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.
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
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.
caramelized apricot risotto, fruit chutney
See Ya Later Ranch Rover 2007
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
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.)
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
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.
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
To Serve
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.
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.
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.
This past week was our annual Sustainable Seafood Market Dinner, with EBC’s own Eric Pateman cheffing. Always a sell out evening, this year was no exception. Eric’s Halibut Cheek Tacos were a hit – especially paired with Cedar Creek’s Ehrenfelser!
Halibut Cheek Taco
southwestern slaw
Cedar Creek Estate Ehrenfelser 2009
2 lb Fresh BC Halibut Cheeks (Seafood City)
1/2 C Peanut Oil (South China Seas)
1 C Flour (Grainery)
2 Tbsp Chipotle Chilli Powder (South China Seas)
1 ½ Tsp Ground Black Cumin (South China Seas)
1 ½ Tsp Minced Garlic (South China Seas)
Salt & Pepper, to taste
8 Flour Tortillas, 6” (South China Seas)
Southwestern Slaw
1 C Aji Guacamole
1/2 C Mexican Crema
Preheat a frying pan to medium-high. Combine the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic, and salt. Toss and coat the halibut cheeks with the flour. Sauté the fish for 2-3 minutes and then flip and cook through, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more.
Grill the tortillas until they have light grill marks (or steam in the microwave or oven) and are heated through, about 15 seconds on the first side. Turn the tortillas and grill them until they just start to bubble, another 15 seconds.
Center 2 pieces of grilled fish on each tortilla with the slaw and Aji Guacamole. Add a dollop of Mexican Crema, fold in half, and serve immediately.
Southwestern Slaw
2 C Green Cabbage, Finely Shredded (Green Grocer)
¼ C Shredded Carrot (Green Grocer)
2 Tsp Lime Juice (Green Grocer)
2 Tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
2 Tsp Local Urban Honey (Edible BC)
2 Tbsp Red Onion, Finely Minced (Green Grocer)
2 Tsp Jalapeños, Finely Minced (South China Seas)
2 Tsp Cilantro, Chopped (South China Seas)
Salt & Pepper, To Taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 1-2 hours to let the flavours develop.
Mexican Crema
1/2 cup Mexican sour cream (South China Seas)
1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest (Green Grocer)
Combine in a bowl and let infuse for at least 2 hours.
