Cast Iron Pan Potato Latkes

By Natalie

Inspired and adapted from recipes in the Cooking With Style cookbook as well as Jacques Pepin. 

This terrific method of preparing potato latkes for cast iron pan frying discards the laborious task of shredding or grating potato in favour of using a blender. You then ladle the batter into a hot cast iron pan to be fried to crispy, delicious perfection.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion quartered
3 potatoes diced
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. dry dill
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In a blender combine all the ingredients and blend them thoroughly for about 30 seconds. You may have to periodically stop the blender and push potato chunks down with a wooden spoon to get the process going.

Blend to the point where it has become a somewhat grainy not completely smooth batter.

Heat a combination of canola oil and butter in a cast iron pan to medium high and ladle in some of the batter to form small pancakes.

Fry until nice and golden, 2-3 minutes, and then flip and fry again on the other side.

When nice and golden remove to a platter and let sit for a minute or two then serve with bacon, sour cream, apple sauce, hot sauce or whatever else you like your latkes with!

Enjoy.

Kimchi Soup

By Natalie 

This is a very satisfying, hot, spicy soup experience. Its a quick version, inspired by more complex soups and stews like kimchi-jjigae.  I really adore kimchi, which is a traditional Korean side dish often made by fermenting napa cabbage or other vegetables.

I find this soup is especially good if one is feeling under  the weather.

Ingredients:

Couple of slices of a fatty ham,cubed (optional, remove if you wish to make the soup vegetarian)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 TB grated ginger (optional, can be strong. leave out if you like)
2 TBs soy sauce
1 TSP toasted sesame oil
1 TSP fish sauce/Worcestershire
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups kimchi, (a bit older is fine) squeeze out juice and chop
1 TB red pepper flakes
1 TB gochujang
1 cup kimchi juice or how ever much you can squeeze out of the kimchi, even if  its not a full cup.
8 cups water/ broth
1 c chopped scallions

Chop the ham and marinate for a few mins with the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and fish sauce.

Saute ham mixture in a medium/large pot cook for a few mins. Add onion and cook for a few.

Turn heat to medium high and add the kimchi and gochujang. Saute for a couple of minutes.

Add the kimchi juice and the water or brothand bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer and cook for 20 minutes. 

Serve in big bowls with scallions on top. I also like some thin sliced daikon floated  on top, and to add a squeeze of lime.

Art: Auntie Amity

Auntie Amity - Vinyl Acrylic on Miniature Wood Panel by Natalie Lochwin

Click on image to enlarge

(Prints of Natalie's art are available, email theleftchapter@outlook.com for details)

For links to all The Left Chapter's art posts visit our Art Page

Beef Barley Soup w. Kale, Parsley & Carrots

Submitted by Natalie 

A hearty soup is perfect on a cold or rainy fall day and Beef Barley Soup is a classic. This is my take on it with kale, parsley and carrots.

Ingredients: 

Approximately 1 lb of beef cubes
2 carrots cubed
big handful of kale chopped/shredded.
Reserve some extra kale to add at the end, just before serving.
2 onions chopped
3 cloves of  garlic chopped
1 cup pot barley (rinse well several times with cold water)
1 TB fish sauce
2 cubes beef bouillon
1 TB vegeta seasoning
Cayenne pepper, pepper and salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped Parsley
1 tsp cumin
Splash of red wine


To begin, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot to medium-high. Season your beef cubes with salt and pepper to taste and then brown them in pot.

Once browned remove the beef from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot add a bit more oil if needed and saute the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes.

Add the carrots and kale and saute for another 2-3 minutes.

Return beef to the pot. Add more salt and pepper to taste, then add the fish sauce, beef bouillon, vegeta seasoning and a splash of red wine to bring it together. Simmer, stirring constantly, for about a minute.

Add about 4 liters of cold water.

Finally, add the washed barley.

Simmer, covered, for 45 mins or until barley is tender. If you'd like more kale, add 1 C shredded at this point, cook for a few minutes to meld with the soup.

Season with cayenne and a bit more salt and pepper to taste, as needed. Add the parsley to the soup stirring it in.

