Cheese:

Grate, crumble or thinly slice the cheese, and place it directly on the bread to ensure it melts and to help stick the sandwich together. Almost any cheese will do, but my favourites include sharp cheddars, fresh mozzarella, gruyère, brie, havarti, ricotta, and mascarpone.

Filling:

As for the filling, less is often more (and more usually means a sandwich that is impossible to cook through). Slice fruits, vegetables and meats thinly. Also, the filling should not be too wet, otherwise it will make the bread soggy and prevent the sandwich sticking together. Try to keep moist components of the filling – such as tomatoes, fresh fruits, and sauces toward the middle of the sandwich.

Cooking:

Use butter or a rich (extra virgin) olive oil for optimal crunch and flavour. Cook on a medium heat; if it is too high the fat and bread could burn, and the filling will not heat through in time. If you are tempted to press down on the sandwich with a spatula while it cooks, I can guarantee that using a pot lid is much more satisfying.

Some ideas to get you started:

Ham, Gruyère, apple, mustard;

Roasted pork or chicken, havarti, red pepper, balsamic vinegar;

Spicy salami, ricotta, mozzarella, fresh basil;

Roast beef, sharp cheddar, mustard or horseradish, arugula or spinach, red onion;

Brie (or mascarpone), apricot jam, sliced almonds

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Ingredients:

Zest of three lemons: the zest is the yellow outer skin of the lemon – not the intensely bitter white layer right underneath – and it’ll give the lemon curd its intense lemon flavour. Use a fine grater to remove it.

¼ pound of butter (1 stick), soft

1 cup of sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

4 eggs

Juice of two lemons, three if you like it tangy

Method:

Begin by setting up a double boiler. For this, boil a large pot half full with water. Next, you will need a heat-proof mixing bowl that can rest on top of this pot without the bottom touching the surface of the water. You will only need to put the mixing bowl on top of the boiling pot of water when directed to below.

With a whisk, mix the lemon zest, butter, sugar, and salt together in the mixing bowl until creamy for just a couple of minutes.

Add the eggs and lemon juice and continue to whisk until incorporated.

Turn the heat down on the boiling water to a bare simmer. You want the steam to rise and heat the mixing bowl when you place it on top, but do not want the water to boil vigorously. Ensure there is always some water in the pot so that it doesn’t boil dry.

Place the bowl on top of the pot, and switching to a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula, stir every twenty seconds or so for ten minutes. After this, stir constantly for another five to ten minutes to prevent curdling until the curd is the consistency of thin pudding. The curd should never boil (partly why we are using a double boiler) and will thicken below boiling point.

If curdled at all, or if you don’t like small bits of lemon zest, strain before cooling.

Cool, cover with plastic wrap (make sure it touches the surface of the lemon curd to prevent a skin forming) and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. It will thicken even more as it cools.

Variations:

Curds can be made with any citrus fruit, but lemons or limes are usually included to provide some tartness, to cut the sweet quality. Aim for about half a cup of juice and at least four tablespoons of grated zest. This means about four limes, two small oranges plus one lemon, or one mammoth grapefruit plus a lime (and so on). Tangerines, blood oranges, key limes, and other more exotic citrus fruits will also work well.

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Exploring the decadent ways of making truffles
Ganache: Heat 250ml (one small container) of heavy cream (35 per cent fat) on medium heat until steaming slightly, but not bubbling. Meanwhile, chop about 250g of decent chocolate – about seventy per cent cocoa solid, and not chocolate chips or baking chocolate. Put the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Before the cream boils, add a tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt, let it melt, and then add to the chocolate. Stir the chocolate with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, adding the liquor or flavourings of your choice until smooth and shiny. Pour into a bowl and cool in the fridge for at least three hours. When ready to make the truffles, take about one tablespoon of the ganache either with a spoon, or you can roll it into a ball with your hands. Dip and roll in the coatings of your choice and eat straight away. You can also coat them all ahead of time and store in the fridge, taking them out ten minutes before you want to eat them.Liquors (add two tablespoons): dark rum, Grand Marnier, whisky, Bailey’s, Kahlua, Tia Maria, Frangelico, brandy, kirsch, crème de menthe, crème de cacao, red wine.

