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Amuse Bouche
Defn: to tickle your palate, whet your appetite, make your mouth happy

Amuse Bouche is where we share with you the things that make our mouths happy. From recipes to wine reviews, from producer profiles to our culinary journeys - this is sightseeing for your tastebuds.

There are so many amazing food and wine events across this province. We recommend visiting Wine & Dine BC News - an excellent resource for keeping track of these events so you can plan your calendar and don't miss out. And Cityfood Magazine is a terrific site for keeping track of Vancouver's food & beverage related press releases, restaurant news, promotions and more.

Visit often - we'll be tasting, travelling and posting for you.

Cheers,

Treve Ring
Amuse Bouche Editor

Recipes: Zucchini Lasagna, basil pistachio pesto, macadamia ricotta

Earlier this month we had the pleasure of welcoming Afke Zonderland back for a second annual Raw Food Feast – as part of our BC’s Best Market Dinner Series.  Her recipes are so incredibly flavourful and creative – I had a lot of trouble picking just one recipe to post.

Zucchini Lasagna

basil pistachio pesto, macadamia ricotta, with walnut zucchini crackers

Arrowleaf Cellars Zwiegelt 2007

Serves 4

Zucchini Noodles

4 zucchini – celtic sea salt; Italian herbs

Thinly slice zucchini in long thin strips.

Macadamia Nut Ricotta Cheeze

1 ½ cups Macadamia nuts

¼ cup pine nuts – soaked 1 hour

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp  celtic sea salt

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

6 – 8 tbsp. water as needed

Combine first four ingredients in a food processor  ( S-blade) to a fine meal.

Gradually add olive oil, and just enough water to make a thick smooth sauce.

Spread the cheeze over the zucchini noodles in the glass dish

Sun-dried Tomato Marinara

6  ripe roma tomatoes

1 ½ cups sun-dried tomatoes – rehydrated

1 cup  finely chopped basil

1 cup finely chopped Italian parsley

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. celtic sea salt

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried rosemary

5 drops Stevia

1 cl  garlic  – minced

Cut the fresh tomatoes in half. Scoop out the seeds ( optional)  and chop tomatoes small. Transfer to a large bowl.   Combine the sun-dried tomatoes with all the remaining ingredients and process  in a blender until smooth.   Stir into chopped tomatoes.

*If using canned tomatoes drain excess juice and soak sun-dried tomatoes in this.  After soaking, drain and process the sun-dried tomatoes with the tomatoes , spices, herbs , oil and lemon juice until the marinara is fairly smooth.   *Recommended in the winter when fresh tomatoes taste bland.

Marinated Mushrooms

3 cups shiitake  mushrooms

½ cup finely chopped fresh basil

3  scallions, finely chopped

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

a few drops stevia

1 tbsp Braggs Liquid Amino’s

Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and toss gently.

Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours or overnight

Drain the liquid from the mushrooms and layer them over the cheeze

Top with reserved zucchini strips

Recipes – Sun Haven Farm Kurobuta Pork, caramelized apricot risotto, fruit chutney

Earlier this week West Restaurant Chef de Cuisine David Gunawan joined an enthusiastic and eager crowd for one of our BC’s Best Market Dinners. I say eager, because this dinner sold out in November 2009 – a couple of short weeks after the date was announced!  This course was a favourite of the group – and our staff remarked that it was one of the top favourites at any of our Market Dinners – EVER.

Sun Haven Farm Kurobuta Pork

caramelized apricot risotto, fruit chutney

See Ya Later Ranch Rover 2007

• 4 pork jowl

• 1.1 litres (chicken or vegetable as appropriate)
• 1 knob of butter
• tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 400g/14oz risotto rice
• 250 ml of dry white vermouth or dry white wine
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 70g butter
• 100g of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 100 g of apricot puree

Stage 1

Heat the stock. In a separate pan heat the olive oil and butter, add the onions, garlic and celery, and fry very slowly for about 15 minutes without colouring. When the vegetables have softened, add the rice and turn up the heat.

Stage 2

The rice will now begin to lightly fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Add the vermouth or wine and keep stirring until harsh alcohol flavours evaporate

Stage 3

Once the vermouth or wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. Turn down the heat to a simmer so the rice doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and almost massaging the creamy starch out of the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes.  Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Don’t forget to check the seasoning carefully. If you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add some boiling water.

Stage 4

Remove from the heat and add the apricot puree, butter and Parmesan. Stir well. Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 minutes.

Fruit Chutney

• 1/2 orange, peel and white pith removed
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped dried pears
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped dried figs
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
• 2 small apples (about 8 ounces total), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Using small sharp knife, cut between membranes of orange half to release segments. Set segments aside.

Combine white wine and next 6 ingredients in large nonreactive* saucepan. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Strain mixture; discard solids.

Return liquid to saucepan. Add cranberries, pears, figs, raisins and ginger. Cover and simmer until fruit is tender, about 10 minutes. Add apples. Simmer until apples are just tender, about 15 minutes. Cool to lukewarm.

