Working in the food industry is the best job in the world (full disclosure, I work in the food industry). But when I go out to eat and I want to relax and get away from my day-to-day obsessions, I love to put myself and the entire experience into the hands of the capable professionals that know the menu and wine list better than I do. If I don’t have a specific craving I like to glance at the menu and then ask the server what he or she recommends. The same goes for the wine list. After I have ordered my food I will ask the server or sommelier what wine they think goes best with my meal. You might think this is strange, given the reputation of chefs as controlling, picky, know-it-alls. Well I’m here to tell you that more often than not, when I’m not working and I want to relax with delicious food and wine I am happy to have somebody else take the lead. Somebody like Lorie O’Sullivan.
Lorie O’Sullivan is a sommelier at TOCA, the award-winning temple of all things delicious, at the Ritz Carlton hotel. She also brings her brilliance to the Platinum Club at the Air Canada Centre for most Leaf home games. If you want to be treated to Lorie’s expert wine knowledge from the comfort of your home check out her blog at www.lorieloveswine.com and follow Lorie on Twitter @lorieloveswine.
For the third year I have enlisted the help of Lorie to pair wine from the Vintages section of the LCBO with my annual Valentine’s Day menu. Lorie has regular tastings of the Vintages offerings so I feel 100% confident that her recommendations are sublime. Not only that. Lorie also orders the dinner herself so you can rest assured knowing that she is at home for Valentine’s Day savouring every morsel and every drop just like you.
Take a look at Lorie O’Sullivan’s wine recommendations. She has included tasting notes for each wine as well as LCBO pricing. Then bring the list to your local LCBO and find the exact bottle that she recommends or use the grape varietal as a guide and create your own perfect pairings.
Food. Wine. Love. It’s going to be a good year.
Start the evening with a little Bubbly:
Roederer Estate Brut Rosé, Anderson Valley, California $35.95
This salmon coloured sparkling wine is made from 100% estate fruit, 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Look for notes of apple and cranberry intertwined with hint of spice leading to a smooth, dry finish. The perfect Valentine’s Day wine!
OR
Riva Dei Frati Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy $18.95
If you are looking for a sparkling wine that is more fruit forward and lighter in style then look no further than this easy to drink Prosecco from Italy.
Lobster Bisque and Lobster Cake with Preserved Lemon Aioli:
2009 MacMurray Ranch Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California $21.95
A very well balanced Chardonnay with hints of golden delicious apple, delicate spring flowers and a kiss of oak which will pair nicely with the lobster.
2010 Gran Lurton Corte Friulano, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina $19.95
A blend of Sauvignon Vert (Friulano), Chardonnay, Torrontés, and Pinot Gris give you beautiful citrus notes such as lime on the nose leading to a mouthwatering, bone-dry finish.
New York Strip Loin with Olive Oil Crushed Potatoes, Wilted Spinach, Cremini Mushrooms, Cippolini Onions & Chimichuri Sauce:
2008 Decero Remolinos Vineyard Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina $22.95
This is your perfect wine with steak as it is packed with juicy black fruits and nice chewy tannins on the finish.
Monkfish in Romesco Sauce with Olive Oil Crushed Potatoes, Olives, Capers & Wilted Escarole:
2008 Fontodi Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy $29.95
The sour cherry and well balanced acidity and tannins will match nicely with the Romesco sauce in this dish. Make sure you decant this wine for at least one hour before dinner and it will be perfect.
With Dessert:
2007 Weinlaubenhof Kracher Cuvee Beerenauslese, Burgenland, Austria $18.65
This late harvest dessert wine from Austria is absolutely delicious and will pair beautifully with both of the desserts.
I now have two kids. Which means I now have at least twice the amount of EVERYTHING in my house. It also means I have less than half the amount of time to do ANYTHING. And lastly, it means I have to show my appreciation for my wife at least twice as much as passed years. She is the vanilla in my creme brûlée; the honey in my Earl Grey tea; and the Dijon in my tuna salad (seriously, it makes all the difference). I wouldn’t be half the man I am today without her and frankly, I don’t mind telling everybody on this email list.
