Soul Food Primer

I have always had a fascination with Soul Food and Southern Food recipes. They always seem so comforting, like food that gives you a hug and invites you to stay while. During the winter months here in the Yukon, I usually gravitate towards spicy, comfort foods to thaw me out and a warm me up, body and soul. Here are just a few recipes to warm your soul.

Bourbon Peach Iced Tea

6 cups Water, boiled

2 large Peach Tea Bags

1/8 cup Honey

1/2 cup Peach Purée

Bourbon

Pour boiling water over tea bags in a large mason jar. Add honey and let steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and let cool. Chill. Add peach purée and stir to combine well. Add ice to a small mason jar. Add 1oz bourbon and fill remainder of jar with peach iced tea.

Makes 3 or 4 Cocktails

Fried Chicken and Waffles

Fried Chicken

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into fingers
3/4 cup full fat Coconut Milk
1/2 cup White Rice Flour
1/4 cup Tapioca Starch
1/4 cup Arrowroot
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Smoked Spanish Paprika
2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp dried Oregano
1 tsp dried Thyme
1 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Chili Powder

In a medium bowl add coconut milk and lemon juice. Let sit for 10 mins. Add chicken breast pieces and marinate for 1 hour. Meanwhile in a another medium bowl, add all the remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine. Set up a baking pan with a rack on top. Take each piece of chicken and flour each piece thoroughly and then set on rack to dry a bit. Fry in small batches at 350 F for 6 minutes until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel lined plate to drain. Salt immediately.

Pumpkin Waffles

3/4 cup Almond Flour
3/4 cup Tapioca Flour
1/2 cup Coconut Milk
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
3 Eggs
2 Tbsp Coconut Flour
2 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
1/4 Coconut Oil
2 Tbsp Ghee
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Pepper
Pinch of Cayenne

Mix together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix together wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix well to combine. Add wet to dry and mix well. Let sit for 10 mins. Batter will be quite thick. Heat your waffle iron. Pour approx. 1/2 cup of batter for each waffle. Adjust according to your waffle maker size. Cook until brown and crispy. Cut into 4 pieces. Serve with one piece of fried chicken and a drizzle of hot sauce and maple syrup.

Spicy Cajun Crab Cakes with Remoulade

1 can Crabmeat, drained
1/4 Homemade Mayonnaise
3 Tbsp Gluten Free Breadcrumbs or Almond Flour
2 tsp Cajun Seasoning
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cayenne
2 Tbsp Butter



Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Form into 7 small appetizer size cakes. Chill. Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat. Melt butter in pan. Fry until golden on each side 2-3 minutes. Serve with remoulade.

Remoulade

1/4 Homemade Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Hot Sauce

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

2 Baby Dill Pickles, chopped fine

1/4 tsp Salt

 

Mix all together in a small bowl, serve alongside crab cakes.

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

1/2 cup White Rice Flour
1/4 cup Ghee
1/4 cup Olive Oil or Coconut Oil
2 cups Chicken Stock
3/4 cup Green Bell Pepper, diced
3/4 cup Celery, diced
3/4 cup Onion, diced
3/4 okra, trimmed and cut into 3 or 4 pieces
1 cup Andouille Sausage, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds, then in half
3 Boneless & Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tsp Cajun Seasoning
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1/8 tsp Cayenne
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1 Tbsp Hot Sauce

In a cast iron Dutch oven over medium low heat, brown Chicken thigh pieces and sausage in 1 Tbsp olive oil. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add ghee and 1/4 cup olive oil to pot. Add rice flour and make your roux. Stir frequently until flour browns to a milk chocolate colour. This may take 20-30 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and okra. Saute in roux until tender approx. 5 minutes. Add chicken and Sausage, spices and chicken stock. Simmer for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Add hot sauce. Serve with a scoop of white rice and chopped green onion garnish.

Makes 4 Servings
 

British Dishes with a Yukon Twist

In the winter of 2015, I took a vacation to London. I loved it so much, I decided to go back in the fall of 2016. It is definitely a Foodies paradise. People always think that the food in London is all fried and pies.... well that is part of it but there is so much more. There is a wide variety of ethnic food restaurants from Persian to Indian and Ethiopian to Thai, and so many more. The markets have a wide variety of things to eat whether they are ready to pop in your mouth or lovely ingredients to gather to take home and whip up something inspired.  I have decided to share the more traditional British dishes but with a twist from the Yukon and a few modifications to make them gluten free. We were very happy and excited to have our Aunt join us for this cooking session to help us test, taste, critique, food style and photograph. Thanks for your contribution to this post.

