Little Village now catering your next event!

That's right! Little Village is now taking all your catering requests and queries.  You can email info@littlevillagefoodtruck.com or phone 780.719.6424

 

Kefteddy Burgers served streetside

Just a reminder folks,

You can find us at Churchill Square Tuesday to Friday from 1130 to 2.
Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date on our whereabouts and special events. @littlevillageFT

And don't forget that little village catering co. is booking your special event starting now!

Email me at theo@littlevillagefoodtruck.com for info.

Where in the world is little village food truck?

Hey little villagers!

Just to let you know about our upcoming whereabouts- We are currently serving up lunch time eats down at Churchill Square at 1130 to 2 Mon-Fri.

However, from Thursday August 16th to Sunday August 26th, you will find us at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival right next to the Northside beer garden and just north of the Transalta theatre. 

We will be open from 12noon to 12midnight everyday during the festival.  Stay tuned for our Fringe menu.

You can also follow us on Twitter @littlevillageFT

On another note,

little village catering co. will begin booking events starting in September.  So keep us in mind if you have any sort of event which requires impressing guests or clients.  For catering inquiries email me at theo@littlevillagefoodtruck.com

Food Truck Update #2

Judging by the photos it may look like not much has been done. However, the propane tank, exaust canopy and stainless steel service counter have been installed. As well, the gigantic generator along with the plumbing system (water heater and pump also) have been installed.

I lost about a weeks worth of work with the propane tank installation due to bad luck and oversights by the propane dude.  It should have taken 4 hours.

This week, I encountered a prep cooler crisis because of lost floor space eaten up by the generator housing. But I overcame the situation with some unique equipment I found that "should" fit perfectly.

I've scheduled a wrap job to cover the entire body of the truck with a giant decal which I will enclose the graphic proofs soon.  I chose to wrap the truck instead of painting it because I recently learned that the sign/logo installer needs 2 weeks for the paint to "cure" before applying specific logos.

I realize as I'm writing these posts, how incredibly boring they may be.  But hopefully, it will give some insight to the project status.

Upcoming:

- Separation wall between kitchen and the cab

- Electrical

- Commercial grade interior panelling

- Gas fitting

- Exterior wrap with logos

Original completion date:  July 3rd

Revised completion date: July 15th

With love,

Theo

My New Ride

Well Folks,
It has been 419 days since my last post.  My weekly schedule lately, has kept me in a half nelson.  Many apologies.
However, I have decided to take a new direction.  This all work and no play thing is getting tiresome.

I'm building a food truck.

Stay tuned for more updates.

With Love,
Theo

Easter Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic

With Easter approaching rather quickly, I thought it would be nice to offer up a simple recipe for roasting a leg of lamb.

Ingredients:

- 1 (approx 5 lb.) leg of lamb with the bone in from New Zealand (or from a local farmer).  Generic Canadian lamb, in my experience, has tasted and smelled quite gamey.
- 2 medium sized yellow onions roughly sliced
- 1/2 a bunch of celery
- 1/2 a cup of olive oil
- Fresh Rosemary and dried rosemary
- 6 cloves of garlic
- Dried oregano on the branch (regular oregano is fine also)
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:

First, make an aromatic bed by placing the onions, celery and fresh rosemary sprigs in a roasting pan big enough to hold the lamb.  Next, make six 1/2 inch deep incisions in the leg and insert a garlic clove in each one.  Then, coat the lamb with the olive oil and season well with the oregano, rosemary and salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 325'F.  Place the leg of lamb on the bed of aromatics and cook for 1 hour.  Then turn the pan around and cook for 1 hour more.  Finally, remove the lamb from the oven and cover with aluminum foil and let rest for at least 45 minutes.  Should feed 4-6 .

With Love,

Theo

Top 5 Favourites

Due to having way too much time on my hands, I've been compiling a list (not that you care, but I'm going to tell you anyway) of favourite things to shove in my mouth. And yes, that is exactly what I do with my most favourite edible delicacies.  I shovel heaps of whatever it is into my yap as if nobody's watching.  It is shameful, I know.  I think it's the neanderthal part of my brain that directs my mouth to take the biggest bite possible because there maybe a shortage of wooly mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers in the area and I will starve to death.  

