Cooking With Cayman Marshall

By Martha Uniacke Breen

We like to think of ourselves as family here at Cayman Marshall, and especially as the holidays roll around, exchanging favourite recipes is becoming an annual tradition.

For 2021, we asked a few of our team members to share a recipe that has special meaning for them, and tell us why it resonates. From the exotic sweet-and-sour tang of Thai Chicken, to the quintessentially Irish comfort food of Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Carrots – finishing with the sweet, all-Canadian goodness of homemade butter tarts, made with maple syrup from Muskoka trees – allow us to present to you the makings of a real holiday feast, courtesy of the Cayman Marshall team.

Cat Brown: Chicken Cacciatore

For sales rep Cat Brown, introducing new clients to the special experience of cottage living, and watching families grow up making the same memories she enjoyed as a kid, is the very best part of what she does at Cayman Marshall. In fact, her own family memories partly inspired her choice of Chicken Cacciatore.

“My brother-in-law always made it and I really enjoyed it, so now I make it all through the winter,” she says. “It’s a homey, filling recipe that everyone loves – and you can make it in one pot, so clean-up is easy.”

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil, divided
• 6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
• Salt and pepper, to season
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) minced garlic (6 cloves)
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
• 10 oz (300 g) mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 c (125 mL) pitted black olives
• 8 sprigs thyme
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) each freshly chopped parsley and basil, plus more to garnish
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano
• 2/3 c (150 mL) red wine
• 28 oz (820 g) crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
• 7 oz (200 g) Roma tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 tsp (3 mL) red pepper flakes

Method:

1) Season chicken with salt and pepper.

2) Heat 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil in a heavy cast iron skillet. Sear chicken on both sides until golden, about 3-4 minutes each side. Remove from skillet and set aside.

3) Add remaining oil to pan. Sauté onion until transparent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add peppers, carrot, mushrooms and herbs; cook for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

4) Pour in the wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook until wine is reduced, about 2 minutes.

5) Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Roma tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken pieces to skillet and continue to cook over stove top OR in the oven, following the instructions below.

For Stovetop

For stovetop: Mix all of the ingredients together; cover with lid, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes or until the meat is falling off the bone. Add olives, and allow to simmer for a further 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

For Oven/Slow Cooker:

Transfer covered skillet to a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) and cook for 50 minutes. Remove lid, add the olives and cook for an additional 20 minutes until chicken is tender and falling off the bone, and sauce has reduced. If the sauce is too thin for your liking, add 2 tbsp (30 mL) of extra tomato paste while it’s simmering to thicken.

Make Ahead:

Cacciatore can be made up to one day ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated. Rewarm over medium-low heat.

Freeze:

Transfer cooled cacciatore into an airtight container and transfer to freezer. The day of serving, thaw it out in the morning and bring to room temperature. Transfer to a skillet and reheat over medium-low heat until warmed through.

(Recipe adapted from Cafe Delites, www.cafedelites.com).

Katie Arnold: Haluski (Polish Mac ’n’ Cheese)

A junior designer at Cayman Marshall, Katie works alongside senior designer Meredith Parsons on the firm’s various building and design projects. The creative fulfillment of working with other professionals and with clients to turn dreams and ideas into reality is the most rewarding part of her job.

Katie has loved this variation on a classic family favourite since she was a little kid, she says, and today it’s one of her go-to winter recipes. “My family has Polish roots and this is one of my mom’s specialties – you usually find pancetta in pasta dishes like carbonara, but it’s delicious in a mac ’n’ cheese recipe like this.”

Ingredients:

• 1 head green cabbage
• 1 Vidalia sweet onion
• Approx 8 oz (125 mL) pancetta, diced (or more to taste)
• 5 oz. (about 150 mL) plain goat cheese (or more to taste)
• 1/2 c (125 mL) butter, melted
• 16 oz. (500 mL) bag egg noodles

Method:

1) Roughly chop green cabbage, onion and pancetta. Melt butter in frying pan. Add pancetta and onion and cook until pancetta is just turning crisp.

2) Add chopped cabbage. Add salt, pepper, and ground chili peppers to taste and continue to cook until cabbage is tender.

3) Meanwhile, boil 1 bag of egg noodles in salted water (about eight minutes for al dente). Drain and add to pan.

4) Crumble goat cheese. Add to pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, till cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly coated.

