Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

We like to visit the Distillery District in Toronto Ontario. SOMA Chocolates has a store there and their premium products are all tempting. I love the chocolate shortbreads which are made with a few basic ingredients including criollo cocoa.
I had some premium Callebaut cocoa at home which has a more intense, dark chocolate flavour so these cookies are not the same as SOMA's. These are delicious and easy to make. I modified a recipe found here.



Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb salted butter
• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 cup good quality cocoa
• 1-1/2 cups unbleached flour

Method:

Place butter in a food processor and process until it is light and well aerated. Add sugar and process for a couple of minutes until fluffy. Stir cocoa and flour together and add to butter/sugar mixture. Process until the dough comes together. (You can do this by hand if your want but mix well!)

Divide dough in half. Roll into a log (round or square) and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This is an essential step or the cookies will spread when baked. I made a roll about one inch in diameter as I wanted the cookies to be small. 

Heat oven to 325F. Slice cookies 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick and place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake for 17-20 minutes. I found it easier to let the cookies set on the sheet as they are fragile when hot. You can carefully remove them to a rack with a spatula to cool. 

I don't know how many cookies this recipe made as we ate the ones that broke.  

Curried Peas and Tofu with Mushrooms

We have tried a number of salads and entrées from Farm Boy's take out selection. Their pea and tofu curry is delicious and I have recreated it at home. Served over rice, it is a fast and easy supper.
The ingredient list and proportions are approximate. I buy small cubed packages of extra firm tofu as the rectangular blocks are too large for our family. Use 1/2 of a larger rectangular block of tofu.


Ingredients:

1-2 tbsp olive oil or veggie broth
2 cooking onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2-3 cups frozen peas
6-8 oz extra firm tofu diced in small cubes
1/2 tin coconut milk (200 ml or 3/4 c)


1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp garam masala
cayenne pepper to taste
salt and pepper to taste


Heat oil in a wok or 2 litre pot and cook onions and garlic until softened. Add the sliced mushrooms and cubed tofu along with the spices. Cook, stirring often until mushrooms are done and spices are well mixed. Add frozen peas and coconut milk. Simmer until peas are thawed. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Like any curry dish, this is even better the next day

Serve over brown or white rice

Non-alcohol Glühwein

We paid $9 for a bottle of alcohol-free Glühwein at the local Christkindl Market this month. It was delicious but a bit on the sweet side for my taste.

I looked for a recipe that was similar and tried a couple of online recommendations. This drink is similar to Mexican Christmas Punch without the added fruit. It is best when warm but is also good when chilled.

Here is a basic recipe that can be modified in many ways by changing the juice and spices.

• 4 cups unsweetened 100% juice such as grape, cranberry blends, or apple cider
• 2 cups tea- black, hibiscus, or other
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp cloves
• 4-5 cardamon seeds, lightly crushed
• allspice seed, crushed
• freshly grated nutmeg
• rind and juice of one orange- peel the rind off the fruit with a sharp knife
• rind and juice of one lemon
• 2 tbsp sugar if desired (I didn't add sugar)

Put all ingredients in a 2 litre pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Do not boil. Strain and serve.

Lentil Tourtière

Tourtière is a traditional savoury Christmas pie. There are many variations and the meat version we use is found here. I made this vegetarian pie today and it turned out very well. It was similar in taste and texture to the vegetable samosas we buy at the local Indian market.

Served with chutney, pickled beets and stir fried vegetables

1 double pie crust

4 cups cooked brown lentils
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 chopped onion (cooked)

1-2 cloves of garlic (cooked)
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cloves

¼ tsp. allspice

½ tsp. cumin

other seasonings to taste- sage, thyme, ginger, dash of turmeric

Salt,  pepper

Cook lentils until soft or used canned lentils. Dice the onion and garlic and cook until softened in a little oil.

Boil 1-2 large potatoes in water until soft.

Mash lentils and potatoes together leaving some chunky pieces. Add onions and seasonings. Adjust spices to your preference. We like lots of spice in our food. I added a little more potato to make the ingredients stick together well.

Roll out pastry. Line the bottom of a 9" pie plate with pastry. Add filling and cover the top with pastry.

Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F and cook for another 30-40 minutes until crust is nicely browned. 

All Butter Pie Pastry

This makes enough for 1 double crust pie or 2 single crust pies

1/2 cup cold salted butter, cut in cubes
1-1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup ice water

Combine butter and flour in food processor until it is well blended and the consistency of coarse salt.
Slowly add 1/4 ice water- process until it comes together in a ball.

Chill if you are not using it right away. This pastry is very easy to work with.