Episode 64: Wakefield
CHEESE FONDUE FOR TWO
500 millilitres Mission Hill Chardonnay
500 grams Gruyere cheese – grated
250 grams Emmenthal cheese – grated
1 ounces Brandy
10 grams cornstarch
4 ounces broccoli florettes – blanched
4 ounces carrots – cut into bite size pieces – blanched
4 ounces cauliflower florettes – blanched
6 ounces red nugget potatoes – cut in half and blanched
21-25 prawns peeled and deveined
6 ounces raw chicken breast – diced
6 ounces raw beef striploin – diced
1 French baguette – cubed
1 bottle white wine
Preparation time is 20 minutes.
Ease of preparation is easy.
In a medium saucepan, heat the wine and gradually add grated cheese – stirring constantly until all cheese is melted. Add brandy. Add cornstarch that has been mixed with a splash of wine. Hold warm over a bain marie.
Arrange diced food in bowls and on platter. Keep raw proteins separated.
Pour cheese sauce into fondue pot. Pour approximately 1 bottle of white wine into another fondue pot. (Suggestion is to heat it prior to adding to the fondue pot to speed up the process.) Light the candles/sternos underneath to keep the fondues warm.
Using fondue forks/skewers – put raw meats into simmering wine to cook (approximately 1-2 minutes). Be sure to check the chicken before eating. Meanwhile, snack on bread and or veggies dipped directly into the cheese sauce.
Yield: 2 servings
BAKED SALMON
1-10 pound whole Pacific salmon (filleted, skinned & deboned)
800 millilitres extra virgin olive oil
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup maple syrup
2 cups white wine
20 grams salt
10 grams black pepper
5 pounds red nugget potatoes (washed & cut in half, hold in water)
3 pounds carrots (peeled & cut bite size)
3 pounds zucchini (washed & cut bite size)
2 pounds bell peppers (cored, seeded & cut bite size)
1 bunch fresh rosemary
3 lemons
Preparation time is 1 hour 15 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
To prepare the marinade/glaze: mix together 200 millilitres of oil, lemon juice, white wine & 1/3 of the salt & pepper- check seasoning, set aside.
Prepare vegetables set aside.
Peel off the leaves of half the rosemary & finely chop. Cut lemon into wedges of 4 and set aside.
1 side of salmon will yield 5 portions. Place the salmon in shallow dish with marinade in it, set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Toss drained potatoes in some olive oil & salt & pepper, put into preheated pan & put in oven. After 10 minutes add carrots.
Pull salmon out of marinade & place "good side" down in preheated & oiled pan, place in oven.
Add zucchini & peppers that have been tossed through oil & salt & pepper to pan of cooked vegetables.
After 20 minutes, remove salmon & turnover, so good side is facing up. Spoon some of the leftover marinade on the salmon.
Remove vegetables, sprinkle fresh rosemary over. Return everything to the oven, lowering the temperature to 350 degrees fahrenheit and continue cooking for 10 minutes longer (less if you like your salmon medium rare).
Place salmon in middle of serving platter, arrange vegetables around and garnish with fresh lemons and rosemary sprigs.
Yield: 10 servings.
BELGIAN WAFFLES
Batter
4 eggs
4 cups of flour
1 cup of vegetable oil
3 ½ cups of milk
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Topping
5 ounces raspberries
5 ounces blueberries
10 ounces maple syrup
10 ounces whipped crème
Ease of preparation is easy
Pre- heat waffle iron.
Beat eggs until fluffy. Mix in remaining ingredients until smooth.
Spray waffle iron with pan coating. Pour 1 to 1-1/3 cups of batter onto iron. Bake for about 5 minutes.
Top with fresh berries and maple syrup and whipped cream. During the winter – cook the fruit with 1 cup of sugar. Pour directly onto waffles.
Yield: 10 – 8” waffles
JUMBO CALAMARI (CUMIN, CUCUMBER YOGURT DIP)
2 5 inch calamari squid tubes cut into ¼ inch slices
4 cups whole milk2 cups rice flour
½ teaspoon each of cayenne and chilli powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon saltVegetable oil for deep frying
Calamari Dip
6 cucumbers - peeled & seeded
3 litres yoghurt
60 grams onion – minced
60 grams ginger
2.5 millilitres salt
60 millilitres cumin
60 millilitres chilli powder
Preparation time is 40 minutes.
Ease of preparation is easy.
Preheat deep-fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Soak the calamari slices in the milk for at least 30 minutes. Toss the rings in a blend of rice flour, cayenne, chilli powder, garlic powder and salt. Deep-fry the calamari in vegetable oil for about 1 minute. Drain off oil & serve immediately!!
For the dip, grate cucumber and place in cheesecloth. Squeeze out excess water. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve.
Yield: 4 appetizer servings
FLAMING CHORIZO
Ease of preparation is easy.
Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Sear chorizo on all sides for about 3 minutes and flambé with brandy. Add wine, tomato, garlic and simmer 2 minutes.
