Spring Time!

  I must tell you that April has snuck up on me and literally passed by in the blink of an eye. Spring is a time of newness and light.  We live up in Northern Canada and the sunlight of spring is a welcome thing to say the least. New life in the ground and people anticipating the planting of herbs and flowers.

  With spring is a new season, a new warmth and if I may indulge you a moment...

  So this month there is no lesson of food and preparation, only a lesson on how good people make good food even better.  Breaking bread with company is the ingredient all cookbooks neglect to add to every recipe. It is a necessary addition to make the meal complete...new season, new days, new warmth from the sun, friends...and yes new memories, those we will cherish a lifetime.

                            Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

 So with that I will introduce you to a favorite dessert, a simple recipe which explodes with the fruits of spring.  One of my favorite combinations of strawberry and rhubarb, if you can get either freshly grown from the garden, heaven is just a bite away.

  With this recipe you can either use a pastry crust of your choice (in a 9" pie plate)a graham wafer crust(in a 9"pie plate) or make it without any crust as a crumble.  It is simple, quick and always a hit.

                             Pastry

 This is a recipe for two 9" pie crusts.  The key is to keep your ingredient chilled. If the dough is becoming to warm it will be very difficult to work with, just place it back in the fridge to re-chill (approximately 20 minutes)

       1 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour

       1/2 plain bleached cake flour

       1 tsp salt

       1 1/2 sticks (6 oz.) chilled unsalted butter, cubed

       4 tbs chilled shortening

       1/2 cups ice water

Place flours, salt and butter in bowl of food processor with steel blade, pulse with quick bursts to break up the butter. Adding shortening turn on the processor and add ice water immediately. Pulse a couple of times.  It should like small white peas at this point, and easily be molded into two balls at this time.  If it is too dry add a couple of more droplets to moisten. Do not over moisten or the crust will be tough. Mold into two balls, cover with plastic wrap and chill at least two hours, you may also freeze well wrapped dough for two months.

Roll out one ball for one pie, or both dough balls for two pies. Roll out onto lightly floured surface.  Rub some flour on rolling pin also, I prefer a marble rolling pin, the weight of the pin, and the coolness of the marble makes a simple task more simple. Evenly roll out the balls and place each in a 9" pie tin.  Prick the sides and the bottom, make filling.

                      Strawberry Rhubarb Filling

     (For two 9" pies)

       6 cups sliced fresh strawberries (you may use frozen, thawed)

       4 cups sliced rhubarb (you may use frozen, thawed)

       1/2 cup all purpose flour

       1 1/2 cups sugar

       2 cups sour cream

       2/3 cups softened butter

       2/3 cups brown sugar

       1/2 cup all purpose flour

       2 tsp cinnamon

Toss strawberries and rhubarb together, place even amounts in unbaked pie shell. In bowl mix 1/2 cup flour, sour cream, and white sugar. Pour evenly over strawberry, rhubarb mix. Using the same bowl blend soft butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. (I prefer to mix with a pastry fork, or kitchen fork) when mix is crumbly sprinkle evenly over pie filling. Bake in oven at 400 for ten minutes; reduce heat to 350 for 35-45 minutes. Check rhubarb to see if it is tender. You can add more crumble or less, you may use fat free sour cream, or add more butter or sugar to crumble mix.  It is easy, and versatile.  Pies may be frozen after they have cooled.  For a change you can also make tarts! 

        Enjoy and try to remember all food is better when shared with exceptional company          

Chef Pierre            

Grilled Bison Tenderloin with Raspberry, Maple & Marcella Coulis

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INGREDIENTS

1 (2 lb.) bison tenderloin
1-1/2 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. freshly cracked black pepper
1 tbsp. hickory smoked salt
1 tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Coulis
1 pint raspberries
1/2 cup Marcella Wine
4 tbsp. Maple Syrup
1/2 cup game stock or Demi-glaze sauce
3/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 lemon, zest of

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the BBQ Grill to 550°F with closed lid.
Cut Bison into 4 pieces about 8oz each
Mix all spices together in a bowl and rub into the tenderloin.


