Pam's Roti, Hot Italian Sausages, Golden Cook Caribbean & more -- The Top 5 Food Posts of 2019

A few days ago we posted our annual review of the top posts of the year (in terms of hits) Fare Evasion Frauds, NDP Debacles, Racism in Canada & more -- 2019 on The Left Chapter. As any regular reader of this blog knows, The Left Chapter also has many food related posts.

This year saw many recipes including some more offbeat ones like The Sputnik -- Salami and Fried Egg Sandwich w. Green Chili Pickle, the Montreal Smoked Meat, Lime Pickle and Avocado Naan Wrap and Spicy Peanut Butter and Dill Pickle Sandwiches.


We continued our always popular vintage cookbook series with posts such as 1941's Wilson's Meat Cookery w. Oyster Pie, Chicken Gumbo, Deviled Broiled Pig's Feet & more and Great Meatless Meals w. Mediterranean Lemon Soup, Potato Kugel, Savory Onion Quiche & more. 

Some recipes such as Spicy Sausage and Beef Meatballs with Homestyle Tomato Sauce and Peruvian Inspired BBQ Chicken made it very close to the top five.

I want to thank everyone who contributed recipes to the blog and to our readership for such a great year and I look forward to what 2020 brings.

Here, without further ado, are the top five food related posts for 2019:

1) Pam's Roti w. Goat and Veggie Roti, Samosas, Pakoras and more

2) Hot Italian Sausages with Onions and Peppers

3) Golden Cook Caribbean Restaurant Reinvents Itself in New Toronto

4) Light and Crisp Steak and Vegetable Lettuce Rolls

5) Slow Cooker Curried Lamb Shoulder Chops w. Garlic & Onion

Thanks again for a great fourth year.

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

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

See also: Trini Gardens, Kothur, Zippy Pickle Soup & more -- The Top 5 Food Posts of 2018

Golden Cook Caribbean Restaurant Reinvents Itself in New Toronto

Golden Cook Caribbean Restaurant and West Indian Store has been a fixture on the Lake Shore Blvd. strip of the south Etobicoke neighbourhood of New Toronto for many years.

Located just west of Islington Ave., it has always had good food, but until very recently you could only enjoy this as takeout. The spot consisted of a service counter and then a couple of aisles of assorted West Indian groceries and sauces.

After shutting down for a few weeks it has now reopened with a new dining area so that you can enjoy the fall-off-the-bone oxtail, the delicious goat and all the other dishes they have to offer dine in.

They do still have a grocery section as well so you can pick up some extras on the way out.

The oxtail in gravy is better than ever. Incredibly moist it can be had, as is true with all the dishes,  with plain rice or rice-and-peas.

The goat dinner is to my mind really a house specialty. It has their own unique saucing and is some of the best curried goat around. 

 Ackee and Saltfish is a Caribbean classic that is seen by many as Jamaica's national dish, and Golden Cook's version does not disappoint with its blend of salty and fruit flavours.

Some fried plantain on the side. Golden Cook also makes terrific dumplings.

A good menu is often a focused one and Golden Cook does all of its staples very well. Over years of trying what was on offer I have never had a dish that was a miss. 

All of the main dishes that we had ran from $10 for small to a high end of $17 for the large oxtail. The portions are very generous and service is quick and friendly.

Golden Cook is located at 2955 Lake Shore Boulevard W just west of Islington Ave. It is open Monday to Friday 10 am - 7 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 6 pm  (416) 259-3003. It is on the 501 streetcar line and just steps from the end of the Islington South bus route. 

Mitzie's Jerk in Etobicoke -- Home of the Ultimate Oxtail Sandwich!

Mitzie's Jerk is an all around terrific Jamaican take-out restaurant that is just east of Islington (and the Islington subway station) on Bloor St. W. in Etobicoke.

There is lots to love at Mitzie's. As the name implies, they make excellent jerk chicken which is what often springs to mind when you think of jerk. But they also make a delicious jerk pork that is simply mouth-watering and nicely seasoned.