In no particular order my top 5 favourite dishes are:

1 New York Cheesecake. Plain

2 Bbq Pork. In any fashion (on the rib, pulled, or chinese)

3 Dynamite rolls or shrimp tempura rolls. Sans mayo

4. Spicy Pho

5. Smoked meat sandwich on a rosemary and rock salt bagel from Siegels bagels

This list may change without notice. 

What are your top 5 faves? Send them to me.  I want to know. 

With Love,

Theo

Beans and Weeds

My challenge here is to convince you how lovely a simple bowl of beans can be.  This dish is tasty, satisfying, and loaded with nutrition.  It's also, with varying versions, a staple in many countries around the world.  This one in particular is commonly eaten in Greece and Cyprus. 

Another great thing about this dish is there are no boundaries with the ingredients.  You can use just about any kind of bean and many different healthy vegetables that perhaps you never thought of using before.

Ingredients: 

- About 3 cups of Black eyed peas

- Beet greens from six beets cut into 3 inch pieces and washed

- 1 red onion diced

- 1 handfull of flat leaf parsley chopped

- Olive oil

- Fresh lemon

- Salt

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water, set to boil and season with salt as if you were cooking a box of pasta.  Add the beans and cook until they are tender, removing impurities from the surface in the meantime.  You may need to add more water at times due to evaporation. Once the beans are cooked, add the greens, cook for another five minutes and remove from the heat.  The dish is done.

Mix the onion and parsley together for garnish.  Dress each serving with a generous drizzle of olive oil and squeeze half a lemon.  Let each person add their own salt and garnish to their own liking.

Beet greens actually have more nutrients than the beetroot itself containing large amounts of iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C.  Beans of course, have lots of fibre, protein, minerals and vitamins.  Enjoy a bowl of beans and weeds and you will feel -I quote my father.."Strong like a bull". 

Possible bean varities to use:                                           

- Navy beans

- Northern beans

- Small white beans

- Black eyed peas

- Broad beans

Possible leafy vegetable varieties to use:

- Swiss chard

- Beet Greens

- Dandelion Greens

- Amarinth

- Kale

- Endives

With Love,

Theo

Halloumi with Rocket and Beets

What is halloumi you ask?  It's a cheese which originates from the island of Cyprus and is traditionally made with a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk.  It's unique in that it has a high melting point which allows it to be grilled or fried.  And when done so, the texture becomes bouncy and squeaky and the salty flavour of the cheese is enhanced making a heavenly match with a ripened tomato or a sweet melon.

Ingredients:

- 2 slices of halloumi lightly fried in olive oil
- 1 handful of rocket (arugula)
- 2 small beets roasted, peeled and quartered(1 gold and 1 red)
- 2 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 pinch of fresh mint chopped
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon
- salt and pepper

Directions:

Assemble the rocket, beets, tomatoes, and halloumi in the centre of a plate lightly tossed with your hands.  Then drizzle olive oil and squeeze fresh lemon over the salad.  Finally, add a pinch of salt, a twist of ground pepper and the chopped mint.  Voila!

With Love,
Theo

Roasted Chick Peas with Lemon and Sea Salt

Inspired by my special lady, this is is a lovely snack that's packed full of nutrition.  And it tastes sooo good.

Ingredients:

- 2 796ml cans of chick peas drained and soaked and rinsed in cold water

- 3 Tbsp of olive oil

- 1Tbsp of red or white wine vinegar

- 1 Tbsp of Dijon mustard

- 1 Tbsp of sea salt

- 1/2 Tbsp of paprika

- 1 Tsp of cumin
- 1 Tsp of ground coriander
- 1/4 Tsp of cayenne pepper
- 1 Lemon

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400'F.  Make a vinaigrette with the oil, vinegar, and mustard by shaking together in a small container like jar or something similar.  And then toss the chick peas in a large mixing bowl with the vinaigrette.  Lay the dressed chick peas on a large baking sheet so they form one layer and not on top of each other.  Roast in the oven for 30 minutes mixing them with a spoon every ten.  At the 30 minute mark, switch the oven to low broil for about ten minutes or until golden and crispy.  Check on them periodically so you don't burn them. 

When they're firm and golden, remove from the oven and let them rest for 15 minutes.  In the meantime, mix the seasoning together, also by shaking together in a small jar or something similar.  Then toss the roasted chick peas with the juice of one lemon and then the seasoning.

