With sun-dried tomato polenta and pan roasted zucchini

Recipes by James Eddington
Eddington’s of Exeter
527 Main Street, Exeter
519-235-3030
http://www.eddingtons.ca

Photo by Casey Lessard

I am often asked, what is a supreme breast of chicken? A supreme breast of chicken is boneless except for the drumstick of the wing, and the skin remains. A butcher can prepare this, or you can do it yourself with a boning knife. Feel free to use a regular chicken breast if desired. For those who prefer not to eat the skin, you can remove it during the second stage of cooking; it just adds more flavor to the dish.

Eddington’s contemporary Italian pancetta chicken
Serves four

Ingredients:
Four 6-8 oz marinated supreme chicken breasts
8 slices pancetta or prosciutto
8 slices fresh mozzarella (two per breast)
1/2 cup grape tomatoes cut in half
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
olive oil
8 cranks cracked pepper
A dash sea salt
(great alternative is a small splash of anchovy paste)

Marinade:
1 orange
1/2 tbsp of chilies
olive oil
diced fresh basil, oregano and thyme
(two sprigs of each)
1 clove of diced garlic

Marinate chicken over night: dice orange with peel on, mix with diced herbs, garlic, chilies and olive oil. Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Roast chicken in 400°F oven for 20 minutes. While chicken is cooking, mix olive oil, minced garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, cracked pepper and sea salt together in small mixing bowl (this can also be done ahead of time to extract a more robust flavor).
Top each chicken breast with two slices of pancetta or prosciutto on each breast of chicken. Drizzle half of grape tomato mixture over pancetta, then layer two slices of fresh mozzarella. Drizzle remaining mixture. Return to 400°F oven for another 10 minutes.
Now your chicken will be ready to be layered and served on polenta.

Sun dried tomato polenta
(This can be made the night before when making the chicken marinade)

Ingredients
16 oz (2 cups) chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
A dash salt and pepper
1/8 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes

Combine chicken broth and milk in medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Slowly mix cornmeal, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low/medium setting. Gradually add remaining water. Cook for approximately 15 minutes. Mixture should be thick. Now add in remaining ingredients and mix well.
Pour in to greased 9” spring form pan. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
Once chilled, place on cutting board, remove from pan and cut into wedges. Will make 8-12 wedges depending on size of cut. To finish cooking, place in 400°F oven on cookie sheet for 25 minutes or until golden brown. If you want to be creative, try grating Parmesan cheese onto wedges before reheating, or drizzling olive oil and balsamic vinegar over wedges.

Pan-seared zucchini
Ingredients
One zucchini, cut into long slender strips.

Pan sear on high heat on non stick pan for 1 minute per side moments before serving.
To glaze zucchini, steal the olive oil that will have somewhat separated from grape tomato mixture that was intended for the chicken.
To serve, layer polenta on center of plate, top with cooked pancetta chicken and accent with zucchini.

Wine pairing:
Rocca delle Macìe Chianti Classico, Italy
Medium bodied, plum, sweet tobacco, mushroom, and a touch of oak: complex finish.

On a side note: I would like to thank all the readers who express interest in my recipes. I’d love to hear about your experiences with the food, recommendations, or concepts/recipes you would like me to cover. Please email me at: wine-at-execulink.com
Most of all, I would like to thank Casey for bringing the Eddington’s food to life through photography. For those who have ever wondered when or where we do our pictures, well, we do them at the restaurant, our houses or wherever we can. Casey has been more than accommodating to drive to the restaurant with sometimes less than an hour’s notice when I call: “Hey Casey, I just got some fresh fish in, lets go to the green house,” or “Hey Casey, I am in the midst of making a chestnut soup, can you come by NOW and take some pictures? I have a great concept for the Strip.” It’s a great experience for both of us, and most of all, it’s creative fun that challenges us to strive for perfection. So, thanks Casey for all the wonderful photos. Look forward to many more great issues of the Strip!
Cheers, James Eddington

You don’t need much to fill their bellies with this affordable – yet gourmet – dish

Recipe by James Eddington
Eddington’s of Exeter
527 Main Street, Exeter
519-235-3030
http://www.eddingtons.ca

Photo by Casey Lessard

Looking for something more romantic? “Take a flight this Valentine’s Day” from our February 2008 issue.