Erin O’Reilly: Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Carrots

Office administrator Erin O’Reilly is often the first voice you hear when you call Cayman Marshall’s Port Carling office reception. The best thing about working with CM, she says, is the supportive team atmosphere, and of course, seeing the listings of beautiful new properties that continually flow through the office.

This filling Irish carrot-and-potato dish has been in Erin’s family for three generations. “It was my grandmother’s recipe, handed down to my mom and now me,” says Erin. “It’s truly a comfort food. My mom and grandmother grew up in Ireland and it’s a traditional recipe there; it really embodies our Irish heritage. It’s kind of a taste of the old country, and it’s great to bring to family gatherings.”

Ingredients:

• 2 c (500 mL) water
• 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
• 6 potatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 4 medium carrots, diagonally sliced
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) butter or margarine
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) flour
• 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
• 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) pepper
• Dash cayenne
• 1-1/2 c (375 mL) milk
• 1-1/2 c (375 mL) Old Cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

1) Heat oven to 375º F (190º C).

2) Bring water to a boil in a large frying pan. Add salt, potatoes, onions and carrots. Cover and cook five minutes, until partially tender. Drain.

3) In medium saucepan, melt margarine and remove from heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper and cayenne. Add milk, blending well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until thickened and smooth. Stir in 1 cup (250 mL) of the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted.

4) Layer half of the potatoes, onions and carrots in a lightly greased 9 x 13 in (23 x 33 cm) baking dish. Top with half the cheese sauce. Repeat layers; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

5) Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove cover for last 10 minutes of baking.

Mike Arnold: Thai Chicken

For Cayman sales representative Mike Arnold, it’s a never-ending pleasure to be able to show the region’s beautiful lakeside properties to clients, and to help them fulfill their dreams of owning a fabulous vacation property.

This easy-to-make recipe is a big favourite with Mike’s kids. “On their birthdays they get their choice of what they want for dinner, and it’s always this one,” he laughs. Try serving it with rice to soak up that tangy-sweet sauce.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 1/8 to 1/4 c (60 to 125 mL) each soya sauce, teriyaki sauce, and oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) black bean sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1  tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil
• 5-8 whole chili peppers, to taste
• 1/2 medium jar peanut butter

Method:

1) Combine soya, teriyaki and oyster sauces, then add black bean sauce to the mixture. Add garlic and ginger. Toss with chicken and marinate overnight in refrigerator.

2) In large frying pan, heat oil and blacken chili peppers. Add chicken with marinade and cook till no longer pink. (If necessary, add more sauce to coat.)

3) Just before serving, add peanut butter and stir till thoroughly mixed and evenly coated.

Kallan Koch: Maple Butter Tarts

Cayman Marshall Magazine’s chief editor Kallan Koch says she loves the variety of content she and her team get to share with readers – from gorgeous luxury listings, to stellar style and design, and now and then, delicious recipes.

“When I moved to Muskoka, my family and I tapped our trees and began the journey of making our own maple syrup,” she says. “I found this recipe and now it’s a staple we make every year for family and friends.”

Pastry Shells (makes 16)

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 c (310 mL) pastry flour
• 1/2 c (125 mL) COLD unsalted butter, cut into cubes (leave in fridge until ready to use)
• 6 tbsp (90 mL) ice water, divided

Method:

1) Using a pastry blender, blend the butter into the flour until crumbly (do not touch with hands or it will melt the butter and not get that flaky texture). Then gradually add in water until the dough is just holding together. 

2) Roll out dough to desired thickness and cut out circles large enough to fit the bottoms of cupcake tins. Then cut out strips (about 2 inches wide) to cover the sides of the cupcake tins. Make sure sides are above the edge of the tin or it will be difficult to take out the tarts after baking. Blend the two pieces together with fingers to make tart shells.

Filling

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c (200 mL) brown sugar
• 1/4 c (60 mL) butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c (125 mL) maple syrup
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tbsp (7 mL) vanilla extract
• 1/2 tbsp (7 mL) maple extract
• 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt
• 1/4 c (60 mL) raisins (optional)

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 350ºF (190ºC).

2) Beat brown sugar and butter together in a bowl until smooth; whisk in eggs, maple syrup, flour, vanilla and maple extract, raisins (optional), and salt. Fill each uncooked tart shell 3/4 full with maple syrup mixture. Optional: can do a light egg wash on the exposed shells to make the edges golden and crispy!

3) Bake in preheated oven until filling is set and shells are golden, about 16-18 minutes. Wait until cool (5 minutes) before taking out of tins for easier removal.