Pimm's Cup (Yukon Style)

Juice of 6 Lemons (1 cup)
1/4 cup Honey
3 cups Water
1/2 oz Yukon Brewing Concept Gin
1/2 oz Yukon Brewing Concept Haskap Liquer
2 Slices Orange
2 Strawberries, sliced
2 Slices Cucumber
Sparkling Water
Ice

Mix lemon juice, honey and water in a pitcher. Stir well. Chill. Place fruit in a large highball glass. Fill with ice. Add gin & haskap liquer. Fill glass halfway with lemonade and top up with sparkling water. (to make a traditional Pimm's cup, use 1 oz Pimm's No.1 instead of the gin and haskap liquer)

Bison Shepherd's Pie

1/2 lbs Ground Bison
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, diced
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
1 stick Celery, diced
1 cup carrot, diced & steamed until tender
1 cup frozen Peas, thawed
1/2 cup Red Wine (merlot)
1 cup Beef Stock
1 Tbsp Worchestershire, tamari or coconut aminos
salt & pepper to taste
3 large Russet Potatoes, cooked & mashed (add salt, pepper & 1/8 cup Ghee)

In a large frying pan over medium heat, sauté onion in 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add ground bison and break up into smaller pieces as you fry. Add garlic and red wine. Scrap up browned bits on bottom of pan and reduce by half. Add beef broth and worchestershire. Reduce to low and simmer for 10 mins. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Place 1/4 of bison mixture in each of 4 individual pie tins or ramekins. Mix the peas & carrots together and place 1/4 over the bison mixture in the 4 pie tins, top with 1/4 of the mashed potatoes on each. Score potatoes with the tines of a fork. Place in the oven at 375 F for 20 mins until bubbly. Turn oven to broil and brown tops for 4-5 mins. Let cool slightly before serving.

Makes 4 Servings

Fish n Chips

6 oz Arctic Char, skin removed & cut into 6 pieces
1/4 cup Rice Flour
1/8 cup Arrowroot
1/8 cup Tapioca Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 cup Sparkling Water
salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in heavy bottomed, high sided pot or deep fryer to 365 F.

Add 3 flours together in a bowl with salt & pepper. Dredge each piece of fish and tap off excess. Set aside. Add baking power and mix well. Stir in sparkling water and whisk until smooth. Dip each piece of fish in the batter and allow excess to drip off. Hold with tongs over hot oil with the one end in the oil until it solidifies for about 5 seconds and drop lightly into the oil. Repeat with the remaining pieces of fish. Fry until light and crispy approx. 3-4 mins. The batter will not brown much. Remove to paper towel lined plate and season with salt.

1 large Russet Potato, peeled and cut into fat chips (1/2 inch x 1/2 inch)

Preheat oil or deep fryer to 365 F. Lower chips in oil gently. Fry for 7 mins. This is just par cooking the inside but the outside should not brown much. Remove to paper towel lined plate and let drain. Increase oil temp to 375 F. Fry for an additional 2-3 mins until brown and crispy. Remove to paper towel lined plate and season with salt.

Serve with Homemade Mayonnaise with two finely chopped baby dills stirred in for tarter sauce

Makes 3 Appetizer Portions
(Two Fish Nuggets & 2 or 3 Chips)

Banoffee Ice Cream Sammies

Banana Ice Cream

4 large bananas, fully ripe, broken into smaller pieces
1 can Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
Salt

Put all ingredients into blender and puree until smooth. Pour into running ice cream machine and process for 20 mins. Transfer to container and place into freezer until ready to use.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups Almond Flour
1/2 cup Coconut Sugar
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1 Large Egg
1/4 cup Ghee, melted
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, stir together melted ghee and egg. Add to dry ingredients and stir well, fold in chocolate chips. Scoop with a small cookie dough scoop onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Press down into thickness you desire. Dough won't spread during baking. Bake for 10-12 mins. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Toffee Bits

1/3 cup Almond Butter
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Coconut Sugar
1/4 cup Water
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch Salt

Measure vanilla and almond butter and have ready to go. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat mat. Add the coconut sugar, coconut nectar and water in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Place a candy thermometer in the pot without touching the bottom of the pan. Cook until temp reaches 285. Add vanilla, salt and almond butter. Stir in well. Pour out onto pan and spread out to desired thickness. Cool completely for 2-3 hours. Break into large pieces, add to a Ziploc bag and smash into smaller bits with a mallet. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

To Assemble Sammie:

Place one cookie on a plate. Take a scoop of the ice cream the same size as the cookie. Place a second cookie on top and press down slightly. Roll into the crushed toffee bits.

Superbowl Sunday Snacks

It's that time of year again where we put on our team jerseys, whip up some tasty morsels and hunker down in front of the big screen to watch....the Superbowl commercials and half-time show. Ha,ha,ha....you didn't think I really watch the football did you? It's just a good excuse to make mini food and create drinks with beer as the main ingredient...it's tradition. Who am I to mess with tradition?

