3 Easy Ways to Cook with Mustard
As the days get colder and the farm is blanketed in fog, I love finding ways to cook healthy, flavourful meals with less time and effort. I love using mustard to add richness, flavour, and depth to simple meals. I am sharing 3 easy ways to use mustard to add a little something extra to your cooking and as a way to celebrate one of my favourite local businesses.
If you live in the Comox Valley, you may already be familiar with The Mustard Lady. A long-time staple at the Comox Valley Farmers' Market and at the tiny shop off 5th Street. Recently purchased by Stephanie and Brody (the original Mustard Lady is enjoying her retirement), The Mustard Lady is taking this everyday condiment to the next level. When you meet Stephanie and Brody, you will discover that they have a tremendous passion for what they do. And they are enthusiastically growing The Mustard Lady with an online store and wholesale business. We also love that they are so committed to their community from raising awareness about causes they care about to supporting local farms.
We were lucky enough to have them craft a mustard using our farm-grown shallots and herbs into what is now my favourite mustard. But truth be told, I love cooking with all of their mustards. They also have some amazing seasonal limited edition offerings that I am excited to try.
Vinaigrette
Vinaigrette really is so much better with a drop or two of mustard. Any gourmet mustard will do but my favourites are The Mustard Lady Lemon or Herb.
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 white or red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
-simply shake this up in a jar, you can easily double this recipe
QUICK TIP: when you are finished with all the mustard in your mustard jar, make a vinaigrette in it and shake it up, allowing all the remaining mustard to mix into your vinaigrette.
Pasta
My favourite cream pasta sauces start with mustard! Saute aromatics such as garlic, shallot, and herbs in olive oil. Add 2 Tablespoons of mustard such as The Mustard Lady Shallot or Grainy Sundried Tomato and mix in. Then add heavy cream and cook down. Add parmesan, fresh herbs, and vegetables to cook down before tossing with penne or linguine. This would also be good with grilled chicken or smoked salmon.
Sausage Rolls
I recently made a batch of sausage rolls with local pork and handmade pastry. But there is an easier way and that is to use store-bought puff pastry. You can make 1 or 2 long rolls or cut the pastry and fill with the meat mixture for smaller rolls.
Mix 1 pound of ground pork (chicken or beef would also work) with 1 teaspoon salt, ground pepper, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon dried sage or thyme, and 1/4 sauteed onion or shallot.
Roll out a slightly defrosted sheet of puff pastry, spread mustard (The Mustard Lady Shallot or Ancient Grains is amazing!) on the pastry. Put meat mixture in middle of pastry and roll up, pinch edges to close up.
Brush pastry with an egg wash and bake at 425 until brown and cooked through (this varies depending on the size of the sausage roll).
The Mustard Lady has some beautiful products for the holidays and are also creating custom gift baskets for easy and delicious giving. You can find them at the Comox Valley Farmers' Market, or at their wonderful little shop at 510 Duncan Avenue just off 5th in downtown Courtenay.