Tuna Antipasto

There's "antipasta" and "antipasto" and then there's this - one of my favorites that I first tried at a neighborhood supermarket in Winnipeg. One of my absolute anytime favorites, it cans very well and keeps in the 'fridge for a long time plus it's got more zippidy-doo-dah than any other antipasto recipe I have tried. 


Tuna Antipasto

Ingredients

• 1/2 c oil (olive, preferably)
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 green peppers & 3 red peppers (sweet), diced
• 2 tins mushrooms, drained OR 1 lb mushrooms - sliced (optional)
• 2 tins solid white tuna
• 1 bay leaves
• 2c sliced ripe olives
• 1 c stuffed green olives, sliced
• 2 1/2 c chopped sweet pickles
• 1 c pickled white onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 c tomato sauce
• 2 c ketchup
• 1 c vinegar

In large saucepan, heat oil and simmer peppers and mushrooms. Add rest of ingredients, mix well and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Put in to sterilized pint jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Store in refrigerator.

Yabluchnyk: Ukrainian Apple Cake

Anyone who shares Ukrainian/Russian/Mennonite roots has a Baba, Nana or Babuchka who makes this dish. Some simply call it "apple cake" but the real name is Yabluchnyk.

Yabluchnyk (Ukrainian Apple Cake)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup cream
• 4 large apple - peeled, cored and thinly sliced

 Streusel Topping

• 2 tablespoons cold butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter an 8 inch square baking dish.

2.     Sift together 1 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in 1/2 cup of butter until the mixture is crumbly.

3.     Stir together the egg with the cream and gently mix into the flour until a soft dough has formed.

4.     Press into prepared baking dish.

5.       Layer the apples into the dish overlapping, in neat rows.

6.       Prepare streusel by mixing the brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake in preheated oven until apples have softened, and topping has browned, about 25 minutes.

May be served with heavy cream, whipped cream or ice cream. Also delicious when served with a mixture of brown sugar and sour cream.

Blini: Russian Festival Pancakes or Crepes

This is a traditional holiday dish for Russian families and those of Russian heritage. It is not unlike a crepe, and any number of fillings can be used. As they say, it's all in the wrist action when you pour these into the pan and tilt and rotate to get them even in consistency. You get better with practice, believe me!

Blini

Ingredients

·          4 1/4 cups milk

·          5 eggs

·          1/3 teaspoon salt

·          2 tablespoons white sugar

·          1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·          1/8 teaspoon citric acid powder(or the juice of a lemon or half an orange)

·          4 cups all-purpose flour

·          3 tablespoons vegetable oil

·          1 cup boiling water

·          2/3 cup butter, divided

Directions

1.                       Beat together the milk and the eggs. Stir in the salt and the sugar and mix well. Add the baking soda and citric acid.

2.                       Blend in the flour. Add the vegetable oil and pour in the boiling water, stirring constantly. The batter should be very thin, almost watery. Set the bowl aside and let it rest for 20 minutes.

3.                       Melt a tablespoon of butter in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Pick the pan up off the heat. Pour in a ladleful of batter while you rotate your wrist, tilting the pan so the batter makes a circle and coats the bottom. The blini should be very thin.

4.                       Return the pan to the heat. Cook the blini for 90 seconds. Carefully lift up an edge of the blini to see if it's fully cooked: the edges will be golden and it should have brown spots on the surface. Flip the blini over and cook the other side for 1 minute.

5.                       Transfer the blini to a plate lined with a clean kitchen towel. Continue cooking the blini, adding an additional tablespoon of butter to the pan after each 4 blini. Stack them on top of each other and cover with the kitchen towel to keep warm.

6.                       Spread your favorite filling in the center of the blini, and fold three times to make a triangle shape. You can also fold up all 4 sides, like a small burrito.

 Cook's Note

Rub the pan with butter or lard after frying every 4 blini. Don't worry if the first few don't turn out right; you'll get the hang of it. The thinner the blini, the more attractive.

- Suggested fillings: cooked ground meat, mashed potatoes with onion, berries & sour cream or powdered sugar, or chocolate sauce to dip in or drizzled over the top. Good with cottage cheese and sour cream, too!

Austrian Sliced Apple Fritters

Here is an Austrian dish which has been passed on to many farm families in Manitoba. It was one of my mom's favorites, minus any brandy or extras. She simply sliced the apples (she cut them in chunks), let them sit in cold lemon water until ready to use, dunked them in the breading mixture, fried until golden brown in deep, hot oil and served with powdered sugar after draining on paper towel. A delicious treat!

Here is what appears to be the original recipe from an old cookbook. It is followed by a recipe for basic crepe batter and fritter batter.