If you feel the same way about your “Sweet Thang” then you must celebrate Valentine’s Day in style. Buy flowers, jewellery, candy, cards, and . Serenade her. Write him a sonnet. Call your favourite radio station and get them to play her favourite song. It doesn’t matter what you do or whether it’s a grand gesture. Just do something.
If you’re stuck for ideas or Andrea Boccelli isn’t available for a private concert then call me. I have created my favourite Valentine’s Day menu to date. It’s full of ingredients that are guaranteed to express your undying love for your “Gumdrop” or at the very least illustrate to him/her that you have very good taste in food. Either way you’ll be painted in a good light. And it will appear as though you thought of everything because your dinner will arrive with printed menus, a long-stemmed rose and truffles from Stubbe Chocolates.
So go ahead and make this year’s Valentine’s Day special. If you do I can almost guarantee that 2012 will be a banner year.
Best,
Ezra
Eat. Love.
Lobster Bisque and Lobster Cake with Preserved Lemon Aioli
My favourite way to spend New Year’s Eve is sitting around a big table with my closest friends eating delicious food and drinking great wine. It’s even more enjoyable if I don’t have to cook. Because you shouldn’t have to work so hard on New Year’s Eve to celebrate in style. Let me help you ring in 2012 with a four course dinner that has all the makings of the perfect celebration. There’s shrimp cocktail, black truffles, chocolate. All you need is the silly hats and noise makers and your evening is complete.
As always, dinner includes chocolate truffles from “Stubbe Chocolates”, heating instructions and printed menus. The cost is $65/person, plus HST and orders can be picked up at the Chezvous Dining kitchen at 20 Vaughan Road December 30th between 10 am and 5 pm and December 31st between 9 am and 1pm. Take a look at the menu below and then call or email anytime to place an order.
Happy New Year,
Ezra
Selection of Bites:
Pecorino Fresco, Wildflower Honey
Classic Shrimp Cocktail
Chicken Liver Pate, Homemade Pickles
Fresh Greens and Herb Salad, Poached Pears, Curried Cashews, Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette, Shaved Parm
Grilled Rib Eye:
Black Truffle Potato Gnocci, Short Ribs, King Oyster Mushrooms, Wilted Spinach, Red Wine Jus
For those gourmands who love seasonal ingredients and take local eating seriously, the winter can be a frustrating time of year. Not a fresh fruit in sight and apples and pears get pretty tiresome. To combat this Great White North dilemma I officially declare winter “Citrus Season”. We should all be eating as much citrus as possible. Blood oranges, tangerines, mandarins, Meyer lemons, grapefruits. I implore you to eat them all. They are so refreshingly delicious. They enhance the flavours of other foods. And while I’m no doctor I feel qualified to say that the vitamin C will do you some good.
I cook with citrus segments as often as possible and especially like to use citrus segments in my cooking. If you are unfamiliar with the proper way to segment an orange or grapefruit watch the video below to see how Chef Michael Symon does it. It’s easy to learn and worth the effort. And once you master this technique make my citrus salad using the following recipe. It’s great on its own, served with pancakes, tossed in a salad, spooned over yogurt… You get the idea. Eat citrus now. Your taste buds and immune system will thank you.
Citrus Salad
5 Blood Oranges, peeled and segmented
3 Meyer Lemons, peeled and segmented
5 Honey Tangerines, peeled and segmented
5 Naval Oranges, peeled and segmented
2 Ruby Red Grapefruit, peeled and segmented
1 Lime, zested, peeled and segmented
1/2 Vanilla Bean
1 Tsp Honey
In a bowl, toss all citrus segments together. Split vanilla bean in half and scrape the inside of the pod with a paring knife. Add vanilla, lime zest and honey to citrus segments and toss gently. Serve with EVERYTHING.