Both the jerk chicken and jerk pork can be had as dinners served with rice (or rice and peas) and coleslaw (chicken is $10.50 small and $13.50 large while the jerk pork is $12.50 small and $15.50 large) or as rotis ($12 chicken / $13 pork).

Mitzie's rotis and dinners generally are all worth trying. The goat is moist and tender in a curry sauce and the oxtail is fall off the bone as you want it to be. (oxtail and goat dinners are $12.50 small and $15.50 large while the goat roti is $13).

Oxtail Dinner

Mitzie's also makes a great veggie roti for $10.50.

Veggie Roti

If you are having trouble making up your mind Mitzie's has a very cool "Mix-Up" option where you can all the meats from jerk to oxtail to goat, etc. in small portions served with the rice (or rice and peas) and coleslaw. A woman at the counter described this to me as a "buffet in a box". This runs $15.50 for a small and $18.50 for a large.

But Mitzie's also has a unique and really incredible menu option that makes a trip to it all the more worthwhile.

These are "Kristle's Ultimate Sandwiches" and they are awesome. The idea is to take the jerk chicken, curried goat, pork or oxtail and serve them, boneless, on a fresh large-sized bun.

OMG...Boneless Oxtail on a Bun!!!

Seriously, boneless Caribbean style oxtail on a bun!

The Ultimate Sandwiches are $10.75 each and they are huge. Great concept really well executed.

Mitzie's Jerk is located at 3337 Bloor St W in Etobicoke. It is just a couple of blocks east of the Islington subway station. 647-345-0077. They are open 11 am to either 9 or 10 pm from Monday to Saturday (closed Sunday). See their website for more information. 

See also: Ali's West Indian Roti Shop w. Fiery House Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce

See also: Michael's West Indian Flavor: Perfect Oxtail in New Toronto

Caribbean Goat, Michael's West Indian, Ukrainian Cookery & more -- The Top 5 Food Posts of 2015!

A few days ago we posted the Top Ten Blog Posts of 2015 on The Left Chapter. As any regular reader of this blog knows, The Left Chapter also has many food posts. This year, as with the political posts, many of them were also contributed by several different lefty foodies!



There have been posts about Beef Shank Potato Carrot Dutch Oven Casserole, Southern Style Chicken Wings Stove-top Deep Fried, Maria's Pork Schnitzel with Oma Philomena's Potato Salad, Zucchini Fundido, Spinach, Mushroom and Walnut Pie, Pesto pepper steak with sour cream & pickled peperoncini, Fiery Caribbean style peel-and-eat shrimp, and even, yes, a Sardine Sandwich with Sauteed Spinach, Garlic & Jalapeno!

I want to thank everyone who contributed recipes to the blog and to our readership for such a great launch and I look forward to what 2016 brings.

Here, without further ado, are the top five food posts for 2015:

1) Caribbean Style Goat with Potatoes in a Dutch Oven

2) Michael's West Indian Flavor: Perfect Oxtail in New Toronto

3) Ukrainian Cookery Recipes w. Borscht, Vareniki, Cabbage Rolls & more -- Vintage Cookbook

(This post actually led to the #9 post of the year Ukrainian "Scalloped Beef" Revisited)

4) Sauteed Seasoned Chicken Breasts in a Garlic Mushroom Sauce

5) BBQ Grilled Yellow Hot Peppers with Prosciutto & Cream Cheese

Thanks again for a great first year. See you in 2016.

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

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

Pepper Goat Soup

Today I am going to share a recipe that is inspired by two widely disparate dishes. This combines the spiciness and use of goat found in a Nigerian soup with the braising of the meat in red wine and the use of a lot of black pepper found in some Italian dishes.

Nigerian pepper goat soup is a wonderful, very spicy dish that is relatively easy to make, but sadly the seasonings and spices used are not widely available. (It, ironically, is not generally made with black pepper despite the name.) Here we "get around" this by including seasonings and techniques used for braising and simmering beef and veal (generally) that come from Italian cuisine among others.

