What's In Season?

I was going to post a marinated and grilled tofu recipe today but I forgot it at home! I will try to get it up tomorrow - it's a really good one and Percy took a beautiful picture of the finished product. But, I think a "what's in season" email is overdue so I'll take this opportunity to write about that. I find this time of year very exciting with all the available fresh produce coming into season. And if you have the choice, please shop at farmers markets and support your local and provincial farmers!!!

I wrote in a post last year about my love for Vidalia onions, and guess what? They are back! When I was at Coop this past weekend I noticed a heaping basket full of them and threw a bunch into my cart. If you have never tried this sweet onion that is named after its birthplace in Georgia you are missing out. This onion is mild and sweet and can be eaten raw without offending any delicate taste buds (or noses!) As you can see from the picture above the Vidalia onion is rather squat compared the average yellow or white onion. So, next time you're at the market look for these onions and then go back to your kitchen and get creative! Think mild or fruity salsas and chutneys spiked with chunks of sweet onions, a Moroccan inspired salad of thin sweet onion slices with orange wedges, or brush them with a little olive oil and toss them on the grill in great big slices to serve alongside your steak.

Some other fantastic summer items to look for, listed with their availability in most Canadian markets, are:

Fruit

• Apricots (July to August)
• Avocados (April to August)
• Blueberries (July to September)
• Cantaloupe (July to September)
• Cherries (late June to early August - But! In Creston, BC you can get cherries up until labour day!! Just in case you're in the area)
• Honeydew (July to September)
• Peaches (mid-July to mid-September)
• Plums (mid-July to late September)
• Raspberries (July - some available until September)
• Rhubarb (early May to July)
• Strawberries (early June to mid/late July, and some available until September)

Vegetables

• Artichokes (spring, fall)
• Asparagus (April to Late June) - hurry!!
• Beans, green/yellow wax (July to late September)
• Beets (July to mid-October)
• Broccoli (July to late October)
• Cabbage (July to November)
• Carrots (July to late September)
• Green Onions (July to September)
• Lettuce, Boston (June to September)
• Lettuce, Iceberg (July to end of September)
• Lettuce, Romaine (June to end of September)
• Peas (mid-June to late July)
• Potatoes, new (July to September)
• Radishes (June to September)
• Spinach (June to October)
• Zucchini (July to late September)

Some of the items I listed you may have already seen available at markets. When produce appears early on the shelves I generally do not rush to buy them as they flavour I find is often lacking. Nothing is worse then buying the first strawberries or corn of the season only to find the strawberries are sour and the corn is far from sweet. Be patient and you will be rewarded!

If you have any questions about other fruits and veggies not in this list please post your questions or send me an email and I will be happy to help! Enjoy!

Wild Rice Risotto

A couple weeks ago we had some friends over for dinner who are from Bulgaria. When they invited us to their house for dinner Slavy made a very delicious and excitingly ethnic array of Bulgarian food for us to sample. When it was their turn to come over for dinner we really wanted to offer some dishes that had a Canadian twist and hopefully something they hadn't had the chance to try before.

I come from a lake town in Northwestern Ontario. There, along the shoreline in certain places, grows wild rice. Given this, I generally have a small store of it in my cupboard. Besides maple syrup, wild rice is very Canadian - and better yet it symbolizes "home" for me - so it was something special and personal I wanted to share with our new friends as they had been so generous when they invited us to their home. Wild rice has a great nutty flavour, is great with poultry and game, and luckily for us, I have the tastier "wild" version (rather than cultivated).

I served the wild rice risotto with a herbed roasted chicken and roasted vegetables - just the thing for a cold Canadian winter dinner! That oven always warms up the kitchen so nicely - as well as warming up my appetite!

So, here is my recipe, it's pretty simple to whip up and I can guarantee that you'll like it. I used a variety of mushrooms that I found at the supermarket - but if you have access to wild mushrooms, I think that would make this dish very special.

Wild Rice Risotto
Serves 6-8 as a side dish

• 900 ml chicken or vegetable broth (always opt for the low-sodium if you don't have homemade)
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 1 cup Arborio rice (you may use a short or medium-grained white rice if you can't find this)
• 3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small to medium sized onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms (I used brown button, portobello and cremini)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup freshly grated Asiago (you can use more or less depending on your preferences. Parmigiano-Reggiano would also be nice, but I adore Asiago and it's cheaper than fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• 2 Tbsp fresh, chopped parsley
• salt and pepper

In a medium-sized saucepan cover the wild rice with water by a good inch. You may use broth instead, just remember to buy extra, beyond the 900 ml called for in this recipe. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer over low heat for 45-50 minutes, or until some of the rice has "popped" and is slightly soft. It will still be slightly chewy - you do not want to cook it until it is all popped or else it will be watery and mushy. Drain.

Heat stock in a saucepan and keep it at a low simmer on the side - you will need the stock to be hot when you add it to the Arborio rice.

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions and mushrooms for a few minutes, or until the onions are soft, then add the garlic. Add the Arborio rice, stirring to coat with oil. Stirring often, let it cook for about 2 minutes or until you see a white spot in the middle of the grains of rice. Pour in the wine, letting it bubble away until the wine is absorbed.

Add a ladle full of broth with some of the wild rice and let it cook until it is absorbed, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't stick. Add another ladle full of broth with some wild rice and again let it absorb, again stirring to ensure it doesn’t stick. Repeat.

After about 20 minutes of cooking time taste the Arborio rice to see if it is al dente (tender, but still slightly firm to the bite). Add some salt and pepper. If it not yet al dente, continue cooking, stirring and adding broth until it is. General cooking time is between 25-35 minutes. If you run out of broth you may use hot water, but you need not use up all the hot broth if the rice is done. Just make sure you get all the wild rice in there!

Remove from heat and stir in the butter, cheese and parsely. Serve immediately and Enjoy!