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At first, making granola seems completely irrational. But then you realize that every box of cereal bought at the grocery store is really just daylight robbery (except when you are buying Cinnamon Toast Crunch – this is a fair purchase). This granola allows you to add what you want and leave out what you don’t, and will certainly keep you going all morning – just like how Lucky Charms won’t. It makes a great snack, too.

Ingredients:

¼ cup vegetable  oil

1 egg white

½ tsp salt

1 to 2 tsp ground spice (cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice)

½ cup sweetener (brown sugar, honey, maple syrup or white sugar in a pinch)

4 cups oats (any type but instant oatmeal will work)

Up to 2 cups nuts or seeds, chopped or whole

Up to 1 cup dried fruit and anything else you care to add (see below for suggestions)

Method:

Whisk oil, egg white, salt, spices (if using) and sweetener in a large bowl. Add oats, mix thoroughly and then mix in any seeds, or nuts. Don’t add the dried fruit yet.

Spread evenly on a baking sheet. First cover the sheet with foil or parchment paper if you want an easier clean up.

Bake for about 30 minutes at 325 degrees. After fifteen minutes, pull it out of the oven and stir before putting it back in. Be careful, as granola can burn very quickly.

Once cooked, remove from oven and cool. Now you can break it up and add dried fruit, chocolate or more nuts and seeds.

This can be stored in an airtight container for over a month.

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Knowing how to make a simple tomato sauce is crucial for  one’s pasta recipe repertoire. I personally will go out of my way to make a huge batch of pasta (especially the eggplant recipe below) just so I can eat it cold for a few days (I hope I am not alone when I say cold pasta is one of my favourite things to eat). The basic recipe is a perfect standalone with any pasta, but is incredibly versatile and, most importantly, satisfying.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely or grated

One large can of tomatoes (whole, diced, or crushed), or one large bottle of passata (blended Italian tomatoes)

Directions:

In a large pot, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat for a minute or two

Add the onion, and sweat (that is, cook slowly, without browning) for about five minutes

Add the garlic to the onion and cook for 30 seconds only

Add the tomatoes (if whole, crush them to a pulp with your hands, one at a time, before adding), and then add about half a can’s worth of water

Bring to a boil and then cook for at least fifteen minutes over low heat, adding more water if it seems to be getting excessively thick

Makes:

Enough for most standard recipes.

Variations:

• Eggplant sauce: This is one of my favourite sauces to go with pastas like spaghetti. Dice half of a medium eggplant and cook with the onions in plenty of olive oil (about a quarter cup). Extend this frying time until the eggplant is soft and turning golden. Continue with the rest of the recipe normally.
• Bolognese: before cooking the onions, brown about 500g of ground beef. Drain some of the fat, remove to a plate, and then cook the onion as per usual. Add the beef back after adding the garlic. Extend the cooking time of the sauce to about half an hour and add a bay leaf or two. If you can, use red wine instead of water.
• Meatless Bolognese, courtesy of my roommate: After you have added the tomato, add a full can of water instead of half and then add either a cup of quinoa, a grated or finely chopped block of tofu, or a mixture of the two. This works well with canned lentils, chickpeas, or cannellini beans.

Other Suggestions:

• Add any of the following after the onions cook for a while: big chunks of red pepper, sliced chillies, red pepper flakes, mushrooms, bacon (pancetta or prosciutto would be even better), sausage, chicken, or a can of tomato paste (for extra richness).
• Add any of the following in the last five minutes of cooking: olives, tuna, mussels (cook until they all open, which may be up to ten minutes, and do not eat any unopened ones), artichokes, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, fresh basil or parsley, roasted garlic, cooked meatballs, grilled vegetables, sautéed prawns or shrimp, chunks of white fish (cook for about ten minutes) or ¼ cup of cream with a few glugs of vodka or wine.