Stir in reserved orange segments. Transfer to bowl. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Seats still available for Summer’s Raw Food Feast

We had our first Raw Food Dinner with Chef Afke Zonderland in 2009, and we were absolutely blown away!  Afke exchanged her creative talent as kitchen designer for a chef’s jacket three years ago. Her passion for gourmet vegetarian food & a desire for abundant health naturally led her towards eating more un-cooked food.  She continuously amazes participants in her Raw Gourmet workshops how satisfying and delicious Fresh, Living Food really is. Her sincere enthusiasm to prepare and enjoy “the best food ever” is contagious.  For EBC regulars, you’ll already know Afke as the creator of popular Krumbleez & Krackleez.

There are still tickets available for this year’s Raw Food Feast – you can book securely online here, or email us at events@ediblebritishcolumbia.com to reserve your spot.

 

 

Cooking with BC’s Best – Summer’s Raw Food Feast with Chef Afke Zonderland

August 4, 2010

 

Pure Mojito

mint & lime, topped with Schramm Vodka & sparkling wine

 

Red Beet Ravioli

cashew cheese filling, tarragon, pistachios

 

Watermelon Tomato Gazpacho

summertime in a bowl, spicy, sweet & fresh

 

Zucchini Lasagna

basil pistachio pesto, macadamia ricotta, with walnut zucchini crackers

 

Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart

vanilla cream

 

Only $89.95 per person, plus taxes.

Read more about our BC’s Best Market Dinner Series here.

Recipe: Foie Gras Terrine with Slowly Roasted Strawberries

This past week we welcomed MARKET at Shangri-La to our BC’s Best Market Dinners.  Chef de Cuisine Karen Gin prepared this very unique dish that had everyone in attendance asking for the recipe.  So we thought we’d share it with you as well.

Foie Gras Terrine with Slowly Roasted Strawberries

Gray Monk Odyssey Brut

 

Slow Roasted Strawberries

• 1 basket  Strawberries
• 1  tbs Kosher Salt
• 1 C  simple syrup

Toss berries with a syrup and salt then bake at 200 on a perforated pan on top of a hotel pan for 1 hour. Remove juice in hotel pan then continue cooking for 2-3 hours more stirring every hour until chewy.

Foie Gras

• foie gras
• Kirsch
• Salt & Pepper

Denerve foie gras and lay onto a ½ sheet pan seasoned with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with kirsch. Season again and cover with plastic. Marinate in for 1 hour. Remove plastic and bake at 350° for 2-3 minutes (just until warm to the touch). Put in a bowl over ice and re emulsify, add strawberries and just fold in, do not over mix (ratio is 60% foie to 40% strawberries). Check and adjust seasoning and put into plastic tubes.

Foie Brûlee

• Brioche
• Raw sugar
• Fleur de sel
• Cracked white pepper
• Sichuan peppercorn

To Serve

• Aged Balsamic
• Malden Sea Salt
• Cracked black pepper
• Strawberries ¼’d
• Micro shiso or mint

Place foie brule on plate with a small pool of the strawberry juice from the slow roasted strawberries in front. On the other side of the plate put a pile of the strawberries and sprinkle lightly with Malden sea salt. Put a small pool of the balsamic in front of the berries and serve. Garnish plate with micro shiso or mint.

Recipe: Saganaki Schramm Vodka Martini – by Chef Dana Reinhardt

Chef Dana Reinhardt has long been an EBC friend.  She was our lead chef back when we began our Commercial Drive Market Tours, and she’s graced our BC’s Best Market Dinners before.  We were fortunate to have Chef Reinhardt join us again last month – and here is her original summer starter, featuring Pemberton Distillery’s Schramm Vodka (another EBC fave!)

Saganaki Schramm Vodka Martini

A fun first course; a cross between a martini and a soup!

 

Serves 4 as a starter.

• 12  Windset Allegro tomatoes, chopped
• 2  Windset Allegro tomatoes, finely chopped
• pinch chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 leaves fresh basil
• 2 leaves fresh mint
• 1 clove  garlic, finely minced
• 4 oz vodka
• 2  Fresco mini cucumbers, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons  fresh chives, finely chopped
• 3 oz  pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
• 8 oz  Haloumi cheese, cut into 12 cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

In a blender, combine the 10 chopped tomatoes, chili flakes, salt, basil, mint and garlic.  Puree until smooth.  Place the tomato mixture in a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl and place in the refrigerator for 2 -3 hours.

Discard the solids remaining in the sieve and add the gin or vodka to the tomato water.   Mix the cucumbers, remaining chopped tomatoes and olives together and divide into 4 martini glasses.

Divide the cubes of Haloumi cheese onto 4 small skewers.  Heat the olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat and fry the cheese until golden on all sides.  Drain on a paper towel.

Pour the tomato water into the martini glasses and garnish with the chives and a cheese skewer each.