Cook on oiled barbecue grill over high heat for 10 to 15 minutes until preferred doneness, turning occasionally making them on both sides, if the grill is very hot, you could keep the lid open.

Coulis:
Before cooking the tenderloin, place the raspberries and maple syrup in a sauce pot on medium-high heat. When Maple starts getting darker, add stock, marcella, pepper and cayenne, mix well. Cook until Coulis is slightly syrupy.

Remove from heat. Mash berries with a potato masher to extract the remaining juice. Pour through a strainer to catch the raspberry seeds. Ladel onto plates. Garnish with Coulis with lemon zest.

The Luck of the Irish

With March here, what better time then to discuss the Emerald Isle or as some prefer to call it Ireland.

  The Irish have a strong and true history.  Known for its religious turmoil and its true devotion to their causes, the Irish prove time and time again they can rise from the ashes and move on.  Probably where the term the “fighting Irish” originated from, here I thought it had come from my friend's family reunions….

  They say that the Irish cannot cook…well who are they?  Perhaps the Irish don’t want to share with us because many of their traditional fare are heaped with flavor and down to earth ingredients.  Hearty stews and breads are favorites at the Irish pubs, and homes and the wine of choice is always beer!

  My choice for the national flower, fruit, food or animal would have to be the potato. The potato has a way of creeping into almost every dish of the Irish.

  The white potato or the “Irish potato” has its roots (pardon the pun) in the Andean Mountains.  Brought to Europe by the Spaniards in the mid 16^th century, the potato became the main staple of the lads and lassies of Ireland.  By the 1800s, an amazing 90% of the Irish populations were totally dependent on the potato crop not only for consumption but for their livelihood.   With the population of Ireland at 8 million, that is a whole lot of French fries…actually fries didn’t come until much later, and I don’t think the Irish will take credit for that one!  That was all to change however in 1845 when half of the potato crops became infected by a black fungus, the trivial pursuit term would be “Phytophthora infestants. “. It raged through the fields like wild fire and the crops were non consumable.  Many of the population became ill trying to eat the infected tubers as that was the only source of food. It was to be the beginning of the Great Famine or the potato famine as some call it.  The famine lasted from 1846-1851…it was a dark time for the Isle.  With the rich farmers exporting their grain to the England they survived by starving their own country…it was a no win situation, survival of the fittest and the richest!  This period is recognizes by historians as one of the greatest catastrophes of the 19^th century.

  Today however the beautiful Ireland boasts a population of over 5 million strong, and the world holds dear to its heart over 70 million of Irish decent.

  Potatoes come in all shapes, sizes and colors…

Russets: or baking potato are the most common. They are grown in Maine and Oregon and of course Idaho.  With brown skin and high in starch but low in moisture, they are perfect for mashing, baking or fries.

Long White: oblong and light tan skin they are an all purpose potato.  Good for baking, roasting, mashing or boiling, they are mostly grown in California.

Round Reds: round and red in skin, these are great for boiling…with skins of course.  They have a low starch content so when mashing do not over do it. These spuds are sometimes called “new” potatoes, which is an incorrect term as “new” actually means any variety of potato freshly dug and not stored. La Rouge, Red La Soda and Red Pontiacs fall into the round red category.

Round White: Irish Cobbler, Katahdin, and Superior stand in this classification. Great for boiling, these are light skinned and ivory fleshed.  With a medium starch content they are not the greatest for mashing and certainly not baked…roasting however they are delicious gems.

Yellow Flesh: have a deep yellow color and a firm creamy texture.  Their firmness and flavor make them a favorite of restaurants and chefs. Yukon Golds are the most common in this category. Yellow Finns,La Rein, and Dutch Yellow are available from time to time.

 Purple Potatoes:  dark purple or black on the outside, when cut expose a purplish blue inside. Beautiful for color to the dish, or to just freak your friends out they again are all purpose and good for mashing and boiling.  Don’t forget to invite Barney to the table!