While we are on the subject of healthy food that tastes incredible, I want to share one of my favourite warm weather recipes. Watermelon Gazpacho is one of the easiest soups to make. It is the perfect balance of savoury and sweet. It is refreshing, palate-tempting and makes a beautiful presentation for an “al fresco” dinner in the backyard. And have fun with a garnish. Avocado works beautifully and herb oils add great contrasting colours and complementary flavours.
1 Seedless Watermelon
3 Red Bell Peppers
1 Red Onion
1 English Cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 cloves garlic
Red Wine Vinegar to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Chop first four ingredients in a Cuisinart Food Processor. Transfer to Cuisinart Blender and puree adding vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with basil pesto.
I am often asked to match wine to the menus I create. Sometimes I make my own suggestions but this time I called in an expert.
Lorie O’Sullivan is the Sommelier for TOCA restaurant at the new Ritz Carleton Hotel in Toronto. She has lent her expertise and created perfect wine pairings that are sure to elevate this Valentine’s Day dinner to a whole new level. Lorie has also included tasting notes so you can impress your Sweetie Pie with your grasp of the subtleties and nuances of each pairing. You’re guaranteed to appear sexier!
All wines are available in Vintages with most quantities available at Summerhill and/or Queens Quay LCBO. But if you can’t find certain suggestions use the grape varietals as a guidance and make up your own tasting notes. I won’t tell…
Lorie’s wine pairings can be found below. I look forward to making this Valentine’s Day one to remember. Please let me know the outcome by either email or blog post at www.chezvousdining.ca/index.php/blog/valentines-day.
To Get The Night Started:
Blue Mountain Brut, Okanagan Valley, BC $32.95
This dry sparkling wine from BC was aged over 24 months in oak in the traditional method. Look for notes of lemon with toasty bread notes on the finish.
OR
Pierre Sparr Brut Rosé Cremant D`Alsace, Alsace, France $18.95
Perfect for Valentine’s Day that has notes of strawberry and cranberry. This sparkling wine is off dry in style.
With the Chicken Consomme and Fifth Town Goat Cheese Tartlette:
2009 Sileni Cellars Selection Pinot Gris, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand $15.95
This medium bodied wine will match nicely with the flavours in the consommé and allow the ginger flavour to shine. The great acidity in this wine will also be an excellent match with the sweet and savoury flavour of the Tartlette.
With the Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs:
2004 Hawkes Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, California $29.95
Amazing wine for the price with dark fruit flavours and well integrated oak.
With the Lobster:
2008 Organized Crime Unoaked Chardonnay, Beamsville Bench, Niagara $19.20
Lots of apple and pear notes that give way to mouthwatering acidity and a clean finish.
And to finish off the night:
Delaforce Reserve Port, Douro, Portugal $15.95
Look for notes of chocolate, figs and plums in this delicious Port!
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could celebrate your love for each other on Valentine’s Day without jumping through hoops and breaking a sweat? Okay maybe breaking a sweat is desirable. But I find everything requires so much effort this time of year with the snow shoveling, layering of clothing, running to and from appointments. Sure, it can make us heartier than the fortunate, sun-worshipping folk down South and out West. But sometimes I just wish things could be a little bit easier.
On Valentine’s Day I’m all for going that extra mile to show my wife the breadth of my love for her. Flowers, surprise dinner reservations, jewelry. I’ve done it all and we always have fun. But some years, I wish there was an easier way to spend time together reconnecting. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Getting together without all the peripheral “noise” that life has to offer and enjoying each other’s company? No interruptions from smart phones. No fighting over scarce parking spaces. Easy to execute plans that shut out the outside world.
The most meaningful way I can show my love for somebody and specifically my wife, Elisse, is through food. Because I cook for a living, when I prepare a meal on my own time and there is no exchange of money I am saying: “I love you.” Similarly, when Elisse notices that I am overly stressed, my muscles are tight and I am unfocussed she takes time out of her busy schedule to lead me through a yoga class. At the end of the class when she says “Namaste” what she is really saying to me is “I love you”. Either that or “you are miserable to be around right now and I’m taking matters into my own hands and stretching and breathing the bad energy out of your system so that I can tolerate your presence and not throttle you.” It’s kind of the same sentiment, isn’t it?
