Potato Gnocchi

Chef Luc Jean - September 2017

Ingredients (Yield: 6 portions)

• 4 Russet potatoes
• 4 Egg yolks
• 2 cups Flour
• 1/4 cup Parsley (chopped fine)
• TT Salt
• 125 ml Parmesan Cheese

Method

• Boil potatoes with skin on in salted water until fully cooked
• Drain and peel them
• Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer and into a stainless mixing bowl.
• Add the flour, parsley, egg and pinch of slat.
• Mix until you form a nice pliable dough.
• Dust work survace with flour.
• Roll and cut the gnocchi.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
• Boil the gnocchi until they come up to the top of the water.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and cool in ice bath

Champagne Butter Ingredients (Yield: 300 ml)

• 1 Shallots
• 1 tsp Black peppercorns
• 250 ml Champagne or sparkling wine
• 1 Lemon juice
• 1 Lemon zest
• 1 tsp Honey
• 1/2 cup Heavy cream
• 1 cup Butter (cubed)

Method

• Put the shallots, peppercorns, lemon juice, lemon zest and honey in a stainless steel pot
• Reduce mixture by 3/4
• Add the heavy cream and reduce mixture again
• Cook mixture down until thickened
• Strain mixture into another pot or pan
• For every 1 cup of reduction, add 1 cup of cold cubed butter
• Once emulsified do not boil again

Spring rolls (Lumpiang Shanghai)

Chefs Ramina Lyn Ritual and Rosshiel Lagman - March 2017

Traditionally made of ground meat mixed with finely chopped onions, carrots, garlic, etc. and rolled in a thin wrapper made with flour and water

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP Ground Pork
• 1  Carrot, Brunoise
• 3 Stalks Celery, Brunoise
• 1 Onion, Brunoise
• 1 TBSP  Garlic, Minced
• 2  Eggs
• 2 TBSP  Soy Sauce
• 1 TBSP  Vinegar
• To Taste Salt/Pepper
• 2 TBSP  Corn Starch
• 1    Magic Sarap (Filipino Seasoning)
• 2    Wrapper, small

Directions:

• Mixed all the ingredients together - do not overmixed.
• Place 2 TBSP of pork filling on the wrapper and tightly roll it and seal with flour and water mixture

Crispy Falafel

Chef Cheryl D'Souza - Manitoba Club - January 11, 2016

Serve the crunchy chickpea bites with a spicy harissa yogurt — 2 tablespoons harissa paste stirred into plain Greek yogurt seasoned with salt. 

Makes 40 and keeps nicely in the fridge or freezer

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups chickpeas, soaked in water overnight 
• 1/2 cup bulgur wheat, soaked in water overnight 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1/3 cup diced red onion 
• 1 tablespoon garlic 
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley 
• 1/4 cup chopped mint 
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin 
• 1 tablespoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon harissa paste 
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• vegetable oil, for frying 
• Chopped fresh herbs to garnish 

Instructions

• Drain the bulgur wheat and chickpeas very well. 
• Saute onions and garlic for 5 minutes, until translucent, then set aside to cool. 
• In a food processor, combine onion and garlic with chickpeas, bulgur wheat, parsley, mint, cilantro, white sesame seeds, baking powder, cumin, salt, harissa and black pepper. 
• Pulse, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula, until the chickpeas are finely minced and everything is well-combined. 
• Roll the falafel mixture into chestnut-sized balls or small patties.
• Arrange on a baking tray and chill for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight. 
• Heat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer to 350F, then fry falafel in batches until deep golden-brown — about 3-5 minutes. They go from perfect to burned in just a few seconds, so keep a close eye on them, then remove from fryer and drain on a layer of paper towels. 
• Plate by spooning a little of the spicy harissa yogurt onto a plate or serving platter, placing a falafel on top, then topping with a little more of the yogurt and chopped fresh herbs or microgreens.

Roasted Zucchini-Chickpea Dip with Za'atar

Chef Cheryl D'Souza - Manitoba Club - January 11, 2016

Serves 6 to 8
Active time:10 minutes
Total time:30 minutes 

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 medium zucchini, cut into rough dice (about 1 quart) 
• 1 medium red onion, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup) 
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or use 1/2 cup dried 
• chickpeas, soaked overnight in 3 cups water and simmered until tender) 
• 3 medium cloves garlic, smashed, peels removed 
• 2 tablespoons tahini paste 
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice from 2 lemons 
• About 3 tablespoons water 
• 1 teaspoon za'atar 

Instructions

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Toss zucchini and onion with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Turn onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until vegetables are tender and browned, about 20 minutes. 
• Add chickpeas, garlic, tahini, and roasted vegetables to the bowl of a food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pulse until well-chopped. 
• With machine running, stream in olive oil, lemon juice, and water, and blend until smooth. Add more water if mixture is too thick. Taste, adding more oil, lemon, or seasoning as needed. 
• Scrape dip into a serving bowl, drizzle with 1 additional tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with za'atar. 
• Serve with toasted flatbread, pita or crudités. 

Banh Mi Pork Meatballs, Pickled Slaw, Lime Aioli

Jessica Young - Buffalo Stone Cafe - April 13, 2015

Banh Mi Pork meatballs, pickled slaw, lime aioli 20 ppl

Meatballs 

• Ground pork – 3 lbs (1.362 kg)
• Thai basil – 40 gr or so (regular basil is good too)
• Garlic – 10 gr (about ten cloves)
• Lemongrass – 10 gr 
• Fish sauce – 45 ml
• Cornstarch – 30 gr
• Siracha – 45 ml
• Honey – 45 ml
• Salt – 10 g
• Pepper – 5 g

- Mince garlic and lemon grass. Ensuring to not use the woody part of the lemongrass. Julienne basil.

