A Celebration of Immigrant Women And Their Cooking

The following collection of cherished recipes was shared by a diverse group of immigrant women and published in a very attractive book Tasting Diversity. It was provided to me by the Working Women Community Centre. Order your copy by contacting them at 416 532-2824 Toronto.

“Immigrant women in our country have often faced greater challenges than most; yet with focused determination, the support of others, and by following their own hearts, they have succeeded personally and professionally. It is an honour to meet them through this book and share in their eye-opening and heart-warming stories . . . and their favourite meals are heart-warming too!” Marcie Ponte, Executive Director, Working Women Community Centre.

This is a tribute to the immigrant women of diverse cultural backgrounds living in our community. I hope that all Canadian women will enjoy preparing these most cherished and delicious recipes offered by these immigrant women. Please send me your comments and even include your own favorite family dish.

Senator Vivienne Poy first came to Canada on a student visa in 1959 from her native Hong Kong. Throughout the years, and the many twists and turns of her career, Vivienne has remained active in the community, serving on the boards of a number of cultural organizations and educational institutions. In 1996, Vivienne was the recipient of an International Women’s Day Award.

Vegetable Beef Shank

11/2 lbs./750 g beef shank, cut in 1-inch/2.5-cm cubes

vegetable oil for frying

2 large Spanish onions, cut up in large pieces

1 medium ginger root, cut in large chunks

3 large cloves garlic, crushed

4 Tbsp./50 mL dark soy sauce

3 cups/750 mL white wine

10 carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks

8 medium red-skinned potatoes, cut in large chunks

5 stalks celery, cut in large chunks

6 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp./25 mL cornstarch

Prepare the oven to 350F/180C. In a large ovenproof casserole, saute the beef shank on high heat in vegetable oil with onions and ginger root. When the beef has browned, add crushed garlic, soy sauce, and white wine. Add the carrots, potatoes and celery. Add water so that liquid is 11/2 inches/4 cm from the top edge of the casserole. Add the bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the casserole and place in over for approximately 3 hours, or until meat is tender. Check frequently and add water if necessary. When cooking has finished, mix the cornstarch in 1 cup/250 mL water and stir into the casserole to thicken the juice.

Serve with crusty bread.

Moreover, our collective respect for each other as we endeavour to link so many diverse people and cultures is a testament to the tolerant characteristics of Canadian society and the desire to live harmoniously together.

Communities serve as a catalyst to link together local people, organizations and business that value cultural diversity in order that we become an inclusive society respectful of citizens from many ethnic backgrounds.

The Canadian Unity Travel Club was created as a national, regional and community-based non-partisan project to promote understanding, respect and interaction among Canadian citizens of diverse cultural backgrounds and the anglophone/francophone Canadian population in an effort to get to know one another. Through this cultural initiative, we are one step closer to integrating ethnic communities into mainstream Canadian society.

This innovative and visionary initiative provides Canadians the opportunity to immerse themselves in our country’s multicultural society, share a memorable vacation of treasured moments in undiscovered regions of Canada and experience a sense of community involvement and belonging.

There is no disputing that the Canadian Unity Travel Club is a creative and compassionate grass roots initiative that serves to introduce Canadians to an innovative approach to travel and an invaluable understanding of what it means to be Canadian.

If we are to one day proudly say that our wonderful country is totally free of racial prejudice, intolerance, bigotry and discrimination; Canadians need to get to know one another on a personal level where cultural acceptance begins.

Through the development of this cultural initiative community by community, we are commited to building a society that is inclusive and respectful of all Canadians, promoting gender equality, full inclusion and participation.

Your assignment should you choose to accept it.

Spread the word! Tell your family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues about the Canadian Unity Travel Club and get them involved.

Approach your local Chamber of Commerce, membership organizations, travel clubs, multicultural groups, leaders in your community, elected members of city/town council, your member of parliament, school administrators and university heads. They all need to be made aware of this multicultural and educational travel experience available to all Canadians.

Become a Member and get involved in your community.

Join the Canadian Unity Travel Club

www.canadianunitytravelclub.ca

info@canadianunitytravelclub.ca

Elvira Sanchez de Maliciki was born in the Ecuadorian coastal city of Guayaquil and came to Canada at the age of 14 to study. As a passionate advocate of Canada’s rich cultural diversity, Elvira established the Canadian Hispanic Congress in 1980, a multinational organization representing the more than 700,000 Spanish-speaking peoples from over twenty countries who now make Canada their home. Currently Elvira is working toward the recognition of immigrants’ professional and technical credentials, and to encourage Latin Americans to participate in Canadian politics.

Green Plantain Patties (empanadas de verde)

4 green plantains

salt to taste

1/2 lb./250 g ground beef or chicken

1/2 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 Tbsp./15 mL chopped fresh parsley

1/2 lb./ 250 g cooked peas

1 hard-boiled egg, dices

oil as needed

Boil the plantains in salted water until they are soft. Remove them from the heat and mash them one by one while they are still very hot. Add the salt and continue to mash them until they become a soft dough. Put the dough in a moderate oven to keep warm.

