Veal Sandwiches - Top 5

There is nothing better than the saucy fattening taste of a veal sandwich. Nothing.
Whether you like it with cheese, sweet peppers, hot peppers, mushrooms, onions, or just saucy and vealy and plain, one of these Toronto hotspots will definitely sate that urge to devour a baby cow

Here are my Top Toronto 5.

1. Bitondo's (College & Clinton)
2. San Francesco's (College & Clinton)
3. California Sandwiches  (Claremont - Little Italy)
4. Mustachio's (St. Lawrence Market)
5. Vinny's Panini (Dupont - North Annex)

Do yourself a favour and go get one. Now.

Sausage Casserole

This is easily one of my favourite dishes and can be made quickly when you're in a pinch

Penne and Sausage Casserole

1 box of penne

Olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed or minced

Pasato tomato purée (or brand of your choice - they come in glass bottles)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 package of Spicy Italian Sausage (pre ground ideally)

1 handful basil, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 handfuls spinach

1 bag of mozarella

Cheddar, cubed

Preheat oven to 350. 

So you start off by sautéing the garlic in a large saucepan, however do not let it brown as that kills off the yummy aromatic garlic taste. Do this on medium heat so as not to burn it. Add the diced tomatoes and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add half of the bottle of puréed tomatoes and let simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (I hate burned gunk at the bottom of my pot!). Throw in a heaping handful of minced basil and spinach and salt and pepper, and again, let the sauce simmer, really for however you like. The longer the simmer the better the taste! Make sure however, the spinach is wilted.

Meanwhile, brown all of the sausage in a frying pan. Drain the oily juices and put it in the simmering sauce.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook the penne very al dente as it will be going in the oven.

In a 9x13 pyrex dish, spread a layer of the tomato sauce.

Pour the remaining sauce in the strained pasta, throw in the cubed cheddar and mix it all up. 

Make a layer of pasta, then a layer of mozzarella, and repeat until the final layer is mozzarella.

Put in the oven, and cook until bubbling and brown on top - typically 45 minutes.

This is an absolute favourite of mine and takes only about an hour to make. 

Bon appetit!

Grilled Octopus Salad

My takes on a couple of recipes with my own twist. Because my twist is awesome.

Grilled Octopus Salad

Baby octopus, cleaned (ask your fishmonger how much you need per person) 

1/2 cup olive oil (for cooking)
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely minced
1 red chilli, finely chopped, seeds removed
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved 

1/2 cup (125ml)  extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)
Balsamic vinegar to taste (preferably a sweet, syrupy one used sparingly)
Red onion, minced
Arugula

Capers 

Parmesan

Baguette, sliced

Boil octopus for an hour, or until you can smoothly run a fork through it. When tender, place in bowl and cool in fridge. Once cool, combine octopus, cooking olive oil, garlic, and chilli in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for an hour to marinate.

Heat a frying pan on medium high. Drain octopus, reserving marinade. Cook for 10 minutes, brushing frequently with marinade, until octopus curls and turns dark red. This indicates octopus is ready.

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, onion, and capers with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a serving bowl. Slice octopus and toss through salad while still warm. Gently stir in the arugula leaves and shave Parmesan over salad. Mop up excess vinaigrette with crust bread. 

Serve poached bear on the side. YUM.

Farmhouse Tavern - The Junction

All I can say is Heart Attack.

My cholesterol levels were like mercury on a hot day.

My heart was nearing embolism point.

My belly needed extra stretchy pants.

My appetite was sated and satisfied.

And on my face was a painful smile.

Located on the cusp of the quickly developing Junction area, Farmhouse Tavern is an absolute carnivores delight.

I was fortunate enough to know our server, though the upbeat, vivacious environment was ideal for friend or stranger.

Obviously, being brunch, my friend and I started with Ceasars - an absolute brunch staple. 

This Ceasar however, was like something out of a dream. Straight out of the dreams of booze induced sleep.

Not only was mine garnished with a whistle (?) - just in case I started to run low! - it had a smoked oyster wrapped in a mandolin-thin slice of cucumber. Nothing beats oysters in the morning!

Now for the coup de grace... my friend ordered the Ploughman's platter while I decided to live on the edge and order the ironically named Mother and Child's Reunion.

The latter was two deep fried poached duck eggs with a side of candied duck prosciutto. This wonderful reunion of Big Quack and Little Quack was absolutely sinful and immediately made my arteries shut down.

Unfortunately for my waistline, I was eyeing the board of charcuterie across from me with great gourmandise.

The platter consisted of cracklin (the equivalent of pork rinds), soft unpasteurized cheese, blue cheese, pork belly, a twist on traditional bacon, pickled veggies, two varieties of delicious mustard, and my absolute favourite, smoked trout garnished with roe (another Mother and Child Reunion!), and fried buttery bread to sop it all up.