- Mix all ingredients well, a mixer fitted with a paddle works best. Test for seasoning.

Slaw 

• Cucumber – 200g
• Carrot – 200g
• Daikon – 200g
• Cilantro – 1 bunch
• Mirin – 1 cup
• Salt – 15 ml
• Rice wine vinegar – 1 cup
• Sesame oil – 45 ml

- Julienne daikon, carrot, and cucumber. Pick the cilantro leaves.

- Mix mirin, vinegar, salt and oil. Test for seasoning. Dress slaw half an hour before service. Finish with cilantro.

  Aioli 

• Canola oil – 750 ml
• Eggs – 3 yolks
• Salt – 5 g
• Dijon – 10 ml
• Lime juice – 20 ml
• Thai chilies – 5 
• Garlic – 5 g

- Mince garlic and chilies, minus the seeds.

- In a metal bowl place yolks, Dijon, juice, garlic, and chilies.

- Whisk together. Slowly whisk in oil, if it gets too thick add alittle water. 

Season to taste with salt.

Salted Cheese

Jessica Young - Buffalo Stone Cafe - April 13, 2015

Salted cheese 20 ppl

• Cheese (emmenthaler or something sharp) – 1.8 kg (approx. 90 g per person)
• Baguette – 3 whole
• Shallots sliced – 3 each 
• Apple sliced – 2
• Maldon salt – 2 tbsp
• Fresh cracked pepper – 4-5 tsp
• Olive oil – 1 cup

- Slice baguette on a bias approx. ¼ inch thick, toss with enough olive oil to coat evenly. Lightly grill on each side.

- Thinly slice cheese, shallots, and apples. Layer all three hap hazzardly, drizzling with oil and sprinkling with Maldon and pepper.

- Annnnnd eat!!!

Wild Mushroom Strudel

Chef Craig Guenther - Winnipeg Winter Club - March 9, 2015

Wild Mushroom Strudel

FILLING

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 cups sliced wild mushrooms
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup soft, mild goat cheese or ricotta
• ¼ cup toasted unseasoned bread crumbs
• 2 tsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper

Strudel

• 4 sheets phyllo dough
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Roasted red bell pepper & Chipotle sauce

• 2 knobs of butter
• 1 cup fine dice yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon fine chop garlic
• 1 cup can chopped roasted red peppers
• 1 tblsp chipotle paste
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Salt to taste

Melt butter, sauté onions, and garlic till soft, add chopped red peppers and chipotle paste, sauté 3-4 min. Add cream and boil 5-10 min. then puree till smooth keep warm

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until very hot.  Add the onion, shallots, and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the red wine and reduce by 1.2 about 4 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and cook until just tender and most of the liquid is reduced, 4 to 5 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and allow the filling to cool slightly.  Transfer the filling to a large bowl and allow it to cool completely.  Fold in the Parmesan and goat cheeses.  Add the bread crumbs, basil, rosemary, and black pepper.  Mix well, season to taste with salt, and then set aside.

Place 2 sheets of the phyllo dough on a clean dry work surface and generously brush the top sheet with melted butter.  Place two more phyllo sheets on top and again brush the top sheet with butter.  Spoon the filling into the centre of the dough, spreading it to form a rectangle while leaving a 2 inch border.  Fold one of the short ends of the dough about 1 inch over the filling.  Fold one of the long ends over about 1 inch of the filling and gently roll into a log.  Place the strudel, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet and cut ¼ inch deep vents along the top.  Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove the strudel from the oven and cool on the pan.  Using a serrated knife, slice the strudel into 8 pieces.  Serve warm with the sauce on the side.

Mushroom Tenderloin Cubes

Chef Craig Guenther - Winnipeg Winter Club - March 9, 2015

Mushroom Tenderloin Cubes

• 1½ lbs beef tenderloin or Striploin grilling steak
• 2 tbsp brandy
• 2 cups small white mushrooms
• 1 cup fresh porcini mushrooms, sliced
• ½ tsp each salt & pepper
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or ¼ tsp dried)
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• ¼ tsp granulated sugar1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

 Cut beef into 1 inch cubes; place in bowl.  Mix in half of the brandy; let stand for 10 minutes.  Trim stems off white mushrooms, set mushrooms aside.

 In a shallow dish, salt & pepper.  Drain beef, coat a few pieces at a time in salt & pepper.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 1 tbsp of the butter.  In 2 batches, sear beef cubes on all sides, about 1 minute per batch.  Transfer to plate.  Wipe out pan.

In the same pan over medium heat, melt remaining butter, cook stemmed mushrooms and thyme, stirring, for 3 minutes.  Add soy sauce, sugar and remaining brandy; cook, stirring, until mushrooms are glazed and no liquid remains, about 30 seconds.  Let cool.  In the same pan melt the last tbsp butter and sauté porcini mushrooms until tender 2 – 3 minutes.  Stuff each mushroom cap with a little of the porcini.

For each piece, thread 1 mushroom and 1 beef cube onto a toothpick, or small skewer.  Place on rimmed baking sheet.  You can make this ahead and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

Bake in 450F oven until heated through, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with chives.

Ravioli filled with wild mushrooms and goat cheese with a white wine basil cream sauce

Chef Gord Harris - Tapastry - Nov. 17, 2014

Ravioli filled with wild mushrooms and goat cheese with a white wine basil cream sauce

Ravioli dough

• 2 cups flour
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Combine all ingredients into stand mixer and mix with dough hook until smooth. Allow to rest in  fridge.

Wild Mushroom filling.

• 15 cups of a good blend of wild mushrooms, Chanterelle, porcini, oyster, shitake, portabella.  
• Goat Cheese
• Minced Shallots
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• White wine
• Heavy Cream
• basil chiffonade.