This recipe is intended for a slow cooker. If you do not own a slow cooker, don’t worry. It can be done in the oven; just reduce cook time by one-third and cook in covered roasting pan at 225°F.

You’ll need one pork leg, butt, shoulder blade or roast. It’s your choice. I have chosen a de-boned pork leg.
Note: This recipe (3 lbs) serves 8-10 people.

Ingredients

3 lb. pork (choice of cuts above)
1 tbsp salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 red onions diced
6 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp coriander
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
(Optional. This will add flavour and heat)
1 small can tomato sauce
6 oz smoked hickory BBQ sauce
1 oz cider vinegar
355ml root beer (one bottle)
1 tbsp brown sugar

Preparation
Rub pork with salt and pepper, then sear in a large pan. Once seared, transfer pork into slow cooker. Mix all other ingredients together and pour over pork. Cover and cook on low heat 8-10 hours.
Once cooked transfer pork to cutting board, tent with tin foil and let rest for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, take 2 forks and shred pork. i.e. pull pork.
While pork is resting, pour remaining liquid in slow cooker into large pot. Let settle then skim fat off the top. Bring to a boil and reduce and thicken mixture, approx 15-20 minutes. Add pulled pork to mixture and you are ready to serve.

Note: this can be made prior to event and reheat pulled pork in sauce.

I have chosen to serve my pulled pork on a rosemary ciabatta bun with diced onions, avocado, pickled jalapenos’, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce and sour cream. Served with sweet potato fries, and beer of course.
Delicious. Enjoy!

Yes, this year you will actually roast chestnuts on an open fire, and then create a delicious soup

Recipes by James Eddington
Eddington’s of Exeter
527 Main Street, Exeter
519-235-3030
http://www.eddingtons.ca

Chestnut soup

4 cups chestnuts, peeled and skinned
3/4 cup equal parts diced celery, carrots and onions
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsbp butter
pinch garlic
pinch allspice
pinch cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat stock pot on medium heat, add butter and olive oil and sauté until semi-soft. If you want to reduce heat and slow cook, this will draw more flavour. Add roasted chestnut and chicken stock, bring to boil for approx. 15 min. or until chestnuts are soft. Now add 1 cup of heavy cream, garlic, cinnamon, all spice and salt and pepper. Use a hand blender and pureé soup until smooth. If still chunky, boil for another 5 min. and reblend.
Feel free to be creative in garnishing this soup. For example, whisky-soaked cranberries or apricots are a nice touch; shaved roasted parsnips or caramelized bacon and onions would complement this soup.

Note: roasting chestnuts
Preheat oven to 425˚F.
(The following is NOT fun, but worth it in the end:) Use a sharp knife to cut an X into one side of the chestnut to allow the steam caused by roasting to escape; if you don’t do this, the chestnut will explode.
Place each chestnut with the cuts facing up onto cookie sheet. Roast 20-30 minutes or until chestnuts are tender, easy to peel, golden brown in color, and the shells are beginning to open.
Peel nuts when they are cool enough to handle.

Oven-roasted salmon with a zesty mustard and herb glaze
6 salmon fillets OR
1 fresh side of salmon
2 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs fresh chopped rosemary and thyme
splash of white wine
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh lemon

Combine garlic and herbs in a food processor. Blend for 30 seconds, then add wine, oil, mustard, salt and pepper. Blend for another 15 seconds.
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Use baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange salmon on sheet and spoon mustard mixture over the fillets evenly. Bake for approx. 15 minutes until salmon are done. Note: many people are nervous when it comes to cooking fish. Do not overcook fish; cook until texture is slightly firm; no more. The centre of the fish should be hot, but retain its moisture.

