrots, peeled, cut into thin sticks (to your liking, thinner = less cook time)
~Basil to taste (rough chop the fresh variety)
~Butter (be generous)

Enclose it all in an aluminum foil pouch and put it on the grill or in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the carrot is done to your liking. Then eat and enjoy. Couldn’t be easier, and it’s gosh darn good!

I tried this out tonight with about a pound of farmer’s market carrots, ~20 leaves (varying sizes) of fresh basil, a pinch of Renee’s new favorite food (kosher salt) and the smallest dash of dried tarragon. Plus of course a generous helping of unsalted butter (probably 2 tbsp).

But it would work a lot of different ways. So try something and let me know how it goes.