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Visit my website at
www.jinisethnicgourmet.com
You will find more wonderful recipes there to try out tonight!
Upcoming Events
A POLYNESIAN EVENING
NOVEMBER 24, 2007
7 - 9 p.m.
ECRA CENTRE: 12150 224th St., Maple Ridge
POLYNESIAN DINNER WITH ENTERTAINMENT BY Millennium Player Singers and The Kauhane School of Polynesian Dance
FOR TICKETS PHONE: 604-465-6876
Last year I supported their fund-raising efforts to build houses in Sri Lanka for Tsunami victims. I will still continue to do that.
Looking for a unique Birthday, Anniversary or Christmas gift?
Gift Certificates from Jini's Ethnic Gourmet are always a welcome treat!
They can be used in a Gift Basket with spices and goodies, or cashed for a cooking class or catering for a special event such as birthday, anniversary, romantic evening or just a fun girls' night out!
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Bits & Bites from Jini
Dear friend,
 Fall is here and and it always amazes me how the pace picks up, as everyone wakes up from a summer siesta and plunge into action!
Suddenly there seems to be so much more to do - meetings to attend, kids rushing to school, and before you know it, Thanksgiving rolls around, soon followed by Halloween!
Fall events and travels:
100-Mile dinner:
To promote local eating & supporting local farms.
I was fortunate to participate in the 100-mile dinner put on by our Delta Earthwise Society. (It is based on the 100 mile diet book by Alyssa Smith). It is tougher than you think, to survive on things that grow within a 100 mile radius. We are so used to ship loads and truckloads of our food being transported from far-away places. The biggest challenge is wheat, flour, pasta and rice, besides olive oil and most common spices - even pepper and salt!
However, Chef Robert from Tsawwassen's Beach Grove Golf Club took on the challenge to feed 100 people at a banquet and amazed everyone with the flavor and freshness of the dishes prepared. The BC salmon, free-range turkey, local produce, local cheeses and dairy and Okanagan fruit were all cleverly combined to make a wonderful dinner that called for a standing ovation! I too played a small part preparing the appetizers for this event with local cherry tomatoes stuffed with with a mixture of goat cheese, smoked salmon and basil.
For more information on Earthwise Society: www.drssociety.bc.ca.
Travels - Chicago:
I thoroughly enjoyed my recent trip to Chicago, and was pleasantly surprised by what it had to offer.
It is hard to believe this city completely burned down in the late 1800's, and was re-built around the water tower - the only structure that survived! It is a city with the tallest sky-scrapers with beautiful architecture, all clustered around in the downtown core. The city is vibrant with shopping, art galleries, theatre, classy fine-dining restaurants and jazz bars. It's the only city that I know changes the street décor to match every season and festivity! The city offers a free stop & go trolley service to all the tourist attractions. My only regret is that I could not get to see Oprah! You have to start booking tickets about three months prior to your visit!
Halloween:
Both my husband and daughter take Halloween very seriously... I have learned to live with bats, spiders, spooky figures and blood-stained floors! My husband also gets into the party mode and we have about 50 guests arriving in costumes! We had to warn the neighbours that there will be so many scary ghoulish figures roaming around! Click on the link to see the pictures. (My hubby and I are the Polynesian couple).
Cooking Classes:
 My cooking classes at Delta School Board started off with a bang and full enrolment. I am thrilled to share my love of cooking with such food enthusiasts. This class is signed up for the entire series of 5 classes in "Around the world cooking" and has three couples who like to cook together. Don't you think that makes a great recipe for a happy marriage? This week, we made a Mediterranean chicken, a creamy and smooth squash risotto (real comfort food!), feta-tomato salad, and crème brulee and lo and behold, someone actually licked the bowl! Now isn't that a real compliment to the chef? I wish I had my camera on hand to capture the moment!
The next class is Mexican, followed by Indonesian, Sri Lankan and Thai. This series is full - but there is room in the North Indian cooking class on December 10th. For registration, please call 604/940-5550.
Christmas is just around the corner!
This is my favourite time of the year..when I get to try many new food ideas and recipes and make all the fancy food for others, so they have more time to relax and enjoy with their families and friends.
