Rum Balls

Have you ever found yourself with leftover cake and not know what to do with it? However unrealistic thought (of having leftover cake), there is something you can make with it; rum balls. 


(As a warning, this recipe is one without measurements.) Begin with an amount of cake crumbs. I used the crumbs of a cake that I salvaged from an oven spill-over disaster. These particular cake crumbs are from my gluten-free lemon olive oil cake. (Click here for the recipe.) In case you're wondering, any type of cake will do.

You will also need some chocolate. I decided to use 70% dark chocolate, as it's what I had in my cupboard.

Slowly melt the chocolate over a double-boiler until it is silky smooth. (You can also use a microwave for this process.) When it is at this consistency, it is time to add some rum.

In fact, you don't need to use rum it all. I decided to put my own twist and use Nocello, a walnut flavoured liquor, instead.

When you add the alcohol to the chocolate, the mixture will get goopy, like this. At that point, you will need to add some fat to loosen it up.

Butter will do, but if you want to keep it dairy-free, I suggest using a little coconut oil or some unrefined palm oil. I like to use the unrefined palm oil, as it contains a high level of beta carotene. It has a beautiful orange-red colour and is a semi-solid at room temperature. You can find this type of palm oil quite easily in a store catering to the West Indian or African market.

Add enough fat so that the chocolate-liquor mixture goes back to a smooth finish.

Add the chocolate mixture to the cake crumbs.

Combine well and form into small balls.

You can roll the balls in ground nuts, chocolate sprinkles, coconut shavings, etc., or keep them au naturel as I did. Put the rum balls on a wax paper-lined tray and place them in a fridge or freezer until they set.

These rum balls are incredibly decadent. You will love them!

Olive Oil Mayonnaise

Who doesn't like mayonnaise? This creamy condiment is actually even better when it is homemade. Don't be intimidated. It is actually very easy to make.


I have made mayonnaise by hand before, but I decided to use my new toy instead. (Thank you Zia S. and Zio M. for the great gift of the KitchenAid stand mixer!)

To make the mayonnaise, you will require one raw egg yolk. Many people are leery, with good reason, about using raw egg products. These products can harbour harmful Salmonella bacteria. However, my science background has come to good use. Salmonella, when present, is a usually found on the shells, as the hen can pass it down when laying her eggs. Eggs are normally cleaned thoroughly and washed before they get to the general market. However, as an added precaution, when I am using raw eggs, I like to place the egg in boiling water for approximately 45 seconds to make sure there are no harmful bacteria left.

To the egg yolk, add the following ingredients:
- a pinch of salt
- a small amount (between 1/8 and 1/4 teaspoon) mustard (Use the good stuff!)
- a few drops of vinegar (Any white or light vinegar will do. I used white balsamic.)

Give the base mixture a whirl, so that all of the ingredients are incorporated together.

Next, turn the mixer to the high setting. Slowly begin streaming olive oil into the whirling machine. The operative word is "slowly"! You want to be able to make a steady and thin stream of olive oil.


Also, be sure to use a high-grade, extra virgin olive oil. This mayonnaise is all about flavour and you will not get any from a wimpy oil.

Within no time, and instantly, the mixture will thicken. You will be left with fresh mayonnaise.

Use a rubber spatula to gather all of the mayonnaise and place it in a container for use. Be sure to place it in the fridge if you are not using it the same day.

The mayonnaise is wonderful and creamy by itself. However, you may want to infuse it with some additional flavour. For suggestions, try using:
- sun-dried tomatoes
- garlic
- lemon juice or lemon zest
- herbs including parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, or my favourite, rosemary

All Dressed Up and Ready to Go

Stepping away from traditional dressings can be difficult for some. Take these steamed green beans for instance. I could easily make a vinaigrette and have the side of boring with my meal. Today I decided to add an exciting ninja kick instead. 

Enter Shichimi Togarashi. Shichimi Togarashi is a Japanese spice blend meaning "seven flavour chili pepper". It is made with dried peppers, orange peel, black and white sesame seeds, and seaweed. It is available in most Asian grocery stores, catering to the Japanese market, in the Greater Toronto Area.

I decided to mix the magic powder to some sesame oil. Sesame oil is commonly used in Asian cooking to enhance the taste of foods. It has a high nutritional content containing omega fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

I topped the green beans with the oil-spice mixture and a little bit of sea salt. I also decided to add a few carrot top leaves to the mix. Unknown to most people, carrot greens are edible. They have a very concentrated carrot flavour and can be used like parsley. (Don't throw them away next time.)