So my vote is to stay in this Valentine’s Day. Cook for your partner. Pick up a bottle of wine. Make his or her favourite dish. Have chocolate for dessert. Make a play list of your favourite songs. Leave dirty dishes in the sink. Shut off your ringer. Don’t return the anxious message from “insert name here”. And if you need help with dinner give me a call. I can take some of the pressure off dinner preparation with my Valentine’s Day drop off service. Everything you need to prepare the perfect Valentine”s Day dinner arrives at you front door including a long-stemmed rose, easy-to-follow instructions and truffles from Stubbe Chocolates. An extraordinary dinner is easily prepared so that you can do what you’re supposed to do on Valentine’s Day…
Sometimes my best work takes place outside of the Chezvous Dining kitchen. This winter season I find myself spending more time in my home kitchen with my wife and son creating belly-warming dishes that ward off the frigid temperatures. The stews, braises and soups are keeping us satiated and bringing us together in ways that only food can do. I’m not a big winter guy but the unctuous flavours and melt in your mouth textures of slow-cooked meat make winter… dare I say “enjoyable”? To get you into the spirit of braising I have included one of my favourite recipes for chicken wings. There’s nothing I love more than tucking into a dish with a fork, spoon and my hands. This is a “roll up your sleeves” kind of meal that is saucy, messy and delicious. Have a crusty loaf of bread close by to sop up the delicious jus at the bottom of your bowl. Yum!
1 Tsp Pure olive oil
2 lbs chicken wings
¼ lb chorizo
1 red onion, julienned
2 bell peppers, peeled and julienned
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tsp Spanish paprika
¼ Cup white wine
1 litre chicken stock
1 head escarole
½ Cup crème fraiche
1 Tsp red wine vinegar
1 Cup Concord grapes
Brown chicken wings on medium heat in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Remove wings from pot and cook chorizo for 3 minutes. Add red onions, peppers and garlic cloves and sautee for 5 minutes. Add Spanish paprika and deglaze with white wine. Place wings back in pot and cover half way with chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, reduce to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. When wings are cooked, add escarole to pot and wilt.
Combine crème fraiche and red wine vinegar. Place wings in a serving dish, drizzle with crème fraiche and garnish with grapes.
Any foodie will tell you that the secret ingredient for any recipe, whether it’s a simple chocolate chip cookie or an elaborate cassoulet, is love. I learned this from my first culinary inspiration, Mom, and from every subsequent chef/mentor thereafter. What I have grown to understand and subsequently pass on to young cooks and anybody else who will listen is that love is another word for fat. All right, maybe not all of the time. But usually there is no substitute for a little fat to elevate your cooking from “everyday” to “special day”. Fat makes pastries crisp and light. Fat makes burgers juicy. Fat gives pâté its smooth texture. And fat balances out the acid in vinaigrettes. As long as it is used appropriately and the quality is superb, we can have our cake (or steak) and eat it too. So let’s separate fat from fiction and try to digest the different uses for many of the different varieties of fat that are available to us.
Olive Oil
Since the eighties and the rise in popularity of Mediterranean cuisine, the use of olive oil has exploded in our kitchens. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats, which is believed to help reduce the risk of heart disease. It is also low in saturated fats, which is good news for our LDL cholesterol levels. Health and nutrition aside, when used properly olive oil can be delicious on its own or it can add a flavour component to food that is unmatched by other oils. However, in order to get the most out of your oil, it is important to understand the differences between extra virgin, pure, and premium olive oil.
Extra Virgin
Oil that has been extracted from the first pressing of olives using a cold press without chemicals is given the designation “extra virgin”. It has a distinct olive flavour and aroma. Its colour ranges from bright yellow to deep green. In my cooking extra virgin olive oil is used for vinaigrettes, marinades, confits, sauces, and extremely gentle cooking.
