Every once in a great while life hands you a chance to live a dream, if you’re brave enough to take it. Three years ago, when Liz Rowe walked into my life and said, “I heard you’re the person I should talk to about opening an Italian restaurant”, I had just started to find my groove as a retired entrepreneur.
All my adult life, I had dreamed of owning a little Italian trattoria. It would have been my next step after I sold Sister’s Italian Food had I not gone into politics. By the time my public service was done, I no longer had a fire in my belly for the long grueling hours of owning a restaurant. Ralph and I had bought our farm and were knee deep into the farmhouse renovation. I was perfectly contented and yet when Liz asked, I agreed.
I have had the time of my life. It was everything I’d thought it would be: creative, collaborative, frustrating, grueling, exhilarating and deeply deeply gratifying. I found strength of character in myself that I didn’t know existed. My gratitude, for the faith that Liz and Gord put in me, kept me focused on excellence. I wanted their restaurant to be a success. It is.
This past Saturday, I resigned.
Liz said she always knew it was never a matter of “if” but rather “when”. It’s time. There are things that I’ve been putting off. We’d made each other’s dream come true. She has her restaurant and I helped her.
In her lovely generous way, she said to me, “I can’t wait to see what you do next.”
I thought to myself, how blessed am I.
Orange Curd Granola Parfait
orange curd
granola
plain thick Greek yogurt if you refer something a little sweeter substitute whipped cream
candied orange peel
Recipes follow:
Orange Curd adapted from Martha Stewart
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
Zest of 2 orange
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
THE STEPS
Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Place over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a heat-proof spatula until the mixture is thick – 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat.
Add salt and butter, one piece at a time, whisking until smooth.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate until chilled and very firm, at least 2 hours.
Homemade Granola – with permission from The Culinary Chase
Makes 6 cups
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (preferably organic)
1 cup coconut chips
1/2 cup sprouted raw unsalted sunflower seeds (unsalted if sprouted not available)
1/2 cup sprouted raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup pecan halves, broken (can use almonds)
1/2 cup naturally dried cranberries (or other favourite dried fruit)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
THE STEPS
Preheat oven to 350f (180c).
In a large bowl combine oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pecan halves and salt.
In a small bowl mix honey, maple syrup and olive oil with the cinnamon.
Pour this over the oat mixture and stir until all ingredients are well coated.
Place on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake in the oven 20 minutes.
Halfway through cooking stir, and bake for the remaining time.
Keep an eye on it as you don’t want the oats to brown too much.
Remove from oven, add dried cranberries and stir.
Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.
If you don’t want to make the candied garnish, use a little freshly grated orange zest!
Candied Orange Peel posted on bite
makes 2 1/2 lb
12 oranges, washed
6 cups sugar
6 cups water
2 drops each red and yellow food color [optional]
a candy thermometer
THE STEPS
Using a very sharp vegetable peeler, remove peel from oranges with as little pith as possible
Cut peel lengthwise into 1/3 inch wide strips.
BLANCHING
Place peel in a deep heavy pot. Cover with cold water by 1 inch and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Drain in colander.
Repeat blanching 2 more times.
Cover peel once more with cold water and simmer until skin is tender – 30 minutes – drain in colander.
Return pot to stove and add 6 cups of water and 6 cups of sugar.
Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Add food color and boil syrup without stirring until it reaches 220*F on the candy thermometer – about 30 minutes.
Add drained peel and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes or until translucent.
Remove from heat and let peel stand in syrup 24 hours, at room temperature.
DRYING
Place large metal cooling rack on newspaper, waxed paper or parchment paper to catch drips
Lift peel from syrup with tongs and spread out on rack.
Leave for 24 hours or until syrup has crystallised.
Spread 1 cup sugar on a plate
Top with a handful of peel then toss in the sugar until it’s well coated. Add more sugar if necessary.
Leave to dry 1 hour
The peel will keep for 3 months in a well sealed container layered between pieces of wax paper or in glass jars with tightly fitted lids.
To assemble the parfaits:
Place orange curd in the bottom of clear serving dishes – small mason jars would be adorable!
Top with ¼ cup homemade granola
Finish with a big dollop of plain thick Greek yoghurt.
Garnish with candied orange peel.
click printable recipe
one year ago: doughboys
two years ago: white bean mash
Thanks for reading.
Filed under: puddings/mousses and custards Tagged: candied orange peel, chilled desserts, food, gluten-free, granola, life, orange curd, parfait, recipes