First, take the goat meat (bone-in) and put it in the bottom of a Dutch Oven. Here we are using measurements for 2 pounds of goat meat. Season the goat very liberally with freshly ground black pepper (you want to use a fair bit), salt to taste, 4-6 cloves of finely minced garlic, 1-2 tablespoons of a habenero style hot sauce (or 1-2 unseeded scotch bonnet peppers cut into quarters) and 1 teaspoon of mustard powder.

Pour about a quarter cup of olive oil over the goat meat and and stir it all gently until all the seasonings and oil are evenly distributed.

If possible, let sit at least 2 and up to 12 hours in the fridge and then 1/2 an hour at room temperature. If you need to get started quickly let sit 45 minutes at room temperature.

When ready to cook, brown the goat meat for around 5 minutes over medium-high heat adding extra oil if necessary (it will likely not be). When the meat is browned, add around 2 cups of a hearty red wine and 2 cups of beef broth. The key is that they cover the meat almost entirely but not more than that. Add 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Finally add one heaping tablespoon of tomato paste.

Stir and bring to boil in your Dutch Oven on the stove-top. Reduce heat and simmer, top off, for 2 hours. While simmering add equal measures of red wine and stock as necessary if the broth reduces too much. After an hour or so of cooking taste the broth and add salt, pepper and hot sauce as desired.

This is a delicious blend of flavours and the goat will be fall off the bone tender.

When the goat is close to finished, make some rice on the side. Spoon small servings of rice into bowls and pour the soup over the rice to fill the bowl.

Enjoy with some crusty bread, a nice salad, some extra hot sauce and some more wine or cold beer of course!

See also: Caribbean Style Goat with Potatoes in a Dutch Oven

See also: Slow Cooked Curried Goat Stew

Vena's Roti on Bloor St. -- "Best Roti in Town"

The otherwise unassuming take out joint, Vena's Roti has a window sized neon sign that greets you when you arrive proclaiming that it serves the "Best Roti in Town"!

Is it true? While that is certainly a big claim to make in a city the size of Toronto, unlike "The World's Best Coffee" claim in the movie Elf, in the case of Vena's it is not just hyperbole. If they do not serve "the best", a very subjective opinion anyway, they serve among the best West Indian style rotis and for a very good price.

Vena's is a classic "hole-in-the-wall" lunch counter style eatery. With only a couple of tables at which to dine in, when going be sure to have a take-out back up plan. 

But the food is excellent and, not surprisingly given the sign, the rotis are a genuine stand-out. 

What makes them special begins with the roti itself which is among the best I have ever had. 

Then, of course, is the West Indian style saucing and perfectly cooked ingredients. Very moist goat or chicken, beef and shrimp options, and a delicious veggie roti with spinach, chick peas, potato and squash. They are all fantastic. The meat rotis can be had with just potato or with some other ingredients like okra for an extra charge. 

If you are a fan of spice, the homemade scotch bonnet sauce is a

Veggie Roti

must. While deceptively watery in texture it packs a real punch in terms of both heat and flavour. 

All the dishes range from $9-12 with some daily specials as an option. Vena's only takes cash though, so keep that in mind.

Vena's is located at  1263 Bloor Street West, Toronto (just east of the Lansdowne subway station), and is open seven days a week from 10am to 7pm. 416-532-3665

Vena's has done important charitable work in the community

The goat and potato roti

See also: Michael's West Indian Flavor: Perfect Oxtail in New Toronto

See also: Swatow Restaurant -- Shrimp Dumpling Noodle Soup & more in the heart of Toronto

Slow Cooked Curried Goat Stew

Curried Goat Stew with Rice & Salad

I have looked before at cooking goat -- a delicious and rich meat that is widespread in cuisines around the world.

Today I will look at one of my favourite dishes -- slow cooked curried goat stew.

The very long cooking time ensures that the meat comes out fall-off-the-bone perfect. This one is tomato based with a hint of heat (though you can kick that up if you  wish).

For this dish you need a slow cooker.

Coat nicely with curry powder.

First take four or five slices of ginger and crush them. Place them at the bottom of the slow cooker.