So what type of cooking do I do with extra virgin olive? I make a chopped, marinated salad with five to ten different vegetables that gets cooked at a very low temperature to concentrate flavors and soften the texture. Then I remove the vegetables from the pan and marinate them in red wine vinegar and lemon juice while they are still warm. As the veggies cool, they soak up the acid and vinegar and you are left with a fresh, crunchy salad with instant dressing. Sometimes I add Ewenity Dairy’s Sheep’s Milk Feta and serve it alongside The Healthy Butcher’s delicious lamb. Other times I fold in some chopped endive and radiccio to be served with some juicy slices of Vacio steak.
Do not, I repeat, do not cook at high temperatures with extra virgin olive oil. You know the saying, “if you can’t take the heat…”? It was created specifically for extra virgin olive oil. Why? Because extra virgin olive oil has a very low smoking point (the temperature at which a fat begins to break down when heated) which causes it to burn and results in an off flavour in your food. As my sister-in-law says: “Maybe I’m not such a bad cook after all. I’ve just been using the wrong oil.” I guess it’s possible. The moral of the story? Extra virgin olive oil is NOT all-purpose. Use it judiciously and your cooking will automatically taste better.
Pure
When I am teaching cooking classes my students learn the differences between extra virgin and pure olive oil. Let’s set the record straight since this is an important fat fact! Pure olive oil is extra virgin that is added to processed or refined olive oil. It does not have the same intense olive flavour and it usually has a vibrant yellow tint. But is it inferior to extra virgin? I prefer to say that pure olive oil takes over where extra virgin should not venture. For example, I cook with pure olive oil. I do not sear meats with pure, but I do roast and sautée vegetables.
Another great use for pure olive oil has less to do with flavour and more to do with economics. Chefs are a notoriously “thrifty” bunch. On your next shopping excursion, check out the price of pure olive oil versus extra virgin. It is usually priced 30 to 50% cheaper. So if you want to save a few bucks (and who doesn’t?) try this out for size. When making an emulsified vinaigrette start by whisking extra virgin olive into your vinegar as you normally would do. When you have added approximately half of your usual amount, taste the mixture. If you have captured the flavour of extra virgin, finish your vinaigrette with pure olive oil. Essentially, you are using extra virgin for flavour and bulking up with pure. Then you can use the savings to add an expensive Parmiggiana Reggiano, or black truffles, or gold shavings… Whatever you decide, it is money in your pocket.
Premium Extra Virgin
Premium Extra Virgin olive oil is extra virgin’s richer cousin. It is the stuff that is usually bottled in something small and fancy and sealed with a cork. It is more expensive, tastes better and should not be wasted in vinaigrettes or marinades. A beautiful extra virgin olive oil is meant to be savoured on its own as a dip or perhaps drizzled on some beautiful local, baby greens or perfect Buffalo mozzarella. Never, ever cook with it and try not to mask its flavour with too many competing ingredients.
Animal Fat
While some consumers may turn their backs on animal fats as a viable ingredient due to health concerns or dietary restrictions, there is no denying that lard, duck fat, beef suet and a whole host of other animal fats play an important role in the culinary world. In fact, just walk into The Healthy Butcher and head straight for the meat case where you will find most of them available for purchase. I know from experience that people like their fats because they truly fly off the shelves. But with so many options, how does one know which variety to purchase? Or more specifically, what does one do with a pint of lard or duck fat? Mmmmm… duck fat.
Beef Suet & Tallow
Suet is the hard fatty tissues around the kidneys and loins of cattle and sheep. Tallow is rendered suet that is commercially produced by heating large quantities under extreme pressure. Suet is classically used to make mincemeats, stuffings, and puddings (usually by the British). Back in the day, an un-McMentioned fast food chain mixed beef tallow with vegetable oil to fry their distinctively flavoured French fries. After complaints from healthy conscious consumers they removed the tallow and instead added beef flavouring to the potatoes.
Some of the best fries I have ever eaten were fried in grass-fed beef tallow. Like many Healthy Butcher customers already know, grass-fed beef is lower in saturated fat and higher in Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and beta-carotene than grain- or corn-fed beef. Were these french fries “good for you”? Probably not, but the quality of beef tallow used to fry the potatoes was much better than conventional beef fat and their flavour was incredible.
