🍳 Pinot-Optimized Red Shakshuka (Serves 4–5)

This ChatGPT-derived version of Shakshuka was made with the intention of pairing with a 2009 Burrowing Owl Pinot Noir that we intend to split with some friends.  Hope it goes well!

Ingredients

Base

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 small orange or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 3–4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tsp sweet paprika

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional, but keep minimal—Pinot likes subtle smokiness)

• 1–2 pinches sugar or honey (important for balancing acidity)

Tomato component

• 1 can (28 oz / 796 mL) good-quality whole tomatoes, San Marzano if possible

• 1 roasted red pepper (from a jar or home-roasted), chopped

• 1–2 Tbsp tomato paste

• ½ cup water

• 1–2 Tbsp olive oil (added later to smooth the acidity)

Eggs + finishing

• 6–8 large eggs

• ½ cup crumbled feta or dollops of soft goat cheese (optional but strongly recommended for wine pairing)

• Fresh herbs: parsley + basil or thyme

• Salt + pepper to taste

• Olive oil for drizzling

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🔥 Cooking Instructions

1. Caramelize the onion + peppers (the key for pairing)

Heat olive oil in a wide skillet or sauté pan over medium-low.
Add sliced onions + peppers.
Cook slowly 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until:

• soft

• sweet

• slightly golden

💡 This sweet base is what makes the tomatoes friendlier to Pinot Noir.

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2. Add garlic and gentle spices

Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add:

• sweet paprika

• cumin

• coriander

• small amount smoked paprika (if using)

Toast the spices 30–45 seconds.

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3. Build a softer, richer tomato base

Add:

• tomato paste

• canned tomatoes (crush by hand or with a spoon)

• roasted red pepper

• water

• a pinch of sugar or honey

Simmer 15–20 minutes on medium-low until thickened.
Add 1–2 Tbsp olive oil to “round off” the acidity.

Taste: it should be warm, sweet, savory—not sharp.

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4. Add eggs

Make 6–8 wells in the sauce and crack the eggs in.
Cover and cook on low heat for:

• 6–7 minutes for soft yolks

• 8–10 minutes for firm yolks

Season lightly with salt + pepper.

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5. Finish with richness + herbs

Off heat, add:

• Feta or goat cheese (small crumbles or dollops)

• Fresh parsley + basil leaves (or thyme if you prefer something earthier)

• A drizzle of good olive oil

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🍷 Why This Version Loves Old Pinot Noir

• Slow caramelization → sweetness balances wine acidity

• Roasted peppers → deepen red fruit and earthy notes

• Low heat spice → complements, doesn’t fight, the wine

• Minimal smokiness → echoes the wine without overwhelming it

• Feta/goat cheese → creamy, acidic, and perfect with Pinot’s cherry + spice

• Olive oil finish → softens tomato sharpness

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🥖 Serving

Serve straight from the pan with crusty sourdough to soak up the sauce and round the pairing even more.

House Nanaimo Bars

Gleaned from two different Canadian Living recipes and personal experience.

To make the crust, mix a cup of melted butter, a half cup of sugar, 2/3 of a cup of cocoa, two eggs, 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs, one cup of unsweetened coconut, and 2/3 of a cup of chopped walnuts. Press into 2 greased and lined 9 x 9 pans. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or just chill.

To make the filling, cream together 3/4 of a cup of butter, 6 tablespoons of custard powder, 3 teaspoons of vanilla, and then alternate adding 9 tablespoons of milk with 6 cups of icing sugar. Colour with yellow food colouring, if desired, and smooth over cold base. Chill for an hour.

To make the chocolate, melt 8 ounces of semi sweet chocolate with 3-4 tablespoons of butter, and spread over the cold icing layer. Chill; slice.

Best Scones in a Snap

 

Thanks to Jean Paré; I used leftover cream! If the recipe ends up a little bit too wet or a little bit too dry, both work out just fine.