With Love,
Theo

There's A New Vodka In Town

Calling all mixologists.  What are you going to do with this one?  Get ready for it...Smoked Salmon Flavoured Vodka.  Yowza!
I'm still trying to digest the concept of my "go to" cocktail (vodka and soda with a twist of lime) lassooing my tongue with the flavour of smoked fish.  I certainly don't think I'd be able to have a dozen or so of these in an evening.  So what do you do with it?  Drizzle it on a toasted bagel with cream cheese? No.  Add it to a mousse?  Maybe.  I know I'm a nerd for scheming out recipes and concoctions before it has hit the shelves-like a gamer waiting for the new xbox to come out but I am truly curious to see what it tastes like.  That said, you won't find me camping outside the liquor store on arrival date for obvious reasons.  But who knows? It might taste like ?!@#.
Final thought: This might revolutionize the Bloody Caesar.

With Love,

Theo

The Spanglish Sandwich

Remember that scene in the movie Spanglish?  When Adam Sandler is assembling his late night snack -  a gourmet adaptation of the classic "BLT"? Remember that?  Remember when the slices of rustic rye, topped with gruyere or gouda or swiss came out of the toaster oven so thoughtfully and calculated as to just melt the cheese and crisp the bread and contrast the freshness and coolness of the lettuce and tomato.  And the touchdown on the last play of the game?  The fried egg added at the very end and cooked just right and just runny enough so when he squeezed the sandwich and cut it into two, the yolk broke open like a sauce and actively brought all the ingredients together in a blissful harmony of texture and flavour?  Remember that?  Remember that sandwich? Mmmm....
Food porn indeed. 
And leave it to Thomas Keller (culinary consultant to the movie), owner of the French Laundry, and perhaps one of the most highly regarded chefs on the planet, to transform the mundane into a masterpiece.  Visual splendor.  Leaving the viewer imagining and fantasizing about a great tasting sandwich. 

I love GOOD sandwiches.  So I made my own Spanglish Sandwich.  No regrets.  "Oooh, Baby".

With Love,
Theo

Secret Sauce

Hi Foodies,

I'm talking about tzatziki, really.  And there's nothing secret about it.  In fact it's kind of boring and basic.  However, it is healthy and very easy to make and it's a great accompaniment to many cooked meats.  Actually, now that I think about it, you could probably eat it with the entire Greek Cookbook from A to Z and not get punched in the mouth by two jabs and hook.
The only white sauce that's a mystery to me is the sauce found oozing and dripping out of every donair sold in every donair shop across the nation after 2AM and consumed by every drooling, drunk, uni-student who didn't "pick up" at the bar.  We'll talk about the donair meat itself another day.  For now, it's a don't ask, don't tell policy.
Whoa... way off topic. 
I'm throwing down  a recipe for Tzaztiki.

Ingredients:

- 750 gr. container of Balkan Yogurt
- 750 gr container of fat free Yogurt
- 1 long english cucumber shredded and then squeezed through a mesh strainer to rid of water
- 3 Tbsp. of pureed garlic in olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. of dried mint
- 2 Tbsp. of dried dill
- 1 Tsp. of sea salt
- 1/4 Tsp. of ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and it's done.  Eat it right away or leave it in the fridge.  It has a long shelf life.  At least as long as the best before date on the yogurt.

With Love,
Theo

Happy New Year with a Spanakopita Recipe

Hey Foodies!

Things got a little busy this year over the holidays so I had to take a hiatus and lay my blog down for a long winter's nap.
I know it's still January, but the days are getting longer and I'm getting bored with my quasi post-Christmas cleanse.  So let's be bad and make some tasty food!