In a skillet add some oil and fry beef or chicken, onion, and carrot over medium heat until cooked. Add the parsley, peas and hard-boiled egg to the meat mixture and cook until the meat is done.

With the plantain dough still hot, place dough on waxed paper and flatten with a rolling pin. Cut out round shapes, fill the centers with some of the meat mixture and fold in half and seal. In a deep fryer or large pot, heat some oil. Deep-fry in the hot oil for a few minutes. Remove from oil and place the empanadas on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

You can make “Cheese Empanadas de Verde” by replacing the meat mixture with mozzarella or feta cheese. Form the patties with the plantain and add the cheese to the center and use the same method to fry.

Serve hot.

Once a week an enthusiastic group of 25 women come together to Cook and Talk, share recipes and prepare traditional dishes. Since 1997 these ladies of the Working Women Community Centre have offered the comfort of a traditional meal to visiting African women who also have an appetite for life. “Back in Africa, everyone participates in the cooking, and we talk while we are cooking,” says one participant.

Stewed Beans with Plantains

BEANS

2 cups/500 mL dried black-eyed peas

3 Tbsp./45 mL vegetable oil

2 large onions, chopped

one 28-oz./796-mL can diced tomatoes

1 small fresh red chili, finely chopped or 1/4 tsp./1 mL dried red chili flakes

1/4 tsp./1 mL curry powder

pinch of ground cloves

2 tsp./10 mL salt

1/2 cube vegetable, fish or beef bouillon

The night before, rinse the beans thoroughly and pick through, discarding any stones or twigs. Soak overnight in cold water. Drain. Place in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and let stand for 1 hour. Drain. Cover the beans with fresh cold water, about 8 cups/2 litres. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the beans are soft but not mushy. Drain. Transfer beans to a large bowl. In the same saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes or until golden. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cloves, salt and the bouillon cube. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Stir in the cooked beans. Simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.

PLANTAINS

4 plantains (2 lbs./1 kg), ripe and softened

3 cups/750 mL water

2 tsp./10 mL salt

2 cups/500 mL oil for deep frying

Peel the plantains and slice on a very sharp diagonal to make long oval strips. In a large bowl, combine the water and salt. Add the plantain slices, stirring to separate (this will remove stickiness and separate the slices). Drain; pat dry. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add one-third of the plantain slices. Fry for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden-brown. Repeat with remaining slices. Drain on paper towels. Serve the bean stew garnished with the fried plantain slices.

Note: Traditionally, the beans are also served with fried or canned fish.

Rosa Peluso arrived in Toronto with her husband and 11-month old son from Calabria, Italy in 1954. Since opening her Mediterranean Food Store on Bloor West thirty years ago, Rosa hasn’t stopped. Added to the various homemade vegetable preserves is the delicious “sotto aceto” (under vinegar) which is now available by custom order and is delivered to Italian restaurants in the city.

Artichokes Under Vinegar (carciofi sotto aceto)
2 lemons

13/4 lbs. /750 g artichokes

4 cups /1 L water

1 cup / 250 mL vinegar

salt to taste

dried oregano to taste

garlic cloves, cut in half, to taste

oil as needed (your preference)

Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze in the juice of both lemons and add the lemon halves as well. Set aside.

To start the process of “sotto aceto” or “under vinegar” the artichoke bulbs need to be cleaned.

First remove most of the outer leaves from the artichoke. Remove at least 1/3 of the artichoke leaves. If they are large remove 1/4. Then, with a small sharp knife, cut around the artichoke’s bottom and stem to remove any rough surface. At this point the artichoke looks like a closed rose bud. Cut about 1/3 straight off the top of the artichoke and then cut in half or in quarters depending on its size. You will notice at the bottom of the artichoke there are some small fuzzy hairs; this is called the “choke” of the artichoke and must be removed, either with a knife or spoon.

Once the artichoke has been cleaned and cut, place it immediately into the bowl of lemon water. The artichokes should be added one by one. Put a weight over them to stop them from floating to the surface and turning brown.

Combine the water with vinegar and bring to a boil. Add the salt and the artichokes. Cook until almost tender, roughly 8 to 12 minutes. to test, place a sharp pointed knife into the bottom of the artichoke. If the knife has little resistance they are done. Drain in a colander. When cooled, wrap the artichokes in a large cloth until they are completely covered and place them back into the colander with a bowl below to catch the water drippings. Place a substantial amount of weight on top of the artichokes, refrigerate, and let drain for two days. Unwrap them, season with oregano, salt and garlic to taste. Place in a jar and cover completely in oil of your choice.

To preserve the artichokes, keep them covered in oil and they will last for at least one month.

Anne McLaughlin came to Canada at the age of 15 from her home of Lennoxtown, Scotland. In the 35 years since, Anne’s love for the beauty of Canada’s land and its people has only deepened. Of Canada she says “Multiculturalism is part of what defines us as Canadians. It is a peaceful place where we can appreciate and learn from each other’s cultures.”