Sliced Apple Fritters

Ingredients

• 6 Medium Tart Apples — cut into 1/4″ slices
• 3 Tablespoons Dark Rum (my auntie used rum extract - 1 tbsp mixed with water)
• Juice from one lemon
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 Cup Oil — for frying
• 1 Recipe Crepe Batter
• Powdered Sugar

Directions 
Marinate apples in bowl with rum, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon for 10 minutes. Preheat oil in pan to 360 degrees. Draw the apples through the batter and shake off excess. Fry until golden. Drain on the paper towels and serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.


BASIC CREPE BATTER

2 eggs
1 1/4 c. (300 ml) milk
1 c. plain flour

2 tbsp white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. melted butter or vegetable oil

1. Beat together the eggs and milk with a whisk or in an electric blender.2. Sift the flour with the salt and add to the egg and milk mixture.
3. Add the melted butter or vegetable oil and blend thoroughly.
4. If beating by hand, if desired, strain the mixture through a sieve to remove any lumps.
5. Allow the mixture to stand for at least an hour before using. If the batter is too thick, add a little milk and mix.

BASIC FRITTER BATTER
Good for use with banana and apple fritters. You can cut the fruit into small chunks and place in the batter to make fritters or simply follow the first directions as given.
2 c. milk
3 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour

Use directions (above)

Peach Kuchen

Here's another Winnipeg favorite, although I never have figured out why it's called "kuchen" (cookies) and not a torte! This is a traditional German and Mennonite dish usually made from fresh peaches, although you may use canned in a pinch. I have made it using any variety of fruit from apples to peaches to red plums or pears. All are delicious and all make everyday summer desserts or treats for the holiday season. Good with heavy cream, whipping cream or vanilla ice cream.

Peach Kuchen (a variation of Apfel or Apple Kuchen)

Photo from tasteofhome.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained or (preferably) fresh peaches
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2.      In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture. 

3.  Spread dough with hands over the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of prepared springform pan. Arrange peach slices in a spoke pattern over the dough. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Ooey Gooey Butter Tarts

Forget the pecan tarts or pie, just bring on the butter tarts! Here is a gooey delicious Canadian treat that's been in our family for generations. All it needs is a good pastry crust that flakes when you cut into it, and a delicious blend of ingredients for a gooey filling. Delicious! You'll want to double the recipe.
Note: If you want to use pre-made frozen pastry shells that you can purchase at the grocery store, those work just fine and cut down part of the preparation time.

Canadian Butter Tarts

INGREDIENTS

Pastry
2 cups flour
1 cup shortening
teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons cold water

Filling
1 egg
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
1/2 to 3/4 cup corn syrup (depending on your favorite degree of gooieness)
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raisins 

1/2 cup walnuts

PREPARATION:
Pastry

1. Blend the shortening and the flour with a pastry cutter, or two knives, until you’ve created a uniform mixture that is crumbly and about the size of frozen peas.
2. In a separate bowl, mix 1 egg, 1 tbsp white vinegar and 2 tbsp cold water. Add to shortening and flour mixture.
3. Mix all ingredients together, but only until just mixed and no more.

The key to flaky pastry is not to overhandle the dough.

For ease of handling, make a ball of the dough, wrap in cellophane and place in freezer for 10-15 mins or refrigerate for approximately an hour. Roll out dough onto floured surface to thickness of about 1/4 inch (thin enough to handle but not too fragile).
Using either a cookie cutter, large biscuit cutter or jar lid, cut out circles from the dough. Circles should be about twice the size of the cups in your muffin pans. Press dough circles into a muffin pan and crimp on the edges. 

Filling

1. In another bowl, mix well corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter and egg. Add vanilla and stir in raisins.
2. Spoon filling into pastry shell to just below the rim. 
3. Bake at 400 for about 10 mins until golden brown. You want it bubbling but not burnt

Makes about a dozen tarts.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp

Here's a uniquely Canadian recipe perfected in the Prairies of Manitoba and served to generations of Mennonite youth. Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp is perfect for using up batches of our provincial fruit, the Rhubarb as well as those strawberries that you have gathered on U-Pick destinations. Apples may also be used in season, when peeled, cored and finely sliced. I almost prefer the apple-rhubarb combination.