Lard
“Pork fat rules!” Emeril screams this eloquent cheer on the Food Network regularly, and the truth of the matter is - he’s not completely wrong. For certain purposes in the kitchen, you can’t beat pork fat. It has an amazing ability to keep roasts, pâtés, and terrines astonishingly moist. The Healthy Butcher’s signature porchetta is wrapped in pork fat and skin which allows the roast to cook at a low temperature without drying out.
Nearly all of the terrines I make contain fatback (or back fat as it is often called), the layer of fat along the back of the pig. Whether I am making a duck, squab, or wild boar terrine, I mix fatback with the other ingredients and grind them together. Often I will also slice the fatback extremely thin and wrap it around the terrine. Both of these techniques ensure that the terrine does not dry out during the cooking process. Bacon can be similarly used to keep leaner cuts of pork or beef, such as a filet mignon, moist.
Another common use for pork fat is baking. Lard is pork fat that has been rendered. It is the preferred shortening for many chefs and home cooks as it tends to produce a flakier crust than butter - and it’s healthier than butter! Pork lard is free of trans-fatty hydrogenation, and contains just 40% saturated fat (vs. 60% for butter), while its level of mono-unsaturated fat (the good stuff) is an admirable 45% (twice that of butter).
Lard is also eaten in various parts of the world as a spread. I distinctly remember Mario and Tara returning from their vacation in Poland and telling everybody that lard was placed on the table at every restaurant instead of butter. I get chest pains just thinking about it. But lard has definitely come back into gastronomic fashion. Mario Batali is famous for his lardo, cured fatback that he drapes over grilled bread with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. I melt The Healthy Butcher’s homemade Lardo - with hints of juniper modeled after the famous Italian Lardo from Valle D’Aosta - over a white crusty bread and drizzle truffle oil… heavenly. It is difficult to walk into a restaurant these days and not find braised pork belly on the menu. Why? Because the fatty belly and the crisped skin is almost irresistible. All of this is very good news for consumers and pigs alike. We’re getting back to our roots and using a greater share of the pig. Less waste is created and we are finding interesting preparations for everything, from head to tail, and even the fat.
Duck Fat
I don’t really like duck fat… I LOVE duck fat. It has an unmistakable flavour and aroma and when it’s mixed with thyme, rosemary and garlic I get the warm fuzzies. Duck fat is widely used in French cuisine, in addition to butter and olive oil. Duck confit is duck legs that are cured and subsequently cooked in duck fat at an extremely low temperature. This technique is employed to slowly break down the tough, sinewy muscle fibers of the duck legs. An authentic cassoulet contains white beans, duck confit, Toulouse sausage and anywhere from five to thirty other ingredients, depending on the chef. In my opinion, the most important step in the making of a great cassoulet is the cooking of the beans. I cook mine with a good amount of duck fat in addition to chicken stock and chunks of bacon. As the beans slowly cook and then cool, they soak up all of the duck fat and attain a buttery texture like no other. The easiest recipe I know that uses duck fat is roasted potatoes. Simply roast perfect local fingerling or Yukon Gold potatoes in duck fat and the aroma that fills your kitchen is ethereal, while the flavour on your palate is pure joy.
Chicken Fat
I don’t know many people who cook with chicken fat (schmaltz) anymore. But when my father was growing up, it was a staple in his house. Schmaltz appeared in my grandmother’s homemade matzah balls. It’s the base of any good kishkah (stuffed derma) and it was every Jewish child’s favourite after-school snack in the form of “greeben”, fried chicken skin (a.k.a. Jewish popcorn). Do any of these items appear in a typical Jewish household today? Over our collective mother’s dead bodies!!! But chicken fat does hold a place in the gastronomic world today. To make a great chicken liver pâté, chicken fat is my choice for texture and flavour. In fact, use chicken fat in place of duck fat to give your food the nostalgic taste of Eastern Europe circa 1920. To make your own schmaltz, boil chicken skin and the fat from within the carcass with a little water. Once the water has evaporated, strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve and store it in the refrigerator. It will last for months, and your taste buds will thank you.