Lime Shandy

2 Beer (I used Omission gluten-free IPA)
8 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
4 cups Lime Sparkling Water
4 Lime Slices
Ice Cubes

Fill 4 frosted beer mugs with ice. Pour 1/2 bottle of beer into each mug, 2 Tbsp lime juice and 1 cup of lime sparkling water. Garnish with lime slice.

Makes 4 Cocktails

Sliders

1/2 lb Lean Ground Beef
3 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Chipotle Powder or Chili Powder
10 Cremini Mushrooms, stems removed
1 small Onion, halved and sliced
10 Pickle Chips (dill with no sugar added)
5 Cherry Tomatoes, cut in small slices
1/4 cup Homemade Mayonnaise
2-3 Tbsp Hot Sauce (I used Frank's) use your own discretion for how hot you like things


Preheat a pan over medium heat. In a medium bowl, add ground beef, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder & chipotle powder. Mix well to evenly combine spices. Form into golf ball sized meatballs, press into a patty and then put a thumbprint in the middle of each to allow for expansion. Fry mini burgers in olive oil until cooked through approx. 4 mins per side. Meanwhile, place 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add sliced onions and cook slowly until caramelized and golden brown, stirring frequently approx. 20 mins, set aside. Preheat oven to 400 F.  Brush the mushrooms caps with 1 Tbsp olive oil and place stem side up on a baking sheet. Roast for approx. 8 mins. until golden. Set aside.

Homemade Mayonnaise

In a glass canning jar large enough to accommodate a stick immersion blender, add in this order:

1tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice or Vinegar
1/4 tsp salt & pepper
1 Egg Yolk

Slowly pour 1/2 cup light olive oil down the side of the jar so as not to disturb the ingredients in the jar. Place immersion blender into jar and pulse until the egg yolk emulsifies into a creamy mayo. Can also be made in a blender the same way. Pulse blender for 10 to 20 seconds to emulsify.

To Assemble Slider:

On a serving tray or wooden board place mushroom cap, burger, caramelized onions, spicy mayo, pickle chip and tomato slice. Skewer with a toothpick or fancy bamboo skewers.

Makes 10 sliders

Tostones with Pulled Pork & Lime, Cilantro Coleslaw

1 large Plantain, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

Preheat oil in high sided thick bottom pot or deep fryer to 365 F. Deep fry plantain for 3 minutes. Flatten gently with a large glass. Deep fry an additional 2 minutes until crispy. Remove to metal bowl and salt & pepper immediately.

Peach Chipotle BBQ Sauce

1 Tbsp Bacon Fat

1 cup frozen Peaches, thawed

1/4 cup Shallots, diced

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 tsp Chipotle Powder

2 tsp coconut aminos or tamari

1 7 oz jar Tomato Paste

1/4 cup Water

3 Tbsp Hot Sauce

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Sauté shallots in bacon fat until translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.

For the Pulled Pork

Season 1 pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. Sear in sauté pan over medium heat until browned on all sides. Place in slow cooker and pour over peach chipotle BBQ sauce. Cook on high 6 hours. Remove from slow cooker and shred with two forks.

For the Coleslaw

1/4 cup Green Cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup Red Cabbage, shredded

1 small Carrot, shredded

1 Green Onion, chopped

2 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped

3 Tbsp Homemade Mayonnaise

Juice of 1/2 Lime

Salt and Pepper to taste

To Assemble Tostones:

Arrange tostones on a plate. Put a Tbsp of pulled pork on each and top with a Tbsp of coleslaw for individual servings or scatter the pulled pork over tostones and then scatter coleslaw and serve family style.

Sweet Potato Tots

1 large Sweet Potato
1/8 cup Arrowroot
1/8 cup Tapioca Flour
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Salt

Preheat deep fryer to 365 F. Boil sweet potato in a large pot of boiling water 10-15 mins until tender but still firm. Let cool to room temperature. Grate on large side of box grater. Put in a large bowl. Add scrambled egg to grated sweet potato. Add spices to flours and fold into grated sweet potato. Scoop Tbsp sized balls of the mixture into the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 mins. Remove to bowl and season with salt, toss. Garnish with bacon bits, chopped green onion and a drizzle of vegan sour cream.

Vegan Sour Cream

1/2 cup Cashews, raw
1/8 cup Slivered Almonds, raw
1/8 cup Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt

Place cashews and almonds in a bowl and soak overnight. Drain, add to a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Refrigerate until needed. You can use any leftover vegan sour cream to make dip, just add chopped fresh herbs or caramelized onions or red onion, tomato and black olives or green onion and bacon or whatever combo of flavours you fancy.