Cookbooks We Love
Three Seasonal, Farm-Fresh Recipes That Celebrate Canadian Prairies’ Cuisine
Updated on November 16, 2023
Globe and Mail restaurant critic Dan Clapson and CBC Radio food columnist Twyla Campbell join forces to spotlight the best cuisine from the Prairies in their new cookbook Prairie: Seasonal, Farm-fresh Recipes Celebrating the Canadian Prairies. The recipes are divided into seasons, with dishes like Sea Buckthorn and Thyme Posset inspired by regional ingredients. Fall favourites include Fried Tomato and Egg and Roasted Squash and Halloumi Salad, made with McIntosh apples (which were discovered by a Canadian farmer).
Stir-fried Tomato & Egg
“This stir-fried tomato and egg dish was common on our dinner table, or for a quick lunch. During the beginning of the pandemic, I was seeking comfort foods from my childhood and shared this dish on Instagram. It warmed my heart how many messages I received from others whose families also used to make this dish. Every family has their own version—this is the one from my childhood.” —Carmen Cheng, Calgary-based food writer
Get the recipe here.
Sea Buckthorn and Thyme Posset
“This little-known, age-old dessert has British roots and is an absolute breeze to make. The combination of hot cream, an acidic liquid, and a little sweetener is nothing short of magical. Posset is traditionally made with lemon, but here the juice of intensely tart sea buckthorn berries makes for a great—and very Prairie—substitution. Sea buckthorn berries can be found in the wild, of course, but because of their trees’ sturdy root systems, they became a favourite of farmers to plant as shelter belts for crops. Last but not least, sea buckthorn adds a striking hue to the completed dessert.” – Dan Clapson
Get the recipe here.
“It fills me with much joy to know that locally made halloumi has become more commonplace in the Prairies these past few years. The first time I tried this cheese was when I was in my early twenties and visiting a friend who had just moved across the pond to London. It was love at first bite, and I have held this salty, firm cheese close to my heart ever since. It’s this grillable cheese that helps take this squash and apple salad to the next level. My backyard boasts a McIntosh apple tree, so that’s what I am using here. If you’ve got a fruitful tree at your house, feel free to use whatever you’re got hanging ripe and ready. Pears work well too!” – Dan Clapson
Get the recipe here.
Excerpted from Prairie by Dan Clapson and Twyla Campbell. © 2023 Dan Clapson and Twyla Campbell. Photographs by Dong Kim. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved