Poached Eggs 水波蛋

*This was a post that first appeared in my prior blog, 2 Sisters et 1 Cat

This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy eggs, and I'm about to share with you a quick way to impress someone on this Valentine's Day! Those of you who are easily intimidated by those two words - poached eggs, don't let yourself believe that you can only enjoy it in restaurants. You just need to know a few things before you start. 

The French Garnishes: Sautéed Mushrooms In Butter & Caramelized Pearl Onions 奶油炒蘑菇與焦糖小洋蔥

Very often in French comfort food, like Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew In red wine), Coq au Vin (chicken in red wine), Poulet Roti (roasted chicken), etc., you will see mushrooms and pearl onions among the ingredients. You might think that all the vegetables were cooked together, but in fact it's not what it appears; they're actually supposed to be cooked separately! Some of the ingredients such as the onions and celery are typically discarded after cooking, since they tend to get mushy. Once the sauce of the dish is ready, this is when you add the garnishes with everything else before serving.

I love how in French cuisine you add garnishes to have the right texture. It's more work, more time, and even a little wasteful, but to me, that is the art and beauty of the classic French cooking - everything is cooked to perfection. Here, I'll show you how to make two of the most classic garnishes: sauteed mushrooms in butter and caramelized pearl onions. You can even make them ahead of time and just add them to your dish before reheating!

Homemade Whole Wheat Dumpling Wrappers 全麥水餃皮

 

Despite that my mom always made her own dumplings when I was growing up, she has actually never tried to make her own dumpling wrappers. Can't say that I blame her, since in Taiwan you can easily buy very good homemade dumpling wrappers from farmer's markets. They're fresh, soft, and chewy. I used to love the feel of it when I helped my mom make dumplings.

Nowadays, you can buy dumpling wrappers almost anywhere, even in a small place like Quebec! But homemade ones like the one my mom buys? Nope, not unless you live in Asia. A traditional dumpling wrapper should be made with just flour, water and salt. Sadly, if you look at the store bought ones, some of them have preservatives or other chemicals added. 

Simple Home Canning 自製罐頭

Canning is one of the ways you can preserve food for the winter. I do that a lot here since the winter is so long, and I like seeing some of my favorite summer/fall vegetables and fruits sitting on top of my pantry shelves throughout the winter. To me, the best reason to can my own food is that it's a healthier choice and I know what I put in there. Especially nowadays when there are so many food recalls, you just never know what the real ingredients in the can or jars you buy from supermarket shelves. Also, it's a fun food project and it enables you to share your canned-love with friends and family.