THE SHABBAT TABLE – LET’S “CELEBR-EAT” FOOD DAY CANADA!

(Wikimedia Commons photo)

Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom! Since August 4th is Food Day Canada, let’s put some Canada on the menu. Do your part and shop like a Canadian, cook like a Canadian, and eat like a Canadian! Celebrate your Canadian spirit and enjoy Canadian-grown, Canadian-made food. Here are some of my favourite dishes that have a Canadian connection. Enjoy!

GARLIC “SPARERIB” SAUCE

This is my version of a very popular bottled Chinese sauce sold only in Canada that is used for spareribs and chicken. It’s easy, inexpensive, and delicious. Recipe can be doubled easily.

 

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 Tbsp molasses

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp cold water or orange juice

Dash red pepper flakes, optional

 

  1. Combine soy sauce, water, brown sugar, molasses, and garlic in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil.
  2. Dissolve cornstarch in water or orange juice. Add to sauce and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until thick, stirring often. Add red pepper flakes, if desired.
  3. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Use for chicken, meatballs, fish, tofu, or vegetables.

Makes about 1 cup. Sauce keeps about a month in the refrigerator.

HONEY GARLIC SAUCE: Prepare above sauce, but use only 1/4 cup brown sugar and add 2 Tbsp honey.

 

MONTREAL-STYLE BAGELS

 In contrast to Toronto bagels, Montreal bagels are smaller, thinner, sweeter, and denser, with a larger hole. They are hand-rolled, boiled in honey-sweetened water, then baked in a wood-fired oven, resulting in a somewhat chewy, slightly sweet bagel. Top your bagel with a shmear of cream cheese pile on the lox (smoked salmon), either BC or Atlantic!

 

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup warm water (about 110 F)

1 pkg active dry yeast

4 1/2 – 5 cups all-purpose or bread flour

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp honey

3/4 cup lukewarm water

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 egg

6 cups water (for boiling the bagels)

3 Tbsp additional honey

1/3 –1/2 cup sesame or poppy seeds

 

  1. Dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over water. Let stand for 8–10 minutes. Stir to dissolve. Reserve about 1 cup flour and sprinkle it on the countertop. In a large bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups of the flour, salt, sugar, honey, and dissolved yeast mixture. Add 3/4 cup lukewarm water, oil, and egg. Mix well to make a soft dough, about 5 minutes by hand. If dough is sticky, add a little extra flour as needed.
  2. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and blistered, gradually adding flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking, about 10 minutes. Cover dough with a towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Divide dough into 14 or 15 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope. Shape each one into a bagel by joining ends to form a ring. Pinch well to seal. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a large pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Stir in honey. Reduce heat slightly so water is boiling gently.
  5. Drop 3 to 4 bagels at a time into the water. Cook for 45 seconds; flip bagels over and cook 45 seconds longer. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and place them on a clean towel to drain. Sprinkle with seeds. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.
  6. Place pans in oven and immediately reduce heat to 425 F. Bake for 12–14 minutes on one side. Turn bagels over and bake 5 minutes longer, until golden and crisp. Let cool.

Yield: 14-15 bagels. Freezes well.

  • Montreal’s best bagels are baked in a wood-fired oven, usually on long wooden boards! You can bake your own directly on a preheated baking or pizza stone (available at kitchenware shops).

Leftover bagels? Make my Lox and Bagel Cheese Strata! It’s an excellent way to use up leftover bagels – or buy day-old bagels so that you can afford the lox. You can also use lox bits and pieces.

READ: THE SHABBAT TABLE – CREATIVE SUMMER SALADS

 

NORENE’S NANAIMO CRUNCH BARS

Adapted from The New Food Processor Bible (Whitecap)

This no-bake dessert is named after the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia on Vancouver Island. It consists of three layers: a wafer and coconut crumb-base, custard flavoured butter icing in the middle, and a layer of chocolate glaze on top. These delicious squares are sure to be a favourite with your family.

 

Base:

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

1 1/2 cups graham wafer crumbs or granola cereal

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

 

Filling:

1/4 cup soft butter or margarine

3 Tbsp milk

2 cups icing sugar

2 Tbsp vanilla pudding powder or custard powder

 

Glaze:

4 4 ounces/125g semisweet chocolate

1 Tbsp butter or margarine

 

For base: In a large, microwavable bowl, microwave butter or margarine on high, until melted, about one minute. Blend in cocoa, sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Microwave, uncovered, for one minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Mixture will resemble custard. Chop nuts on the steel blade with six or eight quick on/off pulses. Add nuts, graham wafer crumbs or granola and coconut to microwaved mixture; stir well. Press evenly into a sprayed nine-inch square pan.

For filling: Process all filling ingredients until well mixed, 15 to 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Spread filling evenly over base. Chill for 15 minutes.

For glaze: Microwave chocolate and butter or margarine on medium (50 per cent) for two to three minutes, until melted, stirring after each minute. Let cool for 10 minutes. Pour glaze over filling. Tilt pan back and forth so that glaze coats evenly. Chill. Cut into squares.

Yield: Two dozen. Freezes well, but cut into squares before freezing.