Dairy
I love dairy. My wife, Elisse, loves dairy. Our stomachs? Not so much. But that does not stop us from indulging in yoghurt with fresh, local berries in the summer. We devour cheese of all varieties, from all over the world (and yes, we have a soft spot for Ontario and Quebec cheeses). I could not execute a significant number of my creations without butter. And don’t even get me started on ice cream. Cuisines from every corner of the earth rely on different variations of milk products to achieve the smooth mouth-feel that only dairy provides. Margarine can’t do it. Soy and rice milk don’t come close. If your digestive system has difficulty processing dairy, then by all means, use the substitutes. But if it is not an issue source the best local, organic dairy you can find (Organic Meadow or Harmony Organics in Ontario) and your cooking will benefit immensely.
Butter
In every restaurant that I have trained, butter is king. When meat and fish are pan roasted, they are inevitably finished with a nub of butter, a clove of garlic and a sprig of thyme. Sauces are either composed of butter or finished with butter. Mashed potatoes are “Frenchified” into “pommes puree” by whipping butter into the potatoes at a ratio of nearly 1:1. Buyer beware: one tablespoon of this stuff goes a long way.
When used properly, butter makes pastries flaky by creating little pockets of fat between layers of flour. The butter steams during the baking process, leavens the dough and melts away, leaving a combination of crispness and flavour that is heavenly. Local food writers love to tackle the debate over who makes the best croissant in the city. Personally, I have tried a lot of them and my vote goes to Marc Thuet. Most likely he uses really good butter and lots of it. The easiest pie dough recipe I know is called “3,2,1”. That means three cups flour, 2 pounds butter, and 1 Cup ice water. Add one pinch of salt for every cup of flour.
Clarified butter is another form of fat that French cuisine could not do without. It is valued for its high smoking point; its clean, distinct flavour; and natural affinity for meats and fish. To make your own clarified butter, bring whole butter (unsalted) to a simmer and skim the foam that rises to the top. When you can clearly see the bottom of the pot, remove it from the heat and gently pour through a fine mesh sieve. Allow clarified butter to cool completely to room temperature before covering it and placing it in the refrigerator. It is extremely important not to allow condensation to collect within the container and do not let any liquid come into contact with clarified butter. When the slightest drop of water is mixed with clarified butter and it is heated on the stove, the butter crackles and splatters. It can cause serious burns and ignite into flames quite easily. Use it with care, but experiment with it every now and then. Clarified butter will add a certain “je ne sais quoi” to your Sunday supper.
Cream
Perhaps the greatest stigma when it comes to fat is associated with cream. Fettucine Alfredo, comprising of copious amounts of cream, is often referred to as “heart attack on a plate”. In restaurants, customers regularly ask if a soup is cream based. I have never even heard of a soup that has cream as its base and I certainly would not want to eat one. But finishing a pureed soup with cream can be glorious and usually is the difference between a homemade soup and one made by a chef in a restaurant.
Final Thoughts on Fat
The variety of fats available to consumers for cooking is overwhelming. I have not even mentioned vegetable oils, grapeseed, sesame, hemp, or nut oils. In my opinion, every type of fat has a rightful place in our pantries or refrigerators. Trying different fats in various combinations could throw an interesting spin on tried and true recipes. If you have an aversion to certain types of fat, by all means, experiment with another variety. Mashed potatoes mixed with extra virgin olive oil are delicious and chicken liver pate made with cream is equally smooth. So go ahead and add a little fat to your repertoire. Just make sure that you buy high quality fat to match the other ingredients in your shopping basket and you use a quantity that you are comfortable consuming. Because if you did not know already “fat is the new black”.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
416.347.3609
“Where possible, Chezvous will use only the freshest, locally grown and organic ingredients, sourced from select growers and suppliers of the highest quality products.”