Transfer skillet to a lined pasta bowl. Top with parsley and 2 pieces of garlic bread.
Yield: 2 appetizer servings
PAN SEARED SCALLOPS
2 medium portabello mushroom caps
2 ounces soya sauce
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1 shallot, finely diced
salt & pepper
6 large scallops
2 ounces Ponzu sauce (a Japanese sauce made from reduced mirin, lemon & soya)
Preparation time is 40 minutes.
Ease of preparation is easy.
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Marinate the portabello mushrooms in the soya, garlic, shallot, salt and pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes. Grill or broil 2 minutes per side – then bake in a 325 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes - cool - cut into thin strips 1/8".
Pat the scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. Sear the scallops in a large non-stick skillet over high for about 1 minute or until browned. Turn. Sear other side for 1 minute or until browned.
Add mushrooms and ponzu sauce. Cook for 1 minute longer, or until the scallops have just warmed through.
Use crispy Thai fried noodles, steamed rice or Udon noodles as a garnish.
Yield: 2 servings
WEST COAST SMOKED SALMON
ON PUMPERNICKEL WITH CAPER CREAM CHEESE.
GARNISHED WITH SWEET RED ONION, HORSERADISH MOUSSE, & LIME ZEST.
1 teaspoon dill, finely diced
1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
½ cup cream cheese
salt & pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon
dash of Worchestire sauce
3 Pumpernickel slices, cut in half
Leaf lettuce to garnish
6 slices smoked salmon
½ cup whipped cream
1 teaspoon horse radish
dash of lemon juice
pinch of chilli powder
Ease of preparation is easy.
Chop up dill and capers and blend with cream cheese, salt&pepper, lemon juice and a dash of Worcestire sauce.
Spread on pumpernickel bread and heighten with leaf lettuce. Top with thinly sliced smoked salmon.
Combine whipped cream with horse radish, salt&pepper, lemon juice and chilli powder and serve as a side dip
Yield: 2 appetizer servings
SEARED VENISON TENDERLOIN WITH CHANTRELLE PORT DEMI-GLACE SERVED WITH BACON BEAN ROLLS, GRILLED TOMATO WITH GARLIC SPINACH AND SPAGHETTI SQUASH AND BAKED OVER GOAT CHEESE.
1 3 pound venison tenderloin
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups red wine
8 garlic cloves, smashed
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 slices bacon, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup chantrelles or other wild mushrooms
Salt&pepper to taste1 cup Port
1 cup demi-glace
1 cup 35% whipping cream
¼ cup Cognac (if desired)
Preparation time is 4 hours.
Ease of preparation is easy.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Marinate the venison tenderloin in oil, red wine, raw garlic cloves, rosemary, whole peppercorns, and fresh thyme for 4 hours minimum. Remove from marinade and pat dry.
In a large skillet, pan fry the fillet over medium high heat, searing on all sides for about 6 minutes. Transfer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and tent with tin foil for at least 15 minutes before serving.
For the sauce, fry bacon and onions in the same skillet as the venison was in over medium heat until the bacon is crisp. Add butter and the chanterelles and continue to cook 3 minutes longer. Season with salt & pepper. Increase heat to high and add port to deglaze and reduce for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of demi-glace and continue to reduce for another 5 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce has thickened. You can add a teaspoon of cognac at the end of the cooking process for extra flavour if desired.
Bacon bean rolls
16 Green beans
Salt & pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
4 bacon strips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
Take fresh green beans blanched in pot of boiling salt water. Then strain and refresh in ice bath. Pat dry. Toss the beans with salt, pepper and fresh chopped garlic and oregano to season.
Take a raw bacon strip and roll around 4 beans. Cut the tips off beans. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until the bacon is crisp. Remove from oven. Cut in half and stand on plate.
Grilled tomato with garlic spinach and spaghetti squash and baked over goat cheese
4 Roma tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon fresh oregano
1 cup cooked spinach
1 cup cooked spaghetti squash
1 cup goat’s cheese
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit
Take a Roma tomato and hollow it out and cut a thin slice off the bottom to stand it on the plate. Season the inside with salt, pepper, thyme and oregano. Stuff with cooked spinach and cooked spaghetti squash (half and half). Then top with a piece of goat’s cheese and some fresh cracked pepper. Bake at 475 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheese is melted and the tomato is cooked (approximately 5 minutes).
Yield: 4 servings
VANILLA ICE CREAM WITH A WILD BERRY FLAMBÉ
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons sugar
2 cups mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
1/3 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau or liquor of choice
Vanilla ice cream
Mint leaf
Ease of preparation is easy.
Melt butter and sugar in a large skillet over medium high heat. To this add mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) and sauté for 2 minutes, or until the berries have warmed. Add Grand Marnier/ Cointreau/ or liquor of choice. Flambé.
Spoon onto ice cream and garnish with a mint leaf.
Yield: 4 servings
