I buy my meat straight at the farm, and I like knowing how it was fed and where it comes from. Last year, I bought a cow that was exclusively grass-fed. If the meat was lean and tasty, it definitely lacked fat. I cooked it, and we ate it, but more than once I was disappointed with the result.  It was chewy, very chewy ..... I asked on some forums what my solution could be to avoid this fact, and one person came up with the idea of trying sous-vide cooking. I ordered a water circulating device, took a large plastic container, and gave it a try. I must say that I was not disappointed, and I decided to explore that method of cooking a little more. We finished that cow, ate it all .... and I went to another farm to buy half a cow that was grass-fed BUT grain-finished.  Today I tried to make a chuck roast, using the sous-vide technique and finishing it in the oven.  That was a success !!  Steps :  I used a frozen roast. Put it (still frozen) in a bag ( a ziploc...

Being French, I was raised with good food, flavours, and a certain attraction to onions, and shallots.....  I bought this half cow of grass-fed beef, excellent meat, the only thing is: it's a brand new way of cooking. The grasse-fed meat is lean, therefore, if cooked at a high temperature, it becomes chewy. It's been a long learning process for me, I almost gave up on the type of meat, then I discovered Sous-Vide cooking. That changed my life !!  For the sauce, you will need :   6 shallots peeled and thinly sliced   1/2 cup of white wine 5 tablespoons of sour cream Olive oil Butter Salt and pepper   For the steak 2 tenderloin steaks   1 shallots Salt and pepper to taste.   Sauce : Peel and slice the shallots, and cook them in the pan with olive oil and butter.   When browned, add the white wine and reduce for a few minutes.   Add the sour cream, salt, and pepper, and reduce to thicken.   The tenderloin steaks : I use sous-vide for tender...

What's for dinner?? ..... the same old question, and after staring at the shelves in the pantry for about 10 minutes, I decided for some lingcod with a crust of walnuts and pecan. Ingredients :  - 1 filet of white fish ( I use lingcod as it's what we have in the freezer)  - 1/2 cup of mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons of mustard - 2 garlic cloves, pureed  - 2/3 cup of walnuts - 2/3 cup of pecans - fresh parsley - parmesan - 3 large carrots - Using a mandoline, slice the carrots and steam them until cooked. - pat the fish dry, and season with salt all over - in a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard and garlic. Spread generously on the fish. - put the nuts in a ziplock bag and with a pan, smash them!  - add the finely chopped parsley and about 1/2 a cup of freshly grated parmesan. seal the bag and shake to combine - coat the fish with a thick coat of the nuts mix, and put it in the oven ( temperature: 425˚) for about half an hour ( depending on the thickness of your fish). ...

 A few months back we bought a smoker. Who would have said that I'd be so excited with this purchase?? Well, I wouldn't, but yet I was!! The following day, I went to the local butcher shop and purchased a brisket. I had been saying for months that if we ever bought a smoker, I'd give a shot at the brisket. The first attempt was pretty disappointing to me, even if all my boys liked it, I was not impressed. I had looked up a recipe online, and despite following it to the T, the meat was dry. So, because I don't call a failure a quit, I gave it another try.  This time, I followed my own lead ( the lead of a novice who knows absolutely nothing about smoking meat !!), and the brisket ended up being moist, flavourful and everybody enjoyed it (even me). During the summer months, as we were camping in Northern Vancouver Island, my husband was praising my briskets' skills to our neighbour, therefore I HAD to make one. So, as the challenge became an excuse to buy a smoker for...

While grocery shopping I saw the flank steak was on sale. On the spot, I tried to find a way to make it so it would be a little different than a normal piece of marinated meat. I have a pot of fresh basil at home, some pine nuts and some olive oil: perfect for homemade pesto. I also have some cheese and a jar of sundried tomatoes ....... While the wheels were turning, I grabbed a pack of 2 steaks. Arriving home, I decided to prepare them, so they would be ready for dinner after spending some time in the smoker. Ingredients for filling :     .  1/ Pesto filling: 1 cup Basil leaves 1/2 cup pine nuts 1/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil     . 2/  Sun-Dried Tomatoes filling : 1 cup Sun-Dried tomatoes 3 slices of Provolone cheese Flank steak roulade: thin-cut bacon pound flank steak Salt and black pepper Don't overlook the tenderization of the meat, it's very important to thin it with either a tenderize...

What's best suited than an apple cake when receiving our neighbours for dinner?  I have been wanting to make one for a long time, but I never found the time ( that's a poor excuse !). Well, today I made one, and I'm very happy I did. Ingredients for the cake :  1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour ( I use this one: Cannelle Flour as I'm gluten-free)  1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 1/2 cup coconut oil ( you can use butter if not dairy-free)  3 large eggs ( 2 are enough if you don't use gluten-free flour)  ¾ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 tablespoons rum 3 ½ cups peeled, cored and half-inch diced apples (about 2 large or 3 small apples) 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar (Raw sugar)  Combine all the dry ingredients ( except the sugar) in a large bowl. Beat the eggs for about a minute and add the sugar. Beat well and add the vanilla and rum Combine well and slowly add the melted coconut oil ( or butter)  Add the dry ingredients and combine. T...