Here some of my favorite Irish dishes:

                                                  Lamb Stew

¼ pound thick bacon (cut into lengthwise and widthwise)

3 pounds lamb shoulder (cubed)

½ teaspoon salt and pepper

¼ cup all purpose flour

2 cloves garlic minced (add more if desired)

1 large onion chopped

1 ½ teaspoon sugar

1/4cup water

2 cups beef broth or consommé (you may make your own broth)

2 pounds potatoes (cubed)

3 cups carrots (diced…the bigger the better)

½ teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon celery seed

½ cup dry red wine (you can use white wine…make sure to save some for the chef)

Sautee bacon, remove from fat and reserve fat.  Toss lamb cubes in flour, salt, pepper, and thyme. Brown lamb in bacon fat, remove and put in stock pot.  Sautee onions and garlic in the same pan…scrapping down the residue from lamb, add ¼ cup of water to aid in process. Place in pot.  Throw remaining ingredients in pot and allow to simmer until tender.(two hours should do it)  You may add more of anything as you see fit…I prefer the broth or the wine. This stew is even better the next day.  If you have a local supermarket that makes sourdough bowls indulge your guests by hollowing out the bowl and serving stew in bread.  Do not hollow too close to the edge of the bread sides or you will have a mess on the table.  If that doesn’t work for you use the following recipe for the bread dish.

  This slant on potato bread is quick and easy and absolutely delicious. It is a treat served in Northern Ireland…but make your own and save the air fair.  Serve warm off the grill slathered  with butter, or soak up the gravy from the stew.  Leftovers can be toasted and served with jam…

                         Potato Farls            

1 pound potatoes

1 cup all purpose flour

2 ounces butter

1 teaspoon salt

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and mash with butter flour and salt.  Try sifting flour to avoid clumping.  Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth.  It is easier to obtain  a smooth dough if the potatoes are still warm.  Divide dough in two and roll out into two circles approximately 1/3 inch in thickness…thicker is OK too. Cut the circles into quarters(like a large pie slice)  Lightly grease frying pan, skillet or griddle.  Heat pan to medium to high heat…cook on each side approximately two to three minutes, until golden brown.  Enjoy and be wary of leprechauns selling four leaf clovers!

Reserved for you!

Serve Your Guests LE Best

The Perfect Caesar Salad

The Perfect Caesar Salad
For the dressing:
2 egg large York
Juice of 1 lemon
2 table spoon Red wine vinegar
5 drops tobasco
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 medium garlic clove crushed
4 flat anchovies chopped
1 tablespoon capers chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pich of salt
½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
For the salad:
2 romain hearts cut bite size
1 pack chef Pierre’s Seasoned Croutong
½ cup shredded Regiano Parmesan
2 table spoon bacon bits
Method:
Put Egg Yorks, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, tobasco & Vinegar into a mixing bowl,Wisk until smooth add the capers, anchovies, garlic. Mix all well together and the, slowly add the oil in a steady stream while constantly whisking again until smooth. Reason: if you add the oil too quickly, the dressing will be separate and not emulsify. Season with salt and pepper
To serve:
Tear the romaine lettuce into 1-2 inch pieces and add them to a large bowl (wooden if you have one). Add half the dressing, toss, add remaining dressing, Parmesan cheese, and croutons and toss again. Serve on chilled plates. Sprinkle some Parmesan, bacon bits and croutons on top

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Rack of Caribou with Maple, Cranberry & Port Reduction

"I like this recipe because I think that berries complement the wild game,It also showcases northern traditional foods in a more modern way.makes this with caribou, but you can use any lean game meat – just don't cook it past rare since it dries out quickly.

Caribou (it maybe hard ti get now days) and venison (which can be one of several game meats). If you wind up with a larger rack (I also tried this with a 4-pound venison rack), cut it into 1-pound portions. If you don't have brandy, use cognac, whisky or rye.