Then add around two pounds of bone-in goat meat cut into stewing pieces. Coat the goat meat all over with curry powder. If you have any I like to also top the meat with a couple of tablespoons of jerk seasoning as well though this is optional. Salt to taste, sprinkle all over with 2 teaspoons of dry mustard powder and, finally, with two tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper.

Then add the following ingredients:

1 large (796ml/28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes (herb and spiced variety if available)
The same amount of beef stock (just fill up the can!)
2 tablespoons of soya sauce
2 tablespoons of  Worcestershire sauce
6 minced garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 teaspoon browning liquid (optional -- it primarily aids with visual appeal)
1 tablespoon Vegeta Food Seasoning (optional -- but adds richness)

Finally, take a Scotch Bonnet pepper, slice it down the middle on one side (do not cut in half) and place it whole into the stew. This will release the seeds (and thus the heat) slowly into the stew. This makes for a very mildly spicy stew. For a spicier one do this with two peppers. Three will make it truly fiery.

Cook on low, covered, for 10-12 hours

Set the slow cooker to low and cook, covered, for 10-12 hours.

The aromas of this cooking all day (or night) through your house or apartment will be sublime!

When done, stir thoroughly and remove the bay leaves before serving. You can serve the portions out of the cooker basin and, as most are removable, store leftovers in the basin in the fridge to be reheated the next day in the cooker again. That takes 1-2 hours on low.

Serve with rice or rice-and-peas, a side of naan, roti or crispy French style bread, a nice, simple green salad, extra Caribbean or Indian style hot sauce on the side for those who might want it and, of course, a hearty red wine.

Enjoy.

See Also: Clay Baked Spicy Curried Goat

Clay Baked Spicy Curried Goat

Though its popularity and use in North America is much less prevalent,  goat meat is the most widely consumed red meat in the world and features prominently in many cuisines. While it is making some inroads on major food retailer's shelves in Canada, it is still often only found in specialty stores or in markets.

This is a real shame, as goat is a delicious, tender meat with a distinctive flavour that has a nice hint of gaminess.

I have tried goat cooked a variety of ways, but I find that I both order it and cook it curried or West Indian style most often. It lends itself to these flavours perfectly.

Today I will share a basic recipe for spicy curried goat done in a clay baker. I am using the clay baker as it is a cooking method that will produce very moist, fall-off-the-bone goat in a relatively short time, as well as making a thick and flavourful gravy as the goat cooks.

If you are not familiar with the ancient and very accessible technique of clay baking, we did an introduction to clay baking that you can take a look at on The Simple Art of Clay Baking. 

For this dish you need 2-3 lb. cubed goat meat, preferably bone-in. As always with a clay baker fill both sides with water and let stand for 15 minutes. After emptying the water out, take the goat meat and place it in the clay baker and sprinkle curry powder over it so that it covers the meat. Pour in one full bottle (350 ml.) of a Caribbean style curry cooking sauce (Grace makes one) or, if not available, the same amount of water and a tablespoon of curry paste. Add an equivalent amount of beef or chicken stock (or water and a bouillon cube as it will dissolve during cooking).

Add either 1 or 2 crushed scotch bonnet peppers (simply push on them with a spoon and then toss them in) or 1-2 tablespoons of your favourite Caribbean style hot sauce.  You can, of course, omit this, but that does change the flavour, and not for the better!

Add a small piece of crushed ginger, a half a teaspoon of browning liquid, a teaspoon of dry mustard, and a teaspoon of salt.

Again, as you always must with a clay baker, cover and place in a COLD oven. Set the heat to 400 degrees.

Cook for two hours. After the first hour, remove the baker, stir the goat and put back in.

After two hours, remove from the oven, skim off any fat, remove any undissolved ginger, add one tablespoon of flour to the liquid and stir it in gently until it is all dissolved. This will thicken the gravy. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes and then serve!

This dish goes wonderfully with rice or rice and peas, with roti or naan style bread or with a french style bread, and with red wine.

Enjoy!