Problem solved. Try it next time, when you're looking for a change from the ordinary.

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

Today, I came home from work craving cake. I didn't want any crumbly-fall-apart or, even worse, brick-like nasty gluten-free / dairy-free wannabe cake either. I wanted the real deal. So, I was on a mission.

Here is my recipe for Lemon Olive Oil Cake.

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Gather and thoroughly mix the following dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl:

- 1/2 cup finely ground corn flour (make sure that it's not cornmeal)

- 1/2 cup ground (blanched) almonds

- 1 cup white rice flour

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

-  zest of one medium sized lemon

Next, add the following wet ingredients:

- 3 large eggs

- 1/3 cup olive oil

- 4 teaspoons honey

Combine all of the ingredients together.

Note: Have greased baking pan ready (greased with olive oil).

Squeeze the juice of one medium-sized lemon into the mixture and give it a quick whisk.

Quickly pour the cake batter into the greased baking pan.

Bake the whole thing in the oven for approximately 35 minutes. (Be sure to use a toothpick to check if the center of the cake is dry.)

While still warm, flip the cake over onto a plate.

I ain't messing around. This cake is 'real' cake. It slices beautifully and has a wonderful crumb. The subtle flavours of lemon and olive oil will leave you wanting another piece.

Now, this is gluten-free / dairy-free done right!

Extending the Olive Branch

Most of Tunisia's economy is derived, not from tourism, but from agriculture. A large part of the agriculture depends on the olive.

There are approximately 65,000,000 olive trees growing in Tunisia. (That is a lot for a country with 13 million inhabitants!) Tunisians plant their trees with 17-24 m between them, in order for other "soft vegetables" to be grown, i.e. garlic, lettuce, onions, etc.

It takes approximately 5 to 8 years to see the first fruit, once a tree has been planted.

Olives are a winter harvest fruit and approximately 300 kg of olives (on average) is produced per tree. Tunisians also prefer to hand-pick the ripe fruit, as it is commonly believed that machine picking damages the trees leading to lower yields in subsequent years.

20% of the olive groves within the country are government-owned, whereas 80% are private, like the one below that I was fortunate enough to visit.

Prices for the oil are also fixed by the government every year. This year, in 2010, the price for cold pressed, extra-virgin olive oil is 5 Dinars or €2,50 ($3.75 CAD) per litre.

Small factories gather piles of olives and send them through a machine process.

First, the fruit runs through a conveyor and is washed.

The olives are then drained.

Next comes the pressing...

...and a cloudy green oil is secreted.

This particular olive oil was not filtered or processed any further, leaving it with a very earthy taste. Since this type of olive oil is derived from a mélange of different varieties of olives, the flavour varies with each press.

It was, by far, the freshest olive oil I had ever had.

Carbonara au gras de canard

Carbonara is a tasty sauce served with pasta. It is normally out of reach for me, as the traditional recipe calls for the use of pancetta or bacon. As I do not eat pork or pork products, I have often wondered how I could create this dish without sacrificing its base flavour.


My solution was to use a combination of duck fat and bresaola. (This is by no means a healthy meal. It is all about full flavour!)


For this recipe, you will require the following ingredients:


Pasta.

Any pasta will do. To change it up, I decided to use a corn pasta made by La Veneziane. These pasta noodles taste great and are gluten-free.

Approximately 1/4 cup-1/2 cup grated, dry cheese. I decided to use Romano, but you can easily use parmigiano or perocino instead.

Approximately 1 tablespoon of minced garlic.

Two eggs beaten.

Some duck fat. (Also have some olive oil at hand.)

A handful of shredded bresaola. (For my entry regarding bresaola, please click here.)

Cook your pasta according to the directions to make it al dente. You may decide to cook your pasta slightly in advance. If you do, feel free to drizzle a little olive oil over it, so that it doesn't dry out.

In a pan, melt some duck fat with some olive oil.

Add in your minced garlic and let it brown slightly.

Now add your shredded bresaola and let it crisp up in the hot pan.

When your pasta is ready, drain it and add it to the pan. A little bit of pasta water in the pan is okay and will actually help with the sauce.

Give the pasta a quick turn in the hot pan, so that it becomes coated with the oils.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs and cheese. Fold it in quickly, but do not let it cook.

Serve immediately and enjoy this hearty, rich and savory dish.

I'm sure you'll love it!