Boursin crab stuffed potato
(A great little side)

In a mixing bowl, combine a wheel of boursin cheese, 1 cup of crabmeat, a pinch of salt and pepper, 2 tbsp of breadcrumbs, and a squeeze of lemon. Mix together.
Cook potatoes. You can used baked, a mini, or a red, whatever. Once cooked and cooled, cut potato in half, hollow out centre, and add boursin mixture. To make it more dense, add potato flesh that was removed to the cheese mixture. This can be made a day ahead; to reheat, place in oven on baking sheet eight minutes prior to salmon.

Chocolate, Bailey’s & Tia Maria café au lait
1 cup whole milk
3 oz Bailey’s
3 oz Tia Maria
cinnamon stick
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups brewed strong coffee
1/4 cup heavy cream
cinnamon, icing sugar and cocoa for garnish

In medium sized saucepan, whisk together milk, sugar and cocoa until smooth. Bring mixture to a simmer. Add cinnamon stick, pinch of cloves, Bailey’s and Tia Maria.
Simmer for approx. four minutes, then reduce heat to low setting and let steep for 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream and add pinch of sugar. (Feel free to add a hint of vanilla.)
Strain mixture into another pot and add coffee. Bring back up to temperature. Serve immediately and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!

Recipes by James Eddington
Eddington’s of Exeter
527 Main Street, Exeter, 519-235-3030
http://www.eddingtons.ca

You may have heard that onions can kill the H1N1 virus, but that’s just a myth. Still, a warm soup like this is good medicine for your body and soul during cold and flu season…

Caramelized onions
(This is the base for the soup.)

4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp vegetable oil
6 large Spanish onions, peeled & thinly sliced
8 drops Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire sauce
4 tbsp brown sugar
1 splash water
1 cup red wine (just open a bottle)

In large pot, sauté onions in butter and oil on low to medium heat for approx. 30 minutes, stirring periodically. The slower and longer you sauté your onions, the more flavor and sweetness will be present.
Once onions have softened, add Worcestershire sauce, splash of water and brown sugar. Turn to high heat and let caramelize. Once color is slightly darkened, add approx. 1 cup of red wine to deglaze pot.

French onion soup

2 cups red wine
4 bay leaves
4 cups beef stock
2 cups chicken stock (or more beef stock)
salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 slices old bread, toasted and cut to fit bowl
2 cups cheese (your choice; I like a blend of
cheddar, smoked gouda and Swiss)

Once you deglaze the caramelized onions add all ingredients (other than bread and cheese) to same pot. Bring to Boil and then reduce heat to medium simmer. Let simmer for one hour. The longer you simmer and reduce your soup, the more flavours you will have.
Preheat your oven’s broiler. Ladle soup into four French onion soup bowls and place fitted toast into each bowl. If you slightly dunk the bread to ensure it is moist, this will reduce any chance of burning under the broiler. Sprinkle cheese evenly on toasted tops and place bowls onto baking sheet. Place under broiler until cheese has melted golden brown.
Your soup should be bubbling through and around the cheese. Caution: although tasty, it will be hot, so let rest for at least two minutes.
Serve and enjoy!

Recipes by James Eddington
Eddington’s of Exeter
527 Main Street, Exeter, 519-235-3030

http://www.eddingtons.ca

Editor’s note: James looks back to fall 2007, when these recipes were first published in the Grand Bend Strip. We’ve revisited it, and this time, you can get a glimpse of how delicious this meal looks (you’ll have to make it to see how great it smells and tastes).

This month, the first real frost brings an unconscious desire for heartier meals. Enjoy the local harvest; we are truly blessed to live in an area full of the riches that our farmers and fields have to offer. Spend some time in the kitchen this season melding the deep rich flavors of the fall.