Serve bowls of the soup garnished with extra parsley if desired. Also nice with some baguette pieces on the side.

Enjoy.

Basil Tomato Pasta Toss

By Natalie 

This is a really nice way to use up any extra fresh basil and tomatoes that you have from the garden or store.

First, prepare half a package of linguine cooked al dente. Liberally salt the cooking water.


Reserve 1 cup of the salted cooking water.

In a wide mouthed pan swirl in about 3 tbsp olive oil. Add 5 cloves of crushed garlic, 1  cup of roughly chopped fresh tomato, 1 small diced onion (or half a regular sized one) and season with a bit of pepper and salt.

Saute the fresh ingredients, slightly mashing down the tomatoes as you go, over medium heat. After a few minutes add the cooked and drained pasta to your pan and sauteed ingredients, adding some cooking water to create a saucy consistency.

Season this to taste and near the very end add a large handful of torn fresh basil and a handful of grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve alongside a bowl of fresh Parmesan, and baguette slices for a quick and delicious pasta side or main.

For all our food posts visit our Food Page. 

Do you have a left point-of-view or opinion, event or petition, a recipe or a story you want to share?

Send them to The Left Chapter via theleftchapter@outlook.com!

Zippy Pickle Soup

Zippy Pickle Soup- Adapted from a Ukrainian Pickle soup that my Dad, Greg used to make

Submitted by Natalie

Ingredients: 

-1 medium onion chopped
-2 carrots grated
-2 cloves of garlic, grated
-few sprigs of fresh or dried thyme
-4 bay leaves
-2 dried sage leaves
-3/4 cup washed pot barley
-1 TB olive oil- may need more
-1 leftover chicken (remove meat, chop and set aside for later) add carcass to simmer in the broth.
- 1 cup pickle juice
-3 full sour dill pickles (fresh from the deli if possible or we like Strubs) chopped.
-1 handful kale (any kind) ribs removed, shredded.
-1 bunch shredded dill (to add at the end of cooking) and for garnish
-1 tsp vegeta seasoning
-1 1/2 cubes chicken stock
-salt, pepper & cayenne pepper to season
-Lemon wedges

Saute the onion and shredded carrot in the olive oil until golden. Add the garlic, add the rinsed pot barley, saute for a few minutes. 

Make this in a fairly large pot, enough to hold approx 5L of water.
Add 5L of water to the simmering barley/veg mixture, add the stock cubes, vegeta, a few dashes of cayenne pepper, and a bit of black pepper. Add the stripped chicken carcass. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove chicken carcass. Remove sprigs of thyme and bay & sage leaves.

Add the pickles and juice, the chopped chicken & shredded kale and a bit more water: 1/4-1/2 cups if the consistency is rather heavy. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Simmer 5-10 mins and add fresh dill, reserving some for garnish. Squeeze a spritz of lemon into individual bowls of soup if a more tart flavour is desired. Serve with buttered, toasted, whole grain bread.

See also: Bread and Garlic Soup

See also: Pepper Goat Soup

In the Round 2016 @ Queen W. Toronto Gallery Graven Feather

The gallery and studio Graven Feather on Queen St. W. in Toronto has an annual show called 'In the Round' where local artists design and create at least three original pieces of work all of which has to be done within the context of a small (6") circular piece of wood.


These works can be three dimensional or open up outside of the boundaries of the original space, but they must emanate from it.

They have been holding this show for four years now and the diversity of art and technique that it produces is amazing.

As in past years, a wide array of local artists with a myriad of different styles participated. This year there were over 150. (Much, though not all, of the work is available for purchase for $65 +HST ea.) each.

Among these artists was Natalie Lochwin whose art we have featured on The Left Chapter many times in the past.

We visited the show which is continuing for another week until next Sunday, November 27.

(Click on images to enlarge)

Natalie Lochwin's Three Pieces in the Show

Graven Feather is located at 906 Queen St. W. just east of Shaw St. The show is on until November 27, and the gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday 12-6 pm and Sunday 12-5.

Their website can be found at gravenfeather.ca