Jini's Annual Holiday Open House and Victorian Epicure Blow-out Sale!
You are invited to get into the holiday spirit with Jini & friends.
Taste some festive treats ... meet new faces ... sip some mulled wine while you learn some new party food ideas! Your own creations will be more than welcome too along with a can of non-perishable food for the local food bank.
Date: Friday, November 23, 2007
Time: 6pm onwards...
Where: 6129 Brodie Road, Ladner, Delta.
Victorian Epicure
Please note that from now on, I will be taking orders for Victorian Epicure spices and Dips only once a year (before Christmas) in order to service existing customers and friends who love the product. These spices are the next best thing to using fresh herbs... they are made locally on the island, with no preservatives, MSG, salt or sugar added. You can make flavourful meals at home with just a touch of these spices without hours of chopping and grinding! So if you need product for next year, this is the time to get your orders in. I have some on hand for sale - at 10% off with no shipping charges!
Click here for a list of available products or for more information.
Recipes of the Month:
Risotto Alla Zucca
This is a very comforting rice dish that must be cooked slowly by adding the broth, a little at a time in order to achieve a cream consistency. If the liquid is added all at once, it would turn into a pilaf!
| Risotto Alla Zucca |
Ingredients:
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1 small butternut squash(2-3 cups chopped)
2 cups Arborio rice
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
Place stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer on low heat. Keep hot.
Sauté onion with olive oil in a heavy-bottom saucepan until softened.
Add squash and sauté until pieces are well-coated in oil. Saute for 5-10 minutes and add enough hot stock to cook the squash. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. When the squash is soft, add the rice and stir to mix well. Add stock 1/2 cup at a time as necessary to keep rice covered. As soon as the stock is absorbed, add more. Continue to cook stirring constantly and adding more stock as required. After 20 minutes, start tasting the rice for doneness; it should be tender but not mushy. Cook until rice is creamy and the sauce is thick. When rice is cooked, add cheese and season with pepper.
Remove from the heat and keep warm.
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Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Squashes are a great start to eating local. Many varieties are available from farms around BC and are chockfull of beta carotene and natural goodness !
This is one of my many variations of butternut squash soup. This recipe is from Vancouver's renowned chef and restaurant owner John Bishop, from his book "Simply Bishops". He is such an amiable man, I am sure he would not mind my passing this recipe on to you! I love the subtle flavor and creamy consistency of this soup. You can make a large batch of it and freeze small portions for the cold wintery season ahead.
Note: instead of cumin, you could substitute a mild curry powder for a different flavor.
| Risotto Alla Zucca |
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 T. butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 apples, cored, peeled and sliced
1 T. ground cumin
2 cloves minced garlic
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped (about 1 lb)
4 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or orange juice
1 can coconut milk
Salt
Method:
1. Heat olive oil and butter in a soup pot on medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, squash and apple. Cook, stirring gently to coat apple an squash evenly with oil, 2-3 minutes.
2. De-glaze the pan by adding sherry and stirring to loosen the browned bits on the bottom. Add stock. Bring to boil on medium heat, then turn down the heat to low; simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in coconut milk. Remove from the stove and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
3. Puree in blender or food processor until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Pour into a soup pot and reheat gently.
4. To serve, ladle soup into warmed bowls.
4-6 servings.
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Jini's Gift Certificates
Last but not least.. don't wait for the last minute rush for Christmas and the holiday treats...
Gift Certificates from Jini's Ethnic Gourmet are always a welcome treat!
They can be used for a customized cooking class or special dinner for a birthday anniversary or just a romantic evening!
Drop by to say hello and enjoy a glass of delicious mulled cranberry and some delectable treats.
There will be lots of goodies to take home too - like Columbian cookies(Alfahores), Jamaican Rum Cakes, Jini's special baked samosas, tamarind chutney, curry sauce and Victorian Epicure Dips and spices for easy holiday entertaining.
All proceeds from the fund raiser will go towards the village assist Project to build homes for the homeless Tsunami victims in Sri Lanka.
Don't forget that I am available for that special event you need catered or to have some friends over for a special cooking class!
Until next month... happy cooking!
Jini
jini@jinisethnicgourmet.com
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