Butternut squash soup

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1” chunks
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic
3/4 tsp. ground allspice
2 cans vegetable broth (14 oz. each)

In large sauté pan, heat olive oil, then add squash, onion and garlic. Sauté over medium high heat for 15 minutes or until squash is tender. Add allspice; cook two minutes longer.
Stir in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to medium low. Cook 15 minutes, or until squash is soft.
In batches, place mixture in bowl of food processor; blend until smooth.
Place in saucepan and keep warm, or reheat as needed.
To serve, ladle warm soup into bowls. Top with one tablespoon spiced cream and a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds.
Serves four. Multiply recipe for larger quantities.

Spiced cream

1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp. real maple syrup
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
(A shot of Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum wouldn’t hurt)


Combine light sour cream, allspice, maple syrup and cardamom in bowl; mix well.
Cover and chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

Pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Heat olive oil in small sauté pan for one minute. Add pumpkin seeds and garlic salt; sauté over medium heat for three minutes or until seeds are toasted and fragrant.

Recipes by James Eddington
Eddington’s of Exeter
527 Main Street, Exeter, 519-235-3030 http://www.eddingtons.ca

Photos by Casey Lessard

With fall’s arrival, it’s a good time to celebrate the food that falls from the trees in your backyard: pears. Here, James presents two delicious recipes that take advantage of a fruit you can easily find in Ontario, and possibly right at home; if you don’t have a pear tree, perhaps a friend does. The season is short, so enjoy these recipes soon!

Pear and Brie tart

Puff pastry
Cream cheese
Brie cheese
Fresh Ontario pears
Butter
Brown sugar
Heavy cream

Cut puff pastry into triangle sized pieces. Spread out triangles, leaving at least one inch between triangles. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 10-15 minutes until light golden in colour. Pastry will have tripled in size. Let cool for ~10 minutes.
Cut or peel apart triangles horizontally along the centre of the pastry. Set aside top piece.
Spread cream cheese on bottom piece.
In sauté pan on medium to low heat, add 2 tsp of butter and 3 tsp of brown sugar. Thinly slice pears and add to pan. Cook for 7-10 minutes until pears are relatively softened. Remove pears and layer over cream cheese covered pastry.
Add a splash of heavy cream to sauté pan to create a sauce from sugar, butter and cooked pear juices.
On top of pears, add a wedge of brie. Transfer back to oven until Brie has softened 5-7 minutes. When ready to serve, place bottom pastry piece (with layers of cheese and pears) on plate. Put top piece of puff pastry on the angle opposite of bottom piece. Quickly reheat sauce in sauté pan and drizzle over top piece.
Ice cream and fresh berries make a wonderful garnish.

Parsnip and Pear Soup

1 onion, diced
1/2 stalk of celery, diced
3 lb. parsnip, diced
2 lb. fresh Ontario pears, diced
garlic, minced
white wine
heavy cream
8 cups chicken stock
fresh herbs
(basil, thyme and bay leaf)
honey or sugar
35% cream
butter

In large stock pot, add 1/4 lb. of butter, then add onions and celery. Sauté over medium heat until soft (10 min), stirring periodically. Add parsnips, pears, minced garlic and 8 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour. After the hour, add basil and thyme to liking.
Bring soup back to boil and add 1 cup of 35% cream and blend with hand mixer until smooth.
At this point, taste soup; if it needs more seasoning do so. If it’s bland, add a little salt. If not sweet enough, this is the time to add honey and or sugar. Once added, bring soup back to boil and reblend. Then add bay leaf and let rest or serve immediately. Soup can be refrigerated for up to three days.
Freezing this soup: if you plan on making a large batch and freezing, omit the heavy cream and add when reheating.

Simple, easy and tasty, the joy of Ontario’s pears.