Anne’s Eggs and Caviar

12 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 Tbsp./15 mL chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup/60 mL chopped green onions

1 Tbsp./15 mL Dijon mustard

1/4 cup/60 mL mayonnaise

1 small bunch of parsley or rosemary sprigs

salt and pepper to taste

caviar for topping

24 small flaky-pastry shells, already cooked, or prepare according to package directions

Add smoked salmon for a tasty variation

Mix all the ingredients together except the pastry shells and caviar (or smoked salmon variation). Use the mayonnaise as needed for a creamier blend. Place the shells on a serving platter. Fill each shell to the top with the egg mixture. Top with a 1/2 tsp./2 mL of black or red caviar.

Garnish the platter with sprigs of parsley or rosemary.

Anna Maria de Souza is a native of Sao Sebastiao do Paraiso, Brazil. Today she is the founder and President of the Brazilian Carnival Ball, a successful fund raising event in Toronto with a 35-year history and considered the largest Brazilian gala in the world. Anna Maria’s recipe fondly called Mother-in-Law’s-Eyes is a classic dish of Brazil. Tradition says that if a mother prepares this sweet dessert for her daughter’s boyfriend, he will be true to her daughter for all time.

Mother-in-Law’s Eyes (olhos de sogra)

1 cup/250 mL granulated sugar

3 cups/750 mL freshly grated coconut

2 egg yolks

13/4 lbs./800 g large prunes (pits removed)

whole cloves (one for each prune used)

confectioner’s sugar for dredging

Dissolve the granulated sugar in 1/2 cup/125 mL boiling water. Stir in the grated coconut. Beat in the egg yolks. Cook in a pot at medium heat until the mixture thickens. Let stand to cool.

Open up each prune and stuff with some coconut mixture, forming the mixture into a ball. Place a clove at the centre of each prune. Dredge each prune in the confectioner’s sugar.

Anastasia Zindros arrived in Canada from Rhodes, Greece at the young age of six feeling she had landed on another planet. Later in life Anastasia realized that she could be both Canadian and Greek at the same time. “That is what makes Canada what it is - the diversity. There are these people, like me, that came here as immigrant children that have this strong Canadian identity. Now I want to kiss the ground every time I go on a trip and come back to Canada.” As the owner of Mezes, a popular Greek restaurant in Toronto’s famous Greektown, Anastasia is proud of what she has accomplished.

Lemony Chicken and Rice Soup (Avgolemono)

1 whole chicken cut into four pieces, plus one breast

1 tsp./5 mL salt

1/2 tsp./2 mL oregano

2 bay leaves

2 Tbsp./25 mL extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup/250 mL carrots, sliced

1 cup/250 mL celery, sliced

1/2 cup/125 mL long grain rice

juice of 2 lemons

1 egg

1/2 cup/125 mL chopped fresh parsley

pepper to taste

In a large pot, place the chicken in enough water to cover completely, about 8 cups/2 litres. Add the salt, oregano, bay leaves, and olive oil. Boil for 15 minutes, then add the onion, carrots, and celery and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove all the chicken pieces except for the one breast. Cut the remaining chicken breast into small pieces and place back in the soup pot. Add the rice and the juice of 1 lemon. Boil the rice until it is cooked but not soft.

Turn the heat off and remove 1 cup/250 mL of liquid from the soup. (If there is some rice or vegetable in it, it’s okay, but try to extract mostly liquid).

Crack the egg in a bowl and whisk quickly until it is frothy, about 1 minute. Add the juice of the other lemon and continue whisking until well blended. To this mixture, slowly whisk in 1 cup/250 mL of the liquid that was removed from the soup. Then pour this lemon and egg mixture into the soup very slowly. Stir for a few seconds to blend well.

Taste, add more lemon if necessary, and serve hot, sprinkled with the parsley and pepper. Tastes great with crusty bread.

Maria Linhares de Sousa as an appointee to the Superior Court of Justice makes her home in Ottawa, presiding over numerous criminal and family law trials each year. Maria has never relinquished her love for her birthplace of Madeira, Portugal and bacalhau (salt cod). Cod fishing by the Portuguese “white fleet” became a significant connection between Canada and Portugal for years.

Codfish From a Madeiran

2-3 lbs./900 g-1.5 kg salted cod

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

1 can chickpeas

garlic, chopped to taste

fresh parsley, chopped to taste

wine vinegar

olive oil to taste

Soak the salt cod in cold water for 2 days, changing the water frequently. Drain.

In a large pot, cook the potatoes, carrots, and onions in boiling water until about halfway cooked. Then add the cod and chickpeas. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes at a full boil.

When cooked, drain the water and let cool slightly so that you can handle the ingredients with your hands. Place the cooked potatoes, carrots, and onions with the chickpeas in a flat casserole dish. Break the cod into bite-sized chunks and mix into the casserole with the other ingredients. Stir (preferably with your hands), taking care not to crush the ingredients. Season well with the garlic and fresh parsley to your taste. Drizzle with olive oil and wine vinegar and stir one last time.

Can be served hot or cold and eaten with a green salad. Eat and enjoy.