Gayle’s Galley
As we begin the month of March, I am wishing all Highlanders “Sláinte is táinte” meaning “health and wealth”. I always see March as that leap between winter and spring. As Charles Dickens wrote:
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”
Friends of ours who operate a sugar bush are counting on warm days and cool nights to get the sap running. In honour of them, I am sharing a recipe for Maple Syrup Fudge which was originally published by Foodland Ontario. It is easy and delicious.
Maple Walnut Fudge
2 cups sugar (500 mL)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (125 mL)
3/4 cup milk (175 mL)
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter (30 mL)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (5 mL)
1 pkg chopped walnuts, toasted and cooled (100 g)
Instructions:
Mix sugar, maple syrup, milk and salt in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat (without stirring) until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil.
Cook mixture until it reaches 234°F to 240°F (112°C to 116°C) on a candy thermometer, or until a teaspoonful forms a soft, flexible ball when dropped into cold water.
Remove pan from heat and add butter. Do not stir.
Let fudge cool to 110°F (43°C), or until the bottom of the pan feels barely warm to the touch, 30 to 45 min.
Stir in vanilla and beat fudge with a wooden spoon until it is slightly thickened.
Add walnuts and continue beating until fudge begins to lose its glossy finish.
Quickly spread fudge evenly into an oiled or parchment paper-lined 8 in. (2 L) square pan.
Cool completely before cutting into squares.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week - if it lasts that long!
Chicken Tortiglioni with Creamy Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
I am a big fan of stove-top “one pan meals” that have the meat, the starch and the vegetables all in one convenient pan. The following is one of my favourite recipes because it is easy to prepare for family or company. I use tortiglioni in this recipe, but you could use any pasta such as fusilli or farfalle. It goes great with a side salad and a dinner roll. Enjoy!
Tortiglioni 124 g (I use DeCecco Tortiglioni no 23 – about 1 cup dried
1 pound chicken, cut into bite size pieces
¼ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms (I usually add more)
1 cup well chopped baby spinach
½ cup finely chopped red onion
⅓ cup roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
⅓ cup sun-dried tomato halves, thinly sliced
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cup sour cream
Instructions:
Boil the tortiglioni in salted water for approximately 11 minutes. Remove from the heat - do not drain - and set aside in the pasta water.
Sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add mushrooms, spinach, onion, roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Increase heat to high and add wine. Cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium and stir in sour cream, any accumulated chicken juices and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper; simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat.
Before you drain the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add the tortiglioni to the pan with the chicken. Give the pan a good stir. If needed, (i.e., if you would like more sauce) add some of the reserved pasta water to the pan until it is the consistency you like.
Serve the chicken tortiglioni with a side salad and a dinner roll. Enjoy!
An Irish blessing
"May you have all the happiness
And luck that life can hold —
And at the end of all your rainbows
May you find a pot of gold."