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Home Cooking: A Great Social Distancing Alternative

March 26, 2020

The Covent Garden Market has now been closed for a week, and with most people at home doing their best to social distance, deciding what's for dinner can be... challenging. Most of my favourite local restaurants are still open and thankfully offering pick-up and delivery, but for those of us who don't have that as an option, need to stay home completely, or want to switch things up, cooking from home is a great option! Cooking from home can be a challenge if this is something you don't normally do, but give it a try, and you'll be delightfully surprised! Normally at our weekly Farmers' Markets, we have professional chefs come in to teach cooking classes and over time, we've been able to compile quite the list of recipes. I've shared three favourites below, but make sure to head to our website for more. There are also lots of great ideas and recipes online, or dig out that cookbook at the back of your drawer!

Creamy Squash and Mushroom Risotto ~ Recipe by Anna Carroll

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  • 1/2 onion, 2 shallots, or 1 leek, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cups of squash, small diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Thyme or sage finely chopped
  • 1 lb mixed mushrooms
  • 3 cups arborio rice
  • 2 L vegetable stock, simmering
  • 1 cups Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • ½ cup white wine (optional)
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a pot, bring stock to a simmer.
  2. In a heavy-based saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat and add onions and thyme. Cook for a few minutes until soft, but not coloured.
  3. Turn heat up, and add mushrooms. Do not crowd the pan, and cook in batches if necessary.
  4. Cook until mushrooms are brown. Deglaze pan with wine (if using). Remove and set aside.
  5. Add 1 tablespoon of butter. When foaming, add rice and stir to toast for 1-2 minutes.
  6. When rice is translucent, add a ladle of stock and squash to pan. Stir once to submerge rice and let sit until stock has absorbed. Adjust heat so rice and stock are at a gentle simmer. When absorbed, continue to add stock a ladle or two at a time, stirring once each time.
  7. If making ahead, stop when rice is about 75% cooked. The outside of the grains will have begun to soften, but will be chalky inside. Spread rice out on a baking sheet to cool rapidly. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
  8. When ready to cook, add rice mixture, mushrooms, and a couple ladles of stock to a pan over medium heat.
  9. Stir rapidly while agitating the pan. Add butter and continue to stir and add stock until desired consistency is reached and rice is cooked through. Texture should be creamy, not too thick and give some movement on the plate.
  10. Remove from the heat and stir through half the parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and juice. Season to taste and sprinkle with remaining cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Miso Glazed Fish with Root Vegetables ~ Recipe by Kimi Abdullah

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 salmon filet (about 1.5 lbs), rinsed and dried
  • 1/3 cup white miso paste
  • 1/4 cup mirin
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 cup carrot, about 2-3
  • 1 cup parsnip, about 2-3
  • 1 cup beets, about 1-2
  • 1 fennel bulb, medium
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 green onion, finely sliced
  • 2 tsp roasted sesame seeds
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and parchment.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk miso, mirin, soy sauce, brown sugar and 1 tbsp of fresh ginger.
  3. Place salmon on a baking sheet and coat with half of miso mixture.
  4. Toss vegetables with sesame oil and remaining ginger. Arrange evenly on the baking sheet around the fish. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
  6. Serve sprinkled with green onion and roasted sesame seeds, and with remaining miso mixture.

Ginger-Coconut Chicken Curry ~ Recipe by Ankita Vaidya

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 2 tsp garlic, grated
  • 2 tbsp ginger grated
  • 1/2 cup shallots, diced
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • Chicken curry masala spice
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 5 cloves
  • 1-inch piece cinnamon
  • 3-4 green cardamom pops
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 240 ml coconut milk
  • Himalayan pink salt
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 2 cups green peas
  • Cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

  1. Take ground chicken in a clean bowl. Add salt, grated ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, cayenne powder, and chicken curry masala. Mix well. Set aside for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a pan, heat some oil. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorn, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick. Add diced shallots and saute till they turn golden brown.
  3. Then add marinated ground chicken and carrots. Saute for 5 minutes. Keep mixing till the chicken is evenly mixed in with other ingredients.
  4. Add coconut milk. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
  5. Add 2 cups peas and turn the heat off.
  6. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
  7. Serve with a piece of nan or steamed rice.
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