Recipes & Food-Related Ramblings
It’s Friday night and what could be more fitting than a recipe for burritos? But not just any burritos, these are Gochujang Bean Burritos with Kimchi Queso. Yes, these deliver K-Mex-inspired refried pinto beans, covered with a K-Tex-inspired queso, rolled up in a Cal-Mex-inspired format. There’s a whole lot of inspiration behind these bad boys and I am here for it. It’s very difficult for someone from the east coast of Canada to make any burrito “authentically” so why not have some fun with it.
If this dish looks like work that’s because it is. It’s the kind of work I like, though, so it’s kind of not work. But, depending on who you are, these Pear and Parsnip Agnolotti may look obnoxiously involved. And it is true, this is not a 30-minute weeknight dinner. This is a lazy, rainy Sunday dinner. A keep-my-hands-busy-so-I-don’t-think-about-the-news kind of dinner. A let’s-push-up-against-the edges-of-my-capabilities kind of dinner. And maybe you’re not in the market for that kind of dinner right now, but the moment you are, you’ll be glad these petite pasta parcels exist.
The bowl is mightier than the plate – it’s just a fact. Bowls can hold so much more. The potential spill factor is much lower. And most importantly, you can wrap your hands around a bowl and be one with your food. A very attractive option especially when it’s cold and/or rainy outside. Bowls, like mugs, just scream cozy. And for that reason, I thought a grain bowl was in order as we head into April and its many showers. So without further ado, allow me to present these Melting Sweet Potato Bowls with Mint Chimichurri.
When I was young, butter and noodles were all it took to thrill me. I was a pasta purist, I never liked it overdressed. Too much sauce just got in the way of the carbs. Fast forward to today and nothing much has changed. I still like my pasta sparsely sauced and plentiful. And I have a healthy appreciation for the simpler noods out there. But there are a few things that have changed and this 40 Clove Bucatini reflects those perfectly. My taste for bitter foods being the biggest shift, followed closely by my love of intense flavors. This seemingly simple bowl highlights both – with ribbons of bitter and brilliant radicchio and a thin but potent sauce flavored by 3 heads of roasted garlic.