 

• 2 cups All purpose flour 
  
• ½ cup Granulated sugar
• 3 tsp. Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 cup Cold butter or margarine
• 1 Egg
• 2/3 cup Milk or cream
• Milk for brushing tops 
• Sugar for sprinkling

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly.
 

Beat egg lightly in small bowl. Add milk. Pour into dry ingredients. Stir with fork to make a soft dough. 

 

Pat into two 6 inch (15 cm) rounds. Place on greased baking sheet. Brush tops with milk. Sprinkle with sugar.

Score each top into 6 pie shaped wedges. Bake in 425°F (220°C) oven for 15 minutes (our note: 25 or 30 minutes works better) until risen and golden brown. Split and butter. Yield: 12 scones.

Best Scones in a Snap

Thanks to Jean Paré; I used leftover cream! If the recipe ends up a little bit too wet or a little bit too dry, both work out just fine.

Lentil Soup with Too Much Fresh Ginger

This one scales well and freezes well too.  Feeds 20 hippies.

Prep time ~ 60 minutes; cooking time ~ 5 hours

• 2 lbs red lentils
• boiling water
• 2 tbsp canola oil
  
• 1 hot pepper, diced very small (optional)
  
• 1 lb. carrots, diced
  
• 5 ribs celery, sliced
  
• 4 medium onions, chopped
  
• too much fresh ginger (1/3 cup), sliced across the fibers, then diced into tiny squares
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp cumin
• 5 L veggie stock (cubes, powder, or containers all work)
  
• 15 cloves of garlic (more if you dare), peeled, ends trimmed, and chopped in half (the big cloves chopped in thirds)
  
• 6 bay leaves
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse the lentils in cold water then put them in a large metal bowl
2. Over-cover the lentils in boiling water, stir them, and let them sit for about 2 hours, topping up with boiling water as needed to keep them covered (they may swell to about triple their dry volume)
3. In a very large soup pot, heat the oil and sauté the pepper, carrots, celery, onions, and ginger on low heat until the onions are just starting to get translucent
   
4. Drain the lentils and rinse them
5. Add spices, lentils, stock, garlic, and bay leaves to the soup pot
   
6. Bring gently to a boil, cover, and let simmer for 2 hours (or more), stirring to keep the lentils from burning (on my stove, this means every 15 minutes or so)
   
7. Add salt; how much will depend on how salty the stock is
8. Serve with sourdough
    

Glory Bowls

 This recipe shamelessly copied from Canadian Living (original here).  Introduced to us by our friends C & A (and their kids M & J), these have quickly become a house favourite vegan recipe.

For the meal, make sure to have hot rice, tofu, and lots of grated veggies (carrots, cucumber, beets) plus greens as desired.  Chili crisp is optional too.  Everyone starts with a base of rice and loads up on veggies and tofu.

But what really makes it is the sauce, which drenches everything.  It goes like this.

In a blender, combine:

• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic crushed 

Put the blender on slow, open the top once it's reached equilibrium, then pour in:

• 1 1/2 c vegetable oil

Store in the fridge in an airtight jar.

Experimental Eggnog

 Based on the recipe from https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/homemade-eggnog/, with some modifications (less sweet, more creamy, more vanilla, less-cooked egg):

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 large egg yolks
• ▢ 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  
• ▢ 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 3/4 cup milk
• ▢ 1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ pinch of salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• ▢ ground cinnamon, for topping

Instructions

 

• Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until light and creamy.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, milk, nutmeg and salt. Stir often until mixture reaches a bare simmer. 
• Add a big spoonful of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Repeat, adding a big spoonful at a time, to temper the eggs. 
• Once most of the hot milk has been added to the eggs, pour the mixture back into the saucepan on the stove. 
• Whisk constantly for just a few minutes, until the mixture is just slightly thickened (or until it reaches about 155 degrees F on a thermometer). It will thicken more as it cools.
• Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla
• Pour the eggnog through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher or other container and cover with plastic wrap. 
• Refrigerate until chilled. It will thicken as it cools.  
• Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg, and fresh whipped cream, if desired.