Recipes by James Eddington
Eddington’s of Exeter
527 Main Street, Exeter, 519-235-3030
www.eddingtons.ca

Photo by Casey Lessard

I chose these recipes for the similarity in ingredients. This will make your shopping easier and will reduce any waste. Both recipes can be a staple or a small part of many other recipes. The acidity of the tomatoes allows a full seven-day week of safe refrigerated storage.
Chef’s note: fortunately, our busy restaurant turns over all of our sauces, raw product, prepared products and fresh produce on a daily basis. At home it is different. Keep this in mind when creating recipes and plan ahead. Limit grocery lists to products that you will actually use and products that can be used in several different recipes.
For example: Take all ingredients featured here in this article and pair them with another meal. Plan these meals throughout your week for variety and, in no time, cooking will become less of an effort and more of a joy.

Naan bread pizza with fresh seasonal vegetables

Naan bread is a great alternative for homemade pizza. Naan bread is a popular Indian/Asian flat bread used for many applications. You can purchase naan bread at most grocery stores.

Ingredients
Naan bread
Tomato sauce (see recipe attached)
Bell peppers, thinly sliced & sautéed in oil.
Zucchini sliced in rounds, lightly seared.
Red onions diced, lightly seared
Italian herb tomatoes (see recipe attached)
Mozzarella/feta cheese (shredded)
Chicken and/or chorizo sausage (optional)

Place naan bread on a flat baking sheet. Coat naan bread with a light layer of tomato sauce (use attached recipe or store-bought tomato sauce). Remember, this is pizza; it’s supposed to be easy! Layer with your favorite toppings.
The photo shows grilled zucchini, sautéed red bell peppers, Italian herb tomatoes and red onions; a great vegetarian option. Blackened chicken or chorizo sausage complement these ingredients well.
Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese. To really give this pizza a kick, mix mozzarella with feta cheese.

Simple tomato sauce made from scratch

Ingredients
2 tsp butter
1 shot olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
1/2 celery, finely diced
10 ripe tomatoes, diced
or 1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup brown sugar
10 wiggles of worcestershire bottle
1/2 handful chopped fresh basil
and oregano
Splash of red wine
1/2 cup water (chicken or vegetable
stock will give tomato
sauce more complexity)

This is the easy part; sauté minced onions and celery on medium-low heat in butter and olive oil for ~15 minutes. Add garlic and sugar, let caramelize two to four minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce to low heat and let simmer for minimum of 1 1/2 hours, stirring periodically (if you find mixture is getting too thick, add a splash of water to thin out). Once all ingredients have softened, purée to desired consistency with hand blender. Let cool and store covered in refrigerator. Will last up to eight days, and can be used for many applications.

Italian Herbed Tomatoes

Essentially you will be making your own basic bruschetta. It can also be used as a tapenade, a welcome addition to a fresh lunch wrap or key ingredient in a fresh tossed pasta.

Ingredients
10 Roma tomatoes (cut in half, seeded,
& diced in to fingernail size bits)
3 single cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp white sugar (or 3 tsp honey)
Diced fresh basil and oregano (to taste)
Splash of balsamic vinegar (must be Modena and 6 % acidity)
Salt and pepper to taste
Hearty splash of olive oil.
1/4 red onion, diced
Optional: diced sundried tomatoes add a nice dimension to mixture.

The really easy part: Mix all ingredients together in large mixing bowl. Transfer into container and store in fridge. Will last up eight days if stored properly.

Wine Selection for Pizza
Masi Tupungato, Passo Doble, (Argentina)
Medium deep cherry colour; spice, vanilla and black cherry aromas; full bodied, rich and sweet with a long finish.

Taste of Huron
August 24-30
Full list of dinners, workshops, and other events: http://www.tasteofhuron.ca

Food for Thought
Dinners at Huron County restaurants
$35 per person (excluding alcohol, taxes and service) Book through host restaurant.

Tuesday, August 25
7 to 9 p.m. – Hessenland
$35 – Reserve: 1-866-543-7736
Tasting and discussion with Pelee Island wine master Walter Schmoranz. Features dishes paired or prepared with Pelee Island brand wines.

