Throwback Thursday: Deep-fried Mars Bars and SuperEx Memories

For people of a certain age, a bittersweet reminder that summer was ending was the start of SuperEX. Officially known as the Central Canada Exhibition, the EX brought exhibits and amusement park rides to Lansdowne Park every August from 1888 until 2010, pausing only during World War 2. The EX offered a lot for the people of Ottawa to see and do, whether it was seeing their first farm animals at the Cattle Castle (the Aberdeen Pavilion's old nickname); seeing the CJOH six o'clock news team broadcast live; or seeing their favorite musical acts on the stage they set up on the football field for a run of concerts. My memories of the SuperEx include the time my mom won a giant Papa Smurf stuffed doll at a ring toss game; running throughout the Midway with my boys during our adolescence; and the carnival food I tried on a double date on what turned out to be the EX's last year. I had heard that the deep-fried Mars bar, a dessert created in Scotland, would be available, and the buzz about it was good, as people were raving about it. I was skeptical about how a chocolate bar would hold up to being dunked in hot oil, and I was surprised at how well the shell-like batter crust held everything together, insulating the chocolate bar from coming into direct contact with the hot oil, and allowing the caramel and nougat inside to get all warm and gooey. I enjoyed it as much as my friend did his bison burger, but he definitely had the healthier choice. I now rely on the Capital Fair for my son to build his own summer memories of going to the fair, and the recipe below to create this decadent dessert. It's great on its own or served with a bowl of ice cream.

Ingredients:

12-15 snack size Mars bars (or whatever your favourite chocolate bar is)
1 egg
700 mL canola or other light oil for frying
180 mL milk
170 g flour
30 g sugar
10 g baking powder
2.5 g teaspoon salt
powdered sugar (optional)

1. Heat the canola oil to 190°C. While the oil is heating up, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. 
2. In another bowl, whisk the milk and egg together and add the mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is smooth.
3. Working in batches of 3-4 at a time, dip the chocolate bars in the batter and carefully place them in the hot oil. Cook until lightly browned and then flip and brown the other side, 3-4 minutes in total. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining bars. Dust very lightly with powdered sugar if desired.

Microwave Oven Hacks

Everyone has access to a microwave oven in a kitchen, but are you using it in the best way possible? Thanks to this handy guide from the good people at PartSelect, you can maximize your use of this time-saving appliance, whether you're reheating a beverage, or cooking a meal.

What’s in Season: Tomato-Bacon Jam With Onions and Garlic

You don't have to love fruits and vegetables to take advantage of the local farmer's market. Do it to support local business and farmers; do it if reducing your carbon footprint is a concern to you, or do it to try a new recipe using produce you can certain of its freshness and quality. This month's featured ingredient is everyone's favourite culinary vegetable, the tomato. Originating in Central and South America, tomatoes can be eaten may ways, including raw, as an ingredient in many dishes, sauces, salads, and drinks. This month's recipe makes excellent use of the tomato's natural umami flavour, and can be used on grilled cheese, crackers, or anything you would put ketchup on (as long as it's not a well-done steak).

Ingredients:

230 g thick-cut bacon, chopped
15 g brown sugar
2.5 g freshly ground black pepper
1.25 g teaspoon crushed red pepper
120 mL fresh ripe diced tomatoes
120 mL pure maple syrup
60 mL balsamic vinegar
30 mL Dijon mustard
15 mL Worcestershire sauce
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf

1. Cook the bacon over medium heat for about 5 minutes until browned. Add the onions and garlic and cook them until they are translucent and softened, stirring everything for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess bacon grease from the pan.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 1 hour uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened to a jam-like consistency. Discard bay leaf afterwards.
3. Transfer everything to a blender and pulse to combine, leaving some chunks. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Satisfy Your Jerk Chicken Fix

When you get a craving for jerk chicken, it needs to be satisfied immediately. It becomes not just a food you want, but the only food you want. To answer that need for sweet, savoury, spicy meat, I have two go-to spots in Ottawa: Bananas in the east; and The Caribbean Cruiser representing the westside. As spoiled as I am with these choices, I rely on a version of the recipe found in one of my favourite cookbooks for the days I don't want to go out in public to eat; it may take a while to complete this dish, but it is worth it. It definitely puts to shame the "jerk" roast chicken offering currently being sold at a local supermarket; your craving deserves better than that.

