LUCY WAVERMAN has been teaching Canadians to cook sensible, good, flavourful food—without stress—for over twenty years. Whether in her packed cooking classes, much loved Globe and Mail "The Home Chef" column, regular CityLine appearances, or her many bestselling cookbooks, Lucy's brand of fast and fresh cooking is more popular than ever. 
She is the author of eight popular cookbooks, including Dinner Tonight and the award-winning Home for Dinner.  Matter of Taste, her newest cookbook, was short-listed for the 2005 James Beard Foundation Awards.  She is the Food Editor of Food and Drink, a magazine published by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, where Lucy also works on special projects as a food consultant.
Lucy appears regularly on television and radio shows across Canada and the United States. From 1972 to 1990, Lucy owned and directed The Cooking School, a Toronto school devoted to the teaching of good cooking. Lucy trained at Cordon Bleu, has an Ontario Teachers' Certificate and a degree in journalism.
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Menu:

• Asparagus, Spinach, and Fennel Salad with Tarragon Dressing
• Orange Anise Spiced Short Ribs
• Steamed Sticky Rice
• Fruit Salad

Asparagus, Spinach, and Fennel Salad with Tarragon Dressing
Serves 6

This salad brims with freshness and snap. The liquorice flavour of tarragon has such a spring-like taste.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed
• 6 cups packed baby spinach
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon, or 1/4 tsp dried
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 6 slices smoked salmon

Directions:

1. Bring a large skillet of salted water to boil. Add asparagus and boil for two minutes, or until crisp and tender. Drain and run under cold water until cold. Cut in 2-inch pieces.

2. Combine asparagus and spinach in a salad bowl. Cut fennel in half, remove core, and using a mandolin or sharp knife, slice into thin slices. Toss in bowl.

3. Whisk together mayonnaise, tarragon, garlic, and vinegar. Slowly whisk in olive oil until mixture is thickened and oil is incorporated. Season well with salt and pepper. Toss dressing with salad mixture. Drape over smoked salmon. 

Tips: You can omit fennel and use Belgian endive if desired.

Orange Anise Spiced Short Ribs
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 6 cloves garlic, thickly sliced
• 1/4 cup brown miso
• 2 tsp Asian chili sauce
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 short rib stacks
• Salt to taste
• 8 shallots peeled, cut in half
• 2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices
• 2 cups white turnips, thickly sliced
• 2 cups zucchini, thickly sliced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 cups chicken or beef stock, approximately
• 3 star anise
• 1 tbsp grated orange rind
• 1 tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Combine garlic, miso, chili sauce, orange juice, 1 tbsp oil, and pepper to taste. Coat ribs with marinade in a baking dish. Marinate for 12 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat oven to 300? F. Scrape marinade off ribs and reserve.

4. Heat remaining 2 tbsp of oil in skillet on medium-high heat. Season ribs with salt. Brown ribs well on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to an ovenproof casserole and reserve.

6. Drain oil from skillet leaving 2 tbsp. Reduce heat to medium. Add reserved marinade, shallots, carrot, turnip, and zucchini. Cook, stirring and cover for about 6 minutes or until slightly coloured. Remove vegetables and reserve.

8. Add wine, stock, star anise, and orange rind to skillet. Bring to boil, scraping up any little bits on base of skillet. Pour over ribs. Cover and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

9. Add reserved vegetables and honey and continue to simmer for another hour or until meat is tender and falls off the bone. Remove the vegetables and ribs carefully, discarding the bones. Skim off any fat from the cooking liquid. If necessary, reduce liquid until full of flavour, adding salt and pepper as needed. Return meat and vegetables. Reheat before serving.

Tips: Short ribs are the best braising meat because they are always juicy and succulent.

Using miso gives a richer taste to the meat. Brown miso works best as it is stronger tasting than white miso. The heat from the chili is only a background taste.

Steamed Sticky Rice

Sticky rice is a Thai staple. The slender, opaque long grained rice becomes sticky when it is cooked and the sweet taste makes it a great compliment to the ribs.

Directions - Traditional Manner:

1. Soak sticky rice in warm water for an hour or two.

2. Rinse and place in a steamer or sieve covered with a clean cloth. Boston lettuce leaves also work to keep the rice from falling through the holes.

3. Place the basket or the sieve over boiling water, cover the rice, and steam for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

Directions - Quicker Method: 

1. Rinse rice well and place rice in a pot with an equal amount of water.

2. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute.

3. Reduce heat to low and steam for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is sticky.

Tips: You can cover the rice surface with shitake mushrooms, either fresh or dried and soaked, before steaming. The mushrooms flavour the rice and also taste good when served separately.

Fruit Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 blood or navel oranges
• 2 bananas
• 1 cantaloupe
• 3 kiwi fruit
• 1 cup seedless red or green grapes

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup blood orange juice
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp chopped, preserved ginger, or to taste
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
  

Directions:

1. Peel oranges, removing all the white pith, and cut into sections. Peel and thinly slice bananas. Scoop cantaloupe into balls using a melon baller. (Alternatively, dice). Peel and thinly slice kiwi fruit. Toss with grapes. Arrange attractively in a large glass bowl.

2. Combine blood orange juice, sugar, ginger, lime juice and cardamom in a small bowl. Drizzle over salad and chill thoroughly before serving.

Tips: If available, use blood oranges, which are best from end of January through April. Their intense ruby colour makes an attractive dressing.