Spanakopita Recipe

Makes approx.  24 regular sized pies or 48 little appy sized pies

Ingredients:

- 2 large yellow onions diced
- 3-4 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 large bag of cleaned spinach (1.13kg)
- 1 kg of feta drained and crumbled
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp of dry dill
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp of dry mint
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1 bunch of green onions finely chopped
- 1 cup of butter melted
- 2 packages of filo pastry

Directions for the mixture:

Start by caramelizing the yellow onion with the olive oil in a large pot on high heat, stirring frequently.  Once the onions are well browned and aromatic, add the spinach one handful at a time stirring each time so that each handful of spinach wilts into the onions before adding the next one.  Once all the spinach has been added, remove from heat and pour the spinach and onions into a strainer and let the water drain for about 15 minutes.  Give a couple of turns with a spoon throughout to speed up the cooling.  When it has stopped steaming, add the feta, dill, mint, salt, and mix thoroughly.  Then add the eggs and green onions and mix again.  This mixture can be made beforehand and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Folding the Pie: 

Set the oven to 400'F if you want to bake right away

Have everything at the ready before you begin.  Filo pastry has a tight window of workability.
- Butter with pastry brush
- Large baking sheet
- Lots of counter space

Unroll and lay out the filo pastry.  Peel off one sheet and lay it on the counter with the longest part of the sheet running 12 to 6.  Brush it lightly and with a dinner spoon, place about 4 spoonfuls of filling an inch from the top of the sheet  and in the center.  Fold the top over.  Then fold the sides over meeting at the middle of the filling.  Brush again and fold the filling part over and over towards you to form a rectangle shaped pie.

Repeat this until you run out of filling or filo. 

Place each one on a baking sheet and bake for 25 min. or store in the refrigerator covered in plastic and cook them to order.  Or wrap them individually in a container and freeze them.

To make little ones, cut the filo with a sharp knife through the middle from 9 to 3.  This will give you small versions of a full sheet of filo keeping the same shape.  And use half the amout of filling.  The folding process is the same.

With Love,

Theo

Is your beer fresh?

Hello everybody,

I recently figured out the "secret" code stamped on beer revealing the date in which the beer was brewed.  This of course is only relevant to unpasteurized beer.  Pasteurized beer should stay "fresh" for several years.  The cans of Molson Canadian I found in my golf bag from the previous year for instance tasted lovely.

Essentially, the code works like this:

A = January, B = February, C = March and so on and so on.  However there is no "I" therefore December is M.

Next time you're shopping for a box of unpasteurized beer, you might want to check and see when it was brewed.  Lagers stay fresh for about four months and darker beer about five months.  Beer like food is a perishable product where bacteria begins to form after a certain amount of time. It's just not regulated like food is.
I am sure we have all had skunky beer before and you can surely name the usual suspects. Corona, Heineken, Steinlager. Well, these beers for example must travel a long way to get here, hopefully in a refrigerated shipping container and who knows how long the beer was sitting in customs.

Stay thirsty my friends.

With Love,
Theo

Everybody Loves Hummus

Good Day Foodies!

Hummus is a dip or spread that is versatile and nutritious.  Think of using it as a dip for veggies and crispy bread or use it as a condiment to transform a boring sandwich into a healthy super sandie. Here is a recipe for hummus that's quick, easy and of course, delish.

Ingredients:

- 2 19fl. oz. cans of chick peas drained but save the juice from one can
- 5 cloves of garlic
- The juice of 1 1/2 lemons
- 1 heaping dinner spoon of tahini
- 250 ml. olive oil
- 75 ml chick pea juice
- 6-8 two-fingered pinches of salt
- a pinch of pepper

Directions:

Simple. Put all ingredients into a food processor (if you don't have one, you should get one) or blender and blend until smooth. Stop in between a couple of times to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula and fold the hummus like a cake batter to ensure that all the ingredients are well mixed. The finished product should be rich, moist, smooth and have a nice balance of all the ingredients.

With Love,
Theo

Cheeky Immigrants

Good Day Friends! Happy Wednesday!

Recently, my dad told me a short story that still makes me chuckle and I want to share it with you.

Many moons ago at the original Koutouki location on 124th st. next to the Roxy,  Yianni my father, would roast meat on a rotissirie on the sidewalk just as he would back in the old country to entice passer byers.

On this occasion though, Yianni was roasting an entire lamb over the spit on the street corner.  Two neighbourhood children approached and thought it would be kind to strike up some idle chit chat.

"Sir, what kind of animal is that spinning over the barbeque?"  "German Shepherd" replied Yianni in his thick southern European accent.

The two kids ran home in horror and Yianni received a few phone calls.
Good one Dad. Real funny.  Poor kids are probably traumatized for life.

  Aaahh... Few people can get away with that sort of humour.