Ingredients:

20 whole allspice berries
10 sprigs thyme
5 whole cloves
3 star anise pods
2 habaneros, seeds and ribs removed, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped
1 bottle cola
juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime
1 whole nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
1 5 cm piece ginger
1.4 kg chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
170 g packed brown sugar
15 g kosher salt
15 g browning seasoning, optional (look for it in the "international" section of your supermarket)
canola oil

1.  Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and cover them with kosher salt. Pour cola in the bowl until the chicken is covered, stirring to dissolve the salt. Place the entire bowl into the refrigerator, covering it with plastic wrap for 12-24 hours.
2.  Combine and grind until fine the nutmeg, allspice, star anise, cinnamon stick, and cloves using a blender (a spice grinder or mortar and pestle can also be used). Place the ground-up spices in a small pan over low heat to toast, moving them constantly for about 2 minutes. When the spices are nice and fragrant, pour them into a blender.
3.  Cut the ginger root in half lengthwise, with the skin still on. Char the root until the skin is blackened (on the grill, under the broiler, in the toaster oven - you figure it out), then roughly chop it, and add it to the spices in the blender, along with the brown sugar, the citrus juices, the peppers, the garlic, the browning seasoning (if using), the thyme, and the salt, and blend on high until everything is smooth.
4.  Take the chicken from the fridge, and place the chicken in a large resealable bag. Add the marinade, seal the bag, and allow the meat to get covered. Put the bag in the fridge and allow the thighs to marinate for at least 8 hours or up to two days.
5.  Get your grill ready for medium-high heat. Grease the grates or your grill pan with the canola oil, and place the thighs, skin down onto the grill over direct heat or in the pan. Cook for about ten minutes, or until the skin releases itself from the cooking surface. Flip the thighs over, and cook for another ten minutes, or until the juices run clear, or you get a reading of 74°C from a meat thermometer.

"Chop Chop" - Review of a Cooking Magazine for Kids

Even though the school year has ended, it doesn't mean kids can't learn over the summer holidays more about cooking and the food they eat. "Chop Chop" is a food magazine for the "chickaDee/Owl magazine set that focuses on nutrition and easy to make recipes, along with games and puzzles, food facts, and interviews with celebrities, and both child and professional chefs. Published quarterly, it is both critically acclaimed and trendy enough for young elementary school foodies (few recipients of the James Beard Foundation Award for Publication of the Year have recipes for avocado toast AND a recipe featured in "Bon Appétit" (yes, this basic children's recipe was featured in an adult cooking magazine as a thing)). If you're looking for a cool addition to a child's summer reading list, check to see if your local public library carries it.

What’s in Season: Teriyaki Steak and Berries

You don't have to love fruits and vegetables to take advantage of the local farmer's market. Do it to support local business and farmers; do it if reducing your carbon footprint is a concern to you; or do it to try a new recipe using produce you can certain of its freshness and quality. Inspired by a recent trip with my son's class to Proulx Sugar Bush and Berry Farm,  this month's featured ingredient is the strawberry.  A member of the rose family, strawberries are a great source of vitamin C, fibre, and potassium, and are best when picked ripe. Though usually made into preserves and desserts, strawberries can be found in salads during the summer, as a great way to highlight the burst of colour and flavour that can add to foods. If you're looking for a light summer dish, you can't go wrong with the recipe below.

Ingredients:

4 cups torn spinach leaves
4 cups torn romaine leaves
3 cups halved strawberries
2 cups sliced white button mushrooms
375 g top sirloin grilling steak, about 1 cm thick
45 mL seasoned rice vinegar (4% acidity)
45 mL canola oil
25 mL teriyaki sauce
20 g toasted sesame seeds
10 mL finely minced gingerroot
10 mL honey
2 green onions, diagonally sliced
fresh ground black pepper

1. In small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the rice vinegar, canola oil, teriyaki sauce, ginger, honey and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle both sides of steak with pepper to taste. Place on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill for about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare or until desired doneness. Remove to a cutting board and let the meat stand for 5 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain.
3. In large bowl, combine the spinach, romaine, strawberries, mushrooms and green onions. Set aside about 25 mL of dressing, and toss the salad with the remaining dressing. Arrange the salad on either a platter or on salad plates; top with the beef, and drizzle everything with the reserved dressing and a sprinkling of the sesame seeds.

A Night at the Urban Element

One of my birthday presents this year was a hands-on cooking lesson at the Urban Element, an open concept kitchen and communal dining area located in Hintonburg. The original plan was for me to take the Knife Skills class they offered, but it was sold out so my wife enrolled me in "Springtime in Latin America" instead. It dawned on me as I made my way there that this was the first time I've been in a classroom learning to cook since I was in Home Ec. class at Alta Vista P.S. Luckily I'm a lot more interested in food than I was in elementary school, so I was excited to see how the evening progressed.

