Smoked Sausage, Shredded Cabbage and White Beans in a Tomato Broth

Adam had his operation this morning and it looks like soup's up until he gets his strength back.  He's weak and vulnerable - so tonight I made him a comforting Smoked Sausage, Shredded Cabbage and White Bean soup.  This soup is easy on the stomach, filling, and the Smoked Sausage makes it so good--no one would suspect that this was my "I'm sorry you needed to have surgery and I understand that you need to build your strength, so I made you this Recovery Meal."

Ingredients

* 4 sliced Mennonite Smoked Farmer's Sausage or your favorite Smoked Sausage

* 1 can of White beans- drained and rinsed

* 1-2 cups sliced Cabbage

* 1 can of Plum/Diced/Pressed Tomatoes or a container or your favorite Tomato soup

* 1-2 cups Chicken Broth 

* Favorite Spices to taste

* Fresh Parsley

Preparation

Add Sausage to Wok on medium-high heat (no oil necessary). Cook for until Sausages turn slightly golden. Add Beans. Add Tomatoes (if using whole tomatoes--make sure you crush the tomatoes in the pot). Let cook for a minute. Add Broth, Cabbage and desired Spices. You should taste as you cook. Cover with lid and simmer until cabbage is soft.  Garnish with fresh Parsley.

Feeling Crabby

There's nothing to boiling Crab--you just put a pot of water to boil and you slide in the Crab. The thing is not until last weekend--I've never boiled a Crab before. Stir-fry? Ok. Steam? Ok. Boil? Not so much, and after last weekend I think I'll stick with the first two methods.  What's the problem? Um, lets start with how about the Crabs kick the pot while they are boiling to death. It's a little weird--for a first time killers (moths don't count).  Second, boiling boils out the natural sweetness of the Crab meat. Third--you need a big-ass pot to boil more than two Dungeness Crabs at a time. Fourth, you need Seinfield's Man-Hands to break a nice 2 lbs crab in half.

I much rather prefer having my Fish Monger to chop my Crabs and cooking within the hour, thank you. Want to try out my Steamed Crab recipe? It brings out the sweetness of the Crab with sesame oil, ginger and scallions. Check it out:

Ginger and Scallion Crab Recipe

Mussels Night

Last weekend was cold, rainy and uninspiring. What a better reason to get together with your closest friends to gather around the table for Mussels and a drink or two (or eight). Costco has the best deal for Mussels--they are sold in 6 pound packs for $11 +/- and they are already de-bearded. All you need to do is give the Mussels a scrub, discard open shells and away we go:

Mussels in a Chipotle Tomato Broth  

Ingredients

* Handful of Chopped Bacon, Chorizo and Onions
* 1 Can of crushed Tomatoes
* 2 lbs of Mussels 

* Chipotle to taste

* Salt and Pepper to taste

* Pot with tight fitting lid

Preparation

In a large pot add Bacon and Chorizo on medium-high heat. When the Bacon and Chorizo has rendered some fat add Onions. When Onions soften add Tomatoes. Bring to a simmer.  Add a dash of Chipotle, Salt and Pepper. Taste and add more to broth as desired. Add Mussels. Close lid. After 3-5 minutes stir pot. Cook until the majority of shells have opened. Discard closed shells and serve immediately with crusty bread or fries.

Mussels with White Wine and Dill

Ingredients

* Handful of Chopped Bacon and Onions 

* 1 cup of White Wine (any will do--just make sure it's good enough to drink)

* 2 lbs of Mussels 

* Dill to taste

* Salt and Pepper to taste

* Pot with tight fitting lid

Preparation

In a large pot add Bacon on medium-high heat. When the Bacon has rendered some fat add Onions. When Onions soften add Mussels and Wine. Bring to a simmer.  Add a dash of Dill, Salt and Pepper. Close lid. After 3-5 minutes stir pot. Taste and add more spices to broth as desired. Cook until the majority of shells have opened. Discard closed shells and serve immediately with crusty bread or fries.

Mussels with Pernod and Bacon

Ingredients

* Handful of Chopped Bacon and Onions 

* 2 lbs of Mussels 

* 1 cup of Pernod (A Fennel like liquor)

* Salt and Pepper to taste

* Pot with tight fitting lid

Preparation

In a large pot add Bacon on medium-high heat. When the Bacon has rendered some fat add Onions. When Onions soften add Mussels and Pernod. Bring to a simmer.  Add a dash Salt and Pepper. Close lid. Taste and add more to broth as desired. After 3-5 minutes stir pot. Cook until the majority of shells have opened. Discard closed shells and serve immediately with crusty bread or fries.

Restaurant Review: Peaceful Restaurant

Adam and I occasionally go to the Peaceful Restaurant on Broadway - it's cheap and cheerful and it's the only place in Vancouver that we've found good Kung Bao Gee Ding and Beef Rolls.

Beef Rolls

The service is sometimes questionable though; the last time we were at the Broadway location Adam ordered white rice and got purple rice instead. And when he mentioned this to the waitress--she had no apologies and simply said: "You eat it--you'll like it." That being said, of course Adam refused to eat the purple rice and bitch please, if we wanted to be ignored for most of the meal but still told what to eat--I can eat with my Parents.

The other night, I decided to treat myself to the new Peaceful Restaurant location on Davie Street. The service was no different from my experiences in the Broadway location. And the food--eh, I see Peaceful on the same line as McDonalds: all the crowd pleasers are on the menu--some are hits and some are misses, it's cheap, it's fast and you could do most of the dishes better yourself but when you're hungry and it's there you drop in.

Beef Noodle Soup

Where to Spend $6 or less on Lunch in Downtown Vancouver

I am against paying $8+ for a sandwich let alone for lunch. Fuck that shit. I can't afford that and if You can--that's great, You made it! But for the rest of us I've found some places in Downtown Vancouver that even I can afford and still not have to commit carbicide:

1) Well Tea- Minced Meat Sauce on Noodles $4.75
2) Spin Roll (no website) Sushi located on 535 West Pender Street
3) Zero Sushi (no website) 559 West Pender Street- Udon comes in various sizes
4) East Fusion- shrimp dumplings noodle soup (dine in only) $3.99

Meals of Note

As I mentioned in my earlier post--I've been enjoying a lot of nice meals--I just haven't had the time to post. I've got lots of food porn though and here's a round up of what you've been missing.

Fine Cheeses and Homemade Jams 

Roasted Venison

Roasted Pork

Yuka Root with Duck Fat

Lamb

Elk

Duck Breast

Deep Fried Turkey

Canadian Tired

Yes, it's been a long time since September and I've done a lot, cooked a lot and eaten a lot but I haven't posted.  I don't know what the hold up was-a struggle between eat to live and not live to eat perhaps. Or more likely--since I live in fucking Rain-City Vancouver--I was trying to live up the good weather. Now it's mid-winter and it's rainrainrain.

(sigh)

Hello, blog--yes, this is a relationship of convenience and I'm back.