Wednesday, August 26
7 to 9 p.m. – Eddington’s
$35 – Reserve: 519-235-3030
Evening with author Jennifer McLagan, winner of the 2009 James Beard Cookbook of the Year for Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes.

Friday, August 28
7 to 11 p.m. – Bayley’s Barn, Hensall
$20 – Corn and Pig Roast
Corn, pork, baked beans, fiddle music and square dancing.

Two-time James Beard Single Subject category award winner for Bones (2005) and Fat (2009), Jennifer McLagan is also the 2009 winner of the James Beard Cookbook of the Year for Fat. McLagan will join James Eddington for a meal consisting of her recipes August 26.
Casey Lessard (a strict vegetarian, by the way) spoke with McLagan about her views on food.

CL: How did you get inspired to write about bones and fat?
JM: I’d done a small piece for a magazine on bones, and my agent thought it could develop into a larger idea. I liked the concept because I had worked for a long time as a food stylist and was doing a lot of boneless and skinless meat, and it drove me crazy.
Bones were fascinating because they’re taboo. Everyone’s buying everything boneless and it seemed the right topic because it could be more than just a cookbook. Bones appeal to the primal sense in man, and there’s a lot of history attached to it.
When I was with my editor in New York, someone asked me what I was going to do next, and I joked that I was going to do a trilogy: bones, skin and fat. I was joking, but when I thought about fat, that was another topic that interested me. Fat is where the flavour is, and it was a topic no one was touching other than no-fat or low-fat. But it was a hard book to sell (to publishers), and it was a Canadian publisher that picked it up.
To me, it’s about writing something that is interesting and saying something that needs to be said, contributing to culinary knowledge.

CL: What do your books contribute to the modern eating culture?
JM: In the last five years, food has become a political topic. People got lost; they got disconnected from their food in lots of different ways: in the source of it, but also how to make and cook it. That’s what’s made a mess of people’s diets and health. I want people to think about what they’re doing and eating. Food is vital to our culture, and I want people to understand that something like fat isn’t bad just because the media tells you it is. Fat’s a very important part of your diet and it won’t kill you.

CL: What are you trying to argue in Fat?
JM: That the low-fat, no-fat thing was pretty much wrong and it did us more harm than good. We need a mix of different things, including fat, in our diet. Our brains are made of fat. There are a lot of vitamins that are only fat-soluble. They put vitamins in low-fat milk, which is a waste of time because those vitamins require fat.
If you put fat into your diet, you’ll probably actually lose weight. It not only makes it very tasty, but it also makes it very satisfying. You’ll eat less of something that’s better for you instead of eating empty carbohydrates.
If we all just ate a normal, regular diet, we’d all be a lot healthier.
Essentially, Fat is a cookbook, so I’m showing people how to cook with fat and how it’s a good medium to cook in and how they can get their hands on fat.

CL: Why is it important to cook with animal fat?
JM: Animal fats are better to cook with than vegetable oils because animal fats have a better balance of Omega-3s and Omega-6s. They’re also very stable. What you do with fat when you cook is you heat it up. Highly polyunsaturated (vegetable) fats break down and become rancid very quickly. A lot of oils we buy in bottles are already rancid but you can’t tell because of the way they’re being processed. With an animal fat you can tell straight away if it’s rancid.
Bones are also something we think is too much work. But there’s lots of great stuff about cooking with bones. You get collagens and gelatins, which are good for you, but you also get a wonderful base for a sauce. When you braise on the bone, you get this wonderful, unctuous sauce that has all the flavour and goodness in there. Bone marrow is an extremely good source of unsaturated fat. All this stuff is good for you, but we’ve forgotten that. We’re not willing to do any work to get our food, and that’s a shame.

