Braised cabbage and maple syrup....?

So, say someone had a fridge full of Thanksgiving leftovers. And say, that person woke up one morning and wanted some pumpkin pie for breakfast. And then... say that person really wanted to "balance out" their pumpkin pie breakfast (which came complete with whipped cream and maple syrup), that person might just decide that braised cabbage and apple would be the perfect foil, and whack a scoop onto their not yet licked clean plate that held the pumpkin pie. And you know what that person would have found out? That the smears of maple syrup leftover from the pie went perfectly and deliciously with the braised cabbage! Yum yum yum yum yum!


(and then that person might just google this combination and find out she is not the first person in the world to figure this out. Oh well, if you didn't know about it, try it out - tonight! And if you don't have any maple syrup on hand? Let me know and I will send you some!)

(upon reflection, it should be pretty obvious. When is it not appropriate to add maple syrup to something? Obviously I have learnt nothing in Canada.......)

Canadian Thanksgiving! (l'Action de grâce)

It was Canadian Thanksgiving on Monday the 11th October and we hosted a dinner for friends on the Saturday night prior.

On the menu:

Roast boneless legs of Quebec lamb

marinated in a mixture of garlic, rosemary and lemon

(This was partly a nod to Australia and partly because many of our guests were going to be eating turkey on Sunday or Monday)





Roasted cauliflower

Roasted brussel sprouts with fennel pancetta and hazelnuts

Potatoes cooked in bay-infused milk (thanks for the tip H!)

The potatoes were a highlight for me, mainly because I was a little skeptical of the style of cooking - you saute the potatoes in butter first, then simmer then in milk. It seems counter-intuitive and you think 'why would you simmer something that you have made golden and slightly crisp?', but it really works and they are delicious! I am thinking about other vegetables I could try with this method and what other liquids I could simmer them in (Parsnips in milk, yes! Carrots in orange juice? Maybe....!) 

Braised red cabbage with onions and apples (again, H's tip!)

Fresh herb sauce with mustard, rosemary and mint

(no photos of all the sides unfortunately, everything was go, go, go once the lamb was ready)

and...... the whole reason for hosting the dinner

Pumpkin Pie!

(a silky smooth version from Smitten Kitchen)

Served with maple syrup and whipped cream, oh so delicious!! I made this last year and won a few fans, it is definitely the best version I have tasted. The secret to this pie is that you pass the filling through a sieve, which takes out any coarseness or stringiness left over from the pumpkin. It also means that it actually works better with canned pure pumpkin puree (not the pre-seasoned pumpkin pie filling, not freshly made pumpkin puree), which makes preparation even easier. And though I forgot to take a picture, please know that I baked four of these babies, just because "leftovers are mandatory!"

It was a fantastic night! Though Thanksgiving is not a holiday that I feel a strong connection with (although I guess I am thankful for the harvest, since you can probably tell, I am in it for the food!) it was a lovely reminder of how thankful I am that my life in Montreal is as wonderful as it is!