Once there, I was greeted by the host, Rachel, and led to the area where the lesson was to be held. I liked the wood, brick, and stainless steel throughout the cooking area; it was hard to believe the building was once a firehouse. Settling into an available spot, I saw it was a full house, about 16 in total. It was a good mix of people, everyone from hardcore foodies to a family of four, to newbies like myself. As we all introduced ourselves, I learned I was one of two guys there whose wives thought they could use a culinary skills update - are they subtly trying to tell us something? We were then introduced to our instructors, Devin, UE's Executive Chef, and his sous-chef Tessa. Listening to the two of them, you could see that they were passionate about food and cooking. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and I was excited to jump into the lesson until I heard the number of dishes we had to prepare. Tortilla soup; gulf shrimp and sea bass ceviche with 'leche de tigre'; Argentinian beef empanadas; tacos with crispy chicken thighs topped with Mexican mole sauce; tres leche cake with dolce buttercream and Malbec meringue - that's a lot for one guy to do in three hours. However, I was relieved to learn that we were to separate into teams, and head to different stations around the cooking area to prepare the different parts of the meal. With all the prep work done beforehand, and Devin and Tessa helping finish anything if time becomes a factor, I felt more confident we would finish our goals.

Hearing Aarón Sánchez talk about mole sauce on "Chopped" for so long, I immediately made my way to that station. After introducing myself to the two people already there, we all started chopping up and mixing the ingredients. The recipe needed a charred shallot, so I grabbed some tongs and charred it with the flame from a hotplate instead of using the cast-iron skillet we had access to. My partners gave me some funny looks when I did that, but they were not concerned enough to complain about it. There was a complaint though about the amount of jalapeño needed for the sauce. Having to adjust spicy food to sensitive palates sucks. I don't want or need an insanity pepper level of heat in my food, but I do want enough to know that it's there. In order to maintain harmony with the team, we erred on the side of caution. Once the sauce was bubbling, we started on frying the chicken thighs for the tacos. Because I was standing the closest to the deep fryer, I ended up cooking most of the chicken thighs; hindsight being 20/20, I should have moved to a different station to learn how to cook something new. Fortunately, that opportunity came when I was put on tortilla making duty. As I rolled and shaped the dough, I noticed that as spacious as the cooking area was, it filled up pretty quick with everyone buzzing around working. With all different components being made, and the calls of "Behind you" as people passed from one spot to another, I realized this is the closest I'll ever get to cooking on a line (stop snickering actual line cooks - I know what I did in the class is nothing compared to what you do every day). If only food culture was as big back in the day as it is today, maybe working in a kitchen would have been a reality instead of a dream...

Once the majority of the cooking was completed, we were asked to return to our seats while Devin and Tessa plated everything. We got to sample some wine while we chatted among ourselves; I would have preferred a cerveza, but I made due with what they poured in my glass.  Finally, it was time to eat. We started with the soup, it was silky and peppery all at once. I got what was said at the start of the course about the layering of flavour, and the fried corn tortillas sprinkled on top added a nice crunch to the dish.

Next was the ceviche, and it blew me away. Light, refreshing, tasty, I now get why Action Bronson raves about the stuff. Like the tortillas in the soup, I was loving the fried plantains that topped the dish, so much so, I plan to add more crunchy texture to the foods I make. I may not make the version that was made that night, but I will make the ceviche recipe found in my favourite cookbook at some point this summer.

The next plate was the empanadas, and though my first bite was just a mouthful of the baked pocket, once I got to the filling inside, I liked what I was eating. I'm not big on raisins or olives but mixed in with the other spices, it adds a nice sweet-salty flavour to the beef.

Without breaking my arm patting myself on the back, the chicken tacos and tortilla came out beautifully. The buttermilk-brine-and-dredge technique for fried chicken makes all the difference, and now that I know I can make a passable tortilla, I have to find that breakfast taco recipe on the "Sin City" DVD that Robert Rodriguez says he made for the actors during the filming.

We ended the meal with the tres leche cake. I'm not much of a dessert guy, but it's hard not like something that light, sweet and fluffy. I was sorry when I finished my last bite, as I had a blast cooking and eating that evening.  I'd recommend going to Urban Element if you're looking to expand your cooking skills, looking for a fun date night experience, or if you want to treat yo' self to a cool foodie experience. With their approachable chefs and state-of-the-art cooking studio, it will definitely change your views on cooking in a classroom.