CL: The next book you’re doing is about the oddities of food.
JM: I’m calling it Odd Bits – what to do with the rest. These are the second cuts. Every cookbook uses the prime cuts, like chicken breast and tenderloin. They’re good, but sometimes they have less taste than pieces like the brisket or the neck or the shoulder. People don’t use those cuts anymore because they don’t know how to deal with them. I’ll also cover parts that people are scared of, like brains, kidney and liver.

CL: How do you think that book will be received?
JM: I think it needs to be done. It’s very hard to find any sources for what to do with these parts. What do you do with liver and how do you tell whether it’s good or not? What can you cook with it? How do you handle it? Brisket makes wonderful gravy and hamburgers. Get that information out for people so it’s out there.

CL: As a world traveler, do you find the Europeans are adopting the bad habits of North Americans?
JM: I spend a lot of time in France, and while there’s a certain generation that still eats real food from markets, and you can get raw food in the supermarket, that’s changing with the younger generation. The older generation sits down at a table with smaller portions, while the younger generation eats fast food and there’s a rise in obesity. In England, there’s a lot of fast food, and it’s a huge problem. In North America, we’re swinging back the other way. Especially in the cities, there are a lot of people eating the 100-mile diet. People are looking locally, and this is all good.

CL: Why should people buy your book, Fat?
JM: I want people to realize that fat’s not a four-letter word. Fat’s good for them, it’s essential, and best of all, it’s tasty.

Jennifer McLagan’s Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes is published by McClelland & Stewart.

James Eddington’s signature gazpacho is easy and perfect on a hot day

Recipe by James Eddington
Eddington’s of Exeter, 527 Main Street, Exeter, 519-235-3030 – www.eddingtons.ca

Eddington’s Gazpacho

1 cup red onion
1 cup green pepper
1 cucumber
1 cup peeled tomatoes
(all above fine-medium chopped)

2 tsp diced garlic
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 1/2 cups tomato juice
1 fresh lemon squeezed
1 sprig thyme
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Cayenne and salt and pepper to taste

This is EASY!
Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Blend 1/2 to 3/4 of mixture in food processor. Transfer all ingredients back to serving bowl. If you desire a sweeter flavour, add honey.
Let rest in refrigerator over night. Will last 3 days in fridge.

Great to garnish with torn bread chunks or fried leeks mixed with shredded cucumber.

Grilled pork loin chop with smashed cherry and Cabernet reduction

Recipes by James Eddington
Eddington’s of Exeter, 527 Main Street, Exeter, 519-235-3030 – www.eddingtons.ca

Photos by Casey Lessard

Grilled pork loin chop with smashed cherry and Cabernet reduction
Ingredients:
Centre cut pork loin chop (Ontario) – marbling in the meat is good!
1 cup pitted fresh cherries
Generous splash of Cabernet Sauvignon
Dash of balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/4 roasted red pepper
1/4 finely diced red onion
2 tsp butter Garlic, salt and pepper to taste
Fresh rosemary
Generous splash of Cabernet Sauvignon (red wine)

Marinate pork tenderloin with chopped garlic, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary. Grill on medium heat until just a hint of pink. Remove pork and cover in tinfoil and let rest about five minutes. In a saucepan, heat butter and add red onion and red pepper. Sauté until soft. (Low heat to sweat out flavour). Once soft, turn heat to high, and add cherries and remaining ingredients until mixture is reduced by half and has started to thicken. Slice pork on the bias or leave whole (as pictured) and drizzle with smashed cherry sauce. Served with smashed potatoes and fresh seasonal vegetables.

Garlic smashed potatoes
In a sauté pan, smash last night’s baked potato leftovers with a fork, and add equal parts butter, white wine and heavy cream. Add a teaspoon of chopped garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce until liquids have soaked into potatoes. Should be soft, steaming hot and delicious. To make variations, experiment by adding Parmesan cheese, chives, fresh herbs, etc.

Wine Pairing
Mission Hill (British Columbia) Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is medium-full bodied, with: ripe blackberry and cassis aromas; cedar mocha, mint and smoke taste; and a long firm finish.