With Love,

Theo

Sweet Potato Moussaka

Good Day Foodies!

I opted to swap out the usual eggplant, zucchini and potatoes found in Moussaka for sweet potatoes because of their texture, flavour and vitamins.  And it tasted incredible. Makes 6-8 portions.

Ingredients:

- 4 to 6 sweet potatoes peeled and sliced lengthwise about as thick as your pinky
- About 1 kilo or 21/4 lbs. of lean ground beef

- 1/4 of a large onion chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic chopped
- 156 ml of tomato paste
- 796 ml of whole plum tomatoes
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
-  Bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup of butter
- 3/4 cup of flour
- 750 ml. of whole or 2% milk
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil

Directions:

Moussaka is prepared in layers and each layer is cooked separately but baked altogether in the end.

To begin, place the slices of sweet potato and lay them flat on a baking sheet. If you run out of room it's okay to stack them in a pyramid fashion.  Then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes at 400'F.

For the meat sauce, you can make it in advance if you like or if you're well prepared you can have it ready by the time the sweet potatoes are done. Also, if you have any leftover meat sauce from the spaghetti you made the night before, moussaka is the perfect dish to use it with. There are no rules. Just add cinnamon and nutmeg and voila!

Fire the burner on high and in a large pot add a couple of swigs of olive oil.  Add the onions and cook till aromatic and light brown and then add the garlic.  As soon as the garlic begins to brown add the ground beef and stir it to incorporate the onions and garlic.  Then add about 2 tbsp of cinnamon and 1 tbsp of nutmeg followed by 2-3 tbsp of salt or enough to taste and a pinch of pepper.  Once the is beef cooked, ( no signs of pink) add the tomato paste and the plum tomatoes with the juice.  Stir well and simmer on low. After five or ten minutes, give it a taste and add final seasoning - salt or pepper or nutmeg or cinnamon etc.  Finally, strain the meat sauce to discard the rendered fat and let the meat rest.

In a casserole dish or deep baking pan ( I used a 12x8x3 ceramic dish for this recipe) layer the sweet potatoes and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. If you have enough sweet potato for another layer or even a partial one then repeat the process.  Then add the meat sauce on top of the sweet potatoes and sprinkle bread crumbs and parmesan cheese as well.

Next, for the bechamel (white sauce) have a medium sized pot, butter, salt, flour, milk, parmesan cheese and a whisk or a wooden spoon at the ready and set the oven to bake at 425'F(for later).  Be  prepared for every step and don't leave the sauce alone until it's done.  It can easily be fouled up if you're distracted with other things.  So, set the burner on high and place the butter and a pinch of salt in the pot.  As soon as it melts, add the flour and mix until it becomes a roux (thickening agent). It should look like clumps of wet fine sand. Immediately add a quarter of the milk and stir, stir, stir until the roux and milk become one. Then add another quarter of the milk and stir.  Repeat two more times until the sauce is as thick as gravy.  Finally, fold in a pinch of nutmeg and a cup of parmesan cheese.

With a rubber spatula, pour the bechamel sauce over the meat and use the spatula to cover every corner.
Sprinkle with cinnamon ever so lightly and put in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until it's golden brown. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes before eating.

I hope you like it and if you're trying this recipe and come across any obstacles, send me a note and I'll help you along the way.

With Love,
Theo

Memories of Paris at The Duchess

Good Day Friends.

I might have a mob outside my house wielding pitchforks and torches for saying this, but double doubles and doughnuts are becoming tiresome.

 I would like to throw a bouquet to the people at Duchess Bake Shop for providing us foodies with such tantalizing treats.  Day in and day out, their display cases are loaded with decadent pastries and baked lovelies from large to small and sweet to savory.  You must see it with your own eyes and you won't be disappointed.   However, don't be upset if something is sold out.  Everything is made by one baker who aims for perfection on every level and mass production is not in her vocabulary. 

When I step inside their shop, I feel as though I become more cosmopolitan. More chic. Yet visits here aren't greeted with pretense, but rather with the friendliest of staff.   So now I make it a regular habit to get a French Press and a brioche and each time I do, I spend a few minutes in Paris.

With Love,                                                    
Theo

-French Pressed Coffee (Two Lg Cups) & Brioche                    About Six Dollars