Recipe courtesy of a vintage Robin Hood Flour Cookbook.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp

Ingredients:

CRISP TOPPING
3/4 cup (175 mL) Robin Hood® Oats (or other large rolled whole oats)
1/3 cup (75 mL) Robin Hood All Purpose Flour (or equivalent)
1/3 cup (75 mL) brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (50 mL) butter

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) rhubarb, diced
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) strawberries, halved
3/4 cup (175 mL) sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
1/2 - 1 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon

Directions:

TOPPING
1. COMBINE oats, flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
FRUIT
2. COMBINE all ingredients for the fruit mixture.
3. TURN into greased 1 1/2 qt (1.5 L) casserole.
4. SPRINKLE crisp topping evenly over fruit.
5. BAKE at 375°F (190°C) for 35-40 minutes, or until fruit is tender. Serve warm or cold with plain or whipped cream or ice cream. 

I like mine best just drizzled with heavy cream or half-and-half while still warm. Please note that this is also an excellent recipe for APPLE CRISP, or APPLE BROWN BETTY, WHEN PREPARED WITH THINLY SLICED APPLES AND RAISINS.

Rollkuchen (Mennonite fried dough)

Here's a traditional Mennonite recipe that, once again, has its origins in the farmlands of Manitoba. It's essentially a fried dough, but what a tasty fried dough it is. Rollkuchen is usually paired with watermelon (arboos) to serve during the dog-days of summer. Very tasty when sprinkled with powdered sugar, too! Many good summer memories of my mom making this dish. Note: a good rollkuchen absorbs very little fat, as you drain it on paper towel after frying.

Rollkuchen

Ingredients

·                                 3 eggs

·                                 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·                                 1 teaspoon salt

·                                 2 cups canola oil for frying

Directions

1.      Place eggs in a large mixing bowl, and beat until frothy. Gradually beat in the flour and salt to make a soft dough. Roll out the dough to be fairly thin, about 1/8 inch, and cut into 2 inch by 5 inch strips. Cut a slit down the center of each strip, and twist so one end slides through the slit and makes a loop.

2.      Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a deep skillet (or use a deep-fat fryer) over medium-high heat, 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

3.  Cook dough in small batches in preheated oil until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels. 

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in zipped freezer bags once thoroughly cool. May be frozen and reheated.

Poutine

Poutine is a dish that's almost impossible to describe to the uninitiated. How can you explain the appeal of cheese curds, crispy fries and brown gravy? But a delicacy it is, although a "poor man's" treat. Found everywhere in Canada with a high population of French Canadians, including Quebec and Manitoba. You can even find it in restaurants in Winnipeg!

Poutine

Ingredients

French Fries

Beef Gravy

Cheese Curds

Preparation

1. Deep- or pan-fry French Fries – more flavorful than oven baked (keeps them crispier)
2. Put a small amount of cheese curds on the bottom of a dish or bowl (the fresher the curds, the better)
3. Place hot French fries on top
4. Cover with more cheese curds
5. Smother with hot beef gravy

 Et voila, poutine. Merci, Quebec!

Waldorf Salad

Here is a dish that I considered Canadian until I discovered it's roots at the Waldorf Astoria! Still, it's a Canadian favorite and one that's easy to make and delicious to enjoy!

Some folks use cool whip or yogurt, but I prefer the original recipe. I would suggest adding about 1-2 tbsp of sugar to the dressing for that hint of sweetness. Seedless red grapes or dried cranberries may also be halved and added for color and texture.


Waldorf Salad

Dressing:
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (optional, but gives it a bit of "zing.")
2-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Dash of salt

Salad:
4 diced apples (Granny Smith, Gala or Red Delicious)
3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup chopped walnuts
Whisk to blend dressing ingredients and set aside. Chop all salad ingredients evenly. Mix dressing with salad ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

Serves about 6

Nana's Rhubarb Cake

Crispy, tart/sweet and absolutely delicious!

Nana's  Rhubarb Cake

Ingredients

·                                 1 1/2 cups white or golden brown sugar

·                                 1 teaspoon baking soda

·                                 1/2 teaspoon salt

·                                 2 cups all-purpose flour

·                                 2 eggs, beaten

·                                 1 cup sour cream

·                                 3 cups diced rhubarb (fresh or frozen)

·                                  

·                                 1 cup white sugar

·                                 1/4 cup butter, softened

·                                 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

·                                 ground cinnamon, for dusting

Directions

1.       Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking dish.

2.       In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, salt and 2 cups flour. Stir in the eggs and sour cream until smooth, then fold in the rhubarb. Pour into the prepared dish and spread evenly. In a smaller bowl, stir together the remaining 1 cup sugar and butter until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup flour until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the cake then dust lightly with cinnamon.

3.   Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Rhubarb is part of our staple diet in Winnipeg. Every garden has either a rhubarb or strawberry rhubarb garden! Unfortunately it can't be grown in the desert, so we have to resort to frozen. This recipe has been adapted from several in my Mennonite cookbook.