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Crumble

General method:

A traditional crumble (or crisp) involves two components: a bottom layer of fruit, sometimes sweetened and flavoured, and a crispy topping strewn over the top. Exact amounts of fruit are unimportant, but use the equivalent of about six apples (see below for more specifics).

Once the topping is made (see below) put the fruit in a baking dish and scatter the topping over it.

Cook at 375°F for about forty minutes (longer if you like the topping to be more browned).

Makes:

About six large portions.

Fruit suggestions:

• All apples cut in chunks and toss with two tablespoons of sugar and any or all of the following: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or orange zest.
• My favourite: big chunks of pear mixed with Chinese five-spice (a mixture of cinnamon, star anise, cloves, fennel, and Szechuan pepper), or ground-up chai tea (you can just cut open two tea bags and grind it in a bowl with the bottom of a wooden spoon).
• Frozen berries (about three quarters of a regular bag) tossed with two tablespoons of sugar and one and a half tablespoons of flour or cornstarch. Mix with apples or pears for varied texture.
• Strawberry, banana, and mango, all cut in very large chunks, mixed with just a sprinkle of sugar.
• You can also use peaches, plums, nectarines, or any kind of berry. Squash or rhubarb can also be used, but both need to be boiled for about ten minutes beforehand. Combinations rarely fail.
• To flavour, you could also use brown sugar, citrus zest and juice, vanilla, liqueurs, or ground teas.

Toppings:

For each topping the technique is the same: break whatever type of fat you are using, as seen in the recipes below (try to keep it cold, so leave it in the refrigerator until using), into small chunks and rub with the flour and sugar until it is like coarse bread crumbs. Try not to melt the fat too much with the heat of your hands.

• Traditional: My mother recalls this recipe with the phrase “half fat to flour,” but I would suggest a slightly different ratio: one and a half cups of flour, half a cup of butter, and a quarter cup of sugar.
• North American “Crisp”: Replace half a cup of the flour in the traditional recipe with one cup of oats.
• Vegan: Use any margarine you like. The texture will be less crumbly, but it should still work well. If you freeze the margarine first and grate it into the flour, mixing very little to prevent melting, you will achieve a crumblier topping. You could also use half vegetable shortening with half margarine.
• Gluten-free: Use rice flour (non-glutinous and not sweet rice flour) in the traditional recipe. Brown or white will work.
• Chopped, ground, or sliced nuts can be added to any of the above.

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Béchamel Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter (can be replaced with oil in dire circumstances)
• 4 tablespoons flour (not whole wheat)
• Vegetables (see each variation at left)
• Approximately 2 cups milk (a thinner sauce will require more milk)

Salt, pepper, and nutmeg (optional, but for me, vital)

Makes:

Enough for most recipes

Method:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, until it becomes a paste and begins to bubble slightly.

Add the milk, half at a time, stirring constantly between additions. Continue to stir vigorously until the sauce thickens visibly (takes just a few minutes).

Once thick and bubbling, remove it from the heat, add at least one teaspoon of salt, some pepper and a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg (if desired).

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Soup base

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons canola or olive oil (or butter)

1 medium onion

Vegetables (see each variation at left)

2 packages or cubes instant stock (chicken or vegetable), or equivalent

1 cup milk (optional)

Pepper (in my opinion, vital to many soups) and salt

Makes:

About 5 servings.

Method:

Heat the oil in a large pot on medium heat, adding the onion after dicing. Cook for five minutes (the onion should begin to look translucent). Meanwhile, fill a kettle with six cups of water and boil.

Add vegetables, cook five more minutes.

Add whichever form of stock you are using to the now-boiling water.