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup cranberries
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 racks caribou (each about 7 ribs and 1 lb/450 g)
2 tsp minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tbsp brandy
2 tbsp ruby or tawny port
1/4 cup red wine
1-1/2 cups beef stock
Kosher salt + pepper to taste
In small saucepan, bring maple syrup to boil over medium-high heat. Boil 1 minute. Add cranberries. Cook 2 minutes. Strain, reserving berries and syrup separately.
Heat oil in large skillet over high. Add racks. Sear until all sides are browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350F oven 10 to 15 minutes for rare (an internal temperature of about 125F). Let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes before separating into chops.
Meanwhile, add shallots, garlic and pepper to skillet. Cook over medium-high, stirring, until shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add brandy. Using barbecue lighter, carefully ignite. When flame extinguishes, add port and wine. Cook until sauce reduces by half, about 4 minutes. Add reserved syrup and stock. Simmer until sauce is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in reserved cranberries. Season with salt and pepper. (Makes about 1-1/3 cups.)

Whitefish and Champagne Risotto

Ingredients


1 whole Whitefish (about 3 pounds total), filleted and cut into small pieces, bones and trimmings reserve
1 small onion, halved
1 small carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt
8 cups water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 cup Champagne or prosecco
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (Italian Parsley)

Method:
Combine bones and trimmings from fish, onion, carrot, celery and generous pinch salt in a large pot; cover with water. Bring to a boil, skimming froth. Reduce heat and gently simmer stock, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large saucepan, discarding solids. Skim off and discard any fat. Bring to a bare simmer.
Heat oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is softened, about 7 minutes. Add whitefish and stir to combine. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add champagne and cook until champagne is mostly absorbed, then add 1 cup stock and cook, stirring, until liquid is mostly absorbed, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ½ cup more stock and cook, stirring, until mostly absorbed. Repeat, adding liquid in ½ cupfuls, until rice is tender yet still slightly firm to the bite (you may not use all the broth). Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.

Arctic Char Gravlax with Sorrel Cream Sauce

I loves to cook with Arctic Char. I always preferred cold water fish as the icy waters freeze in the flavour.
Ingredients for Gravlax

2 bunches if fresh dill with stems
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 cup course sea salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 Tbsp. black peppercorns, cracked
1 tsp. whole allspice, cracked
2 oz. Brandy
2 fresh char fillets (about 2 pounds each) skin on, pin bone out

Method for Gravlax

Mix together sea salt, brown and white sugar, peppercorns and allspice. Rub the mixture on all sides of the char. Put a thin layer of the mixture on the bottom of the cooking dish, lay fillets skin down in the dish and pack the remaining rub evenly around the fillets. Spread the dill and thyme on top of the fillets until the char is covered. Sprinkle a little brandy on each fillet.
Tightly cover the dish and leave at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove the cover, flip over the fillets, rewrap the dish and put a weight on top (like a cookie sheet with 2 cans on top). Return to the fridge for another 24 hours. At the end of curing, unwrap the fish and scrap away the herbs and spices. The gravlax will be firm but pliable and slightly translucent. Expect to see a great deal of liquid accumulate in the dish as the fish shrinks.
To slice the gravlax, use a thin, sharp knife. Hold the knife at a 10 degree angle, starting from the tail end, begin slicing the gravlax no thicker than 1/6 of an inch. The slices should be so thin that you can see through the flesh and watch the knife’s movement as you slice.
Ingredients for Sorrel Sauce
250 ml sour cream
1 bunch fresh sorrel
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 oz. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Method for Sorrel Sauce

Put sorrel, dill, garlic and lemon juice in a cuisinar or blender and puree. Add sour cream and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, arrange the gravlax slices on a platter, serve with thin slices of toasted bread and sorrel sauce.

Maple-Candied Arctic Char

Maple - Candied Arctic Char

Ingredients:

• 1 Arctic Char fillet cleaned and cut into 1/2 inch strips

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• ¼ cup honey
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp fresh ginger
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp Liquid smoke
Method:
• Heat oven to 275°F.
• In a food processor, combine maple syrup, honey, garlic, ginger,salt, liquid Smoke and olive oil until well combined.
• Grease a shallow, glass baking dish with butter
• Place char strips in dish,
• Pour the sauce over the fillets, completely covering them.
• Sprinkle cracked peppercorns and the brown sugar on top to cover all the fish
• Bake 30 minutes, or until the sugar has caramelized.

NOTE: The Arctic Char could be replace with salmon

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