 My brunch partner was kind enough to share his aptly named Ploughman's Platter which left both of us fat, full, and farmhouse happy.

With its emphasis on rural Ontario fare, this place was memorable for its delicious flavours, adventurous combinations, and modern take on brunch classics.

BIG THUMBS UP and will definitely be going back to this one. Yum.

Khao San Road - Entertainment District

Named after Bangkok’s notorious Khao San Road, a bustling street lined with food vendors and the mecca of drunken partying for backpackers, this restaurant lives up to its sprightly precedent.

A friend and I were pale with hunger after watching Tarantino's three hour long Django, and were not digging the local grub digs around the ScotiaBank Theatre.

It was nearly 10 o'clock when Paloma remembered that Khao San Road was just around the corner. When confronted with the local options of Hooters, dirty Shawarma shack, or a new Thai experience, the latter obviously won the draw.

Unfortunately when we walked in, the host advised us we'd arrived a minute too late and they were just closing up. This stood in stark contrast to a restaurant seemingly at capacity, where one could hardly hear themselves think. He turned back and eyed us again, and asked us to hold on a second and he'd "see what he could do".

To our stomachs great relief, he ushered us to a table near the kitchen (where I am sure we were getting begrudging death stares from the kitchen staff). We both ordered the Red Curry and a glass of Kim Crawford.

By the time the food came I was on my second glass and was feeling quite libatious. The smells of sweet spices and coconut milk intoxicated me even more and my tummy was rumbling with anticipation. The curry was fantastically perfect - in fact, it reminded me of the red curry I make at home (which I am proud to say is Awesome). It was served with a piping hot bowl of steamed rice and was so creamy I could die. There was a weird zucchini in it however, whose texture did not totally agree with me, but I managed to pick around it quite easily.

I will admit to having consumer my fair share of wine which curbed my appetite a little, however the serving was quite generous. I put my fork down sated and satisfied.

Our server was a jokester and full of energy. He came by and offered me some chocolate from his personal collection which I found endearing and sweet. I declined on account of my current obese state, but was impressed by the overall service of the evening.

When we went up to pay, a portly gentleman asked me how my meal was. In a very coy and almost deliberate way, he was reticent in telling me what his position was at the restaurant. My deduction was correct in thinking he was one of the owners.

Chatted with him (Monty) for a good 15 minutes and then we were on our merry ways.

Real feel good place and delicious taste. Big thumbs up.

326 Adelaide Street W

Wine and Molasses Braised Beef

So this is fantastic. I based it off of a recipe I foung on http://www.westerncampservices.com/chefs-corner/recipe/molasses-and-red-wine-braised-short-rib/ , however I tweaked it a little as I like to do things MY way!

Ingredients:

• 4 meaty beef short ribs, cut individually
• 3 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped/minced
• 2 shallots, finely chopped, minced
• 2 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup molasses
• fresh thyme, minced
• fresh rosemary, minced
• fresh parsley, minced
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• salt and pepper for seasoning

*for carrots and celery, I typically cut them into threes lengthwise, then dice them to get the smallest chop so they don't overwhelm each beefy bite.

 Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season short ribs with salt and pepper, and seer in olive oil in a large sauce pan. Once browned, set aside.

Sauté the mirepoix (carrot, onion and celery) on medium high heat in the same pot as the short ribs. Add extra olive oil if necessary.

Add tomato paste, anchovies, and herbs and let mixture brown.

Deglaze the pot with the wine and beef stock.

Add the molasses and simmer.

Throw the short ribs into the pot after a couple of minutes and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.

Transfer to a dutch oven or similar oven-friendly container that will allow the ribs to bee almost completely submerged.

Cook in the oven for 4-6 hours, occasionally stirring and pouring the jus over the exposed short ribs. Can be made 2 days in advance.

Strain the liquid and reduce by half.

Serve short ribs over polenta with reduced sauce.

Et voila!

H.

Pho Hung - China Town

I honestly felt ill after eating here.

I was feeling a little coldy so was looking for a hot and spicy soup, which logically brought Pho to mind. I asked a knowledgeable friend, and he suggested Pho Hung. 

I typically like to order whatever is a little more unusual on the menu so my Pho Choice was rare beef, tendon, and tripe. I should have been forewarned. 

Not only did the soup taste like old body parts, the sinewy texture of the tendon (or tripe - I frankly could not distinguish the two) absolutely was like chewing the eraser on a pencil. MMMM. 

The saving grace were the deep fried egg rolls which were actually quite delicious.

Ultimately, the formidable pho (see what I did there?) shrouded any salvageable degree of positivity. 

DO NOT EAT HERE unless what I described above is what you are into. Then, by all means - Bon Appetit!