Stick on lid, let cook for at least 25 minutes (after cooking, test the firmest vegetable, continuing cooking if not yet soft).

If, like me, you are impatient, blend while still blisteringly hot. If using a standing blender, open the hole in the lid so that the steam can vent (otherwise, you will have a miniature Pompeii in your kitchen). Cover it with a dish towel to prevent splattering. Be careful of steam as it can be hotter than boiling water and can easily burn.

If using milk, add during blending. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Adjust the consistency by adding more water, stock, or milk.

All of the following can be served warm or cold. Most soups will freeze in bags or containers very well.

Variations:

Leek and potato: Use three large (peeled if thick skinned) and diced potatoes, and two sliced leeks (white and light green part only, make sure to clean out any dirt or sand within the leek). Great with milk or cream added, and impossible to eat without pepper.

Tex-Mex corn chowder: Add one tablespoon ground cumin and 2 teaspoons ground coriander to onion, fry a little and then add two-thirds of a bag of frozen corn. Don’t use milk. Serve with wedges of lime and avocado.

Pea soup: Use about 500g frozen peas. Try adding a handful of fresh mint, or half of a teaspoon of dried mint before blending. The juice of half a lemon is also very welcome (and, again, lots of pepper).

Roasted vegetable: Cut any vegetables you have (about the same amount as the leek and potato soup will give) into similar size pieces, toss in a few teaspoons oil and some salt and roast at 425° for 25 minutes (until soft). Alternatively, use leftover roasted or cooked vegetables, wilted salads or simply use whatever vegetables you have in the basic recipe.

Curry squash: Cut a medium-sized (no bigger than a loaf of bread) butternut squash (or pumpkin or acorn squash, or something deliciously and autumnally Québécois) remove the seeds, rub with oil and salt, place face down on a roasting tray and roast for 45 minutes at 400°. Scoop out cooked flesh from skin and add to above recipe with 2 tablespoons curry powder (or to taste). Carrots (or cubed sweet potatoes) may also be added, or substituted (roast as well, just for 25 minutes, though).

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Makes:

A lot.

Ingredients:

1 egg

2 slices leftover bread (remove crusts)

1 small onion, diced finely or grated

1 kg ground meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, veal, you name it)

Salt

Method:

Beat egg in a small bowl until frothy. Tear bread into egg and let it soak.

Mix onion and meat in a large bowl, adding about 1 ½ teaspoon of salt. Do not compact the mixture when mixing.

Beat the egg and bread mixture and add to the meat. Mix again, lightly, until completely mixed. Shape into desired meatball size.

Fry on medium heat in a small amount of oil until cooked through, roast at 400° for about 15 minutes (will depend on their size) or cook in a sauce or soup for at least 10 minutes.

All types of meatballs can be frozen on plates and then stored in big plastic bags. Can be cooked from frozen, just increase time accordingly (don’t be afraid to cut one open to check if it is done).

Variations:

Italian: Use any meat, or a mixture. Add 3 minced cloves of garlic (or use a cheese grater), 1 teaspoon each of dried basil, oregano and thyme and chili flakes (if desired) with the onion. Cook using any method above (very convenient for adding to store-bought tomato sauce).

Turkish: Use beef. Add 2 cloves of garlic, minced, 2 teaspoons of cumin (ground or seed), 1 teaspoon of ground coriander and fresh or dried chili with the onion. I suggest you fry or roast these ones (great in pita), or add to a vegetable stew.

Chinese: Use any meat. Add 2 cloves of garlic, minced, half a thumb-sized piece of minced ginger and a small handful chopped coriander (if desired). One quarter of the meat could be replaced with ground tofu. Cook in a noodle soup, fry or roast to eat with rice, or add to a stew.

This might be entirely arbitrary, but I tend not to mind paying extra for ground meat that is not from “fresh and frozen parts” (or free range, if within budget).  In my own (illogical) way, this says to me that the meat may be from a single animal. Undoubtedly, it won’t be.

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