Posts Tagged ‘Local food’
February 12th, 2014
So here is what one chef had to say about the eggs that my 4 and 1 year old daughters are harvesting from the chickens they are raising in an exceptionally sustainable way…
How to explain to someone who has never had farm fresh eggs over store bought??? It is hard!
I had my first Pixie Hollow farm eggs today and i must say I was delighted!!!
I like mine sunny side up or in egg in hole, of course both fried in bacon fat. I decided to compare the sunny side up with store bought, and what a difference.
Pixie eggs have nice deep rich orange yolk colour, store bought…plain yellow.
Pixie Hollow”s egg kept its shape and didn’t spread all over the pan when i cracked it, store bought well went running all over the pan.
Pixie Hollows eggs stood tall and proud in the pan, store bought just sort of slouched down and got flat.
The other amazing thing I noticed is i cracked the Pixie Hollow’s egg in pan first, then the store bought, and i had to take the store bought out first or it would of been over cooked and that crusty bottom. The Pixie eggs took a full minute longer to reach the way i like it.
Grocery store egg on the left, Pixie Hollow Farm Egg on the right.
But the flavour and mouth feel was amazing, both the white and yolk had a velvety feel on the tongue. The white actually had flavour, not just bland like store bought. The yolk well what can i say, when i cut into it is slowly ran out, and it was a deep velvety yoke flavour..
Can’t wait to use them in baking.
Moose Neilsen
Tags: Caterer Kawartha, Caterer Kawartha`s, Caterer Lakefield, Caterer Peterborough, catering Canada, Chef, Chef Algonquin Park, Chef Apsley, Chef Bancroft, Chef Bobcaygeon, Chef Brian Henry, chef Canada, Chef Cottage Country, Chef Haliburton, Chef Hastings, Chef Kawartha, Chef Muskoka, Chef North Kawartha, Chef Northumberland, Chef Peterborough, consultant, cooking classes, cottage caterer, cottage country catering, culinary educator, eggs, Emergency food response team, Food, Food Safety Training, food writer, Ghost Chef, ice carving, ice sculptures, Kawartha Culinary School, Local food, Ontario Catering, Personal Chef, Private chef, Private Chef Canada, recipes. same sex catering, restaurant consultant, Restaurant consulting
Posted in Events, Recipes |
Comments Off on Gastronomically yours,
January 15th, 2014
Sometimes we have to crack a few eggs when we talk about local food!
Eggs are laid by birds and reptiles alike; and we have been eating them since the beginning of time when we did more gathering than hunting. Since the domestication of jungle fowl in Asia, the chicken has evolved into one of the most commonly consumed egg producing creatures with quail, duck and ostrich eggs rallying for second place depending on one’s taste and geographic location. Reptilian eggs are still consumed throughout the world but this practise is less common as many of the species involved are on endangered lists.
Although we may never be able to resolve the question of which came first, bird or egg, we can be certain in knowing the evolution of the countless ways to cook an egg. Eggs originally would have been consumed raw upon their harvest. With the discovery of fire we began baking and roasting eggs. Around 13 000 BC water was incorporated into egg cooking methods by boiling and steaming with cooking containers made from animal bladders and leather which was furthered by the use of stone pots around 7000BC. 2000 years later we were able to create pottery, which was succeeded by bronze, then iron.
With the evolution of humankind came more sophisticated cooking techniques. No doubt that the first eggs cooked in a pan without water became scrambled eggs which would have quickly evolved into an omelet which originally consisted of numerous eggs beaten and fried until firmly set. It was then sliced into wedges and served like pie. The origins of the omelet are generally thought to have originated in the Middle East around 500 BC. Its commonality travelled to Western Europe and each country created their own regional variation on this giving way to the Italian frittata, Spanish tortilla and the French quiche and omelette.
Nutritionally the egg is usually separated to consider both the yolk and the white. The yolks contain more than half the calories found in eggs and around five grams of fat depending on its size. The whites are made up of mostly water with a significant amount of protein that is cholesterol free with very little fat if any.
The following recipe is for a simple omelet to which I add cheese curds to increase its flavour profile and give it a rich mouth feel. Pixie Hollow Farm is my egg supplier.
Ingredients:
3 eggs from Pixie Hollow Farm, beaten
2 oz. of Empire cheese curds at room temperature
1 tbsp. Kawartha Dairy butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
In a non-stick or well-seasoned omelette pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. As the butter melts, swirl it around the pan until it starts to bubble.
Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and turn down the heat to a medium-low setting. As the eggs begin to coagulate, push the omelet to one side of the pan with a high heat spatula.
Evenly place the curds along the middle of the omelet and season the omelet with salt and pepper. Once the omelette is completely set, gently slide it out of the pan so that it rolls onto the plate. Serve immediately.
These are Pixie Hollow Farm chickens at 3 months of age.Happy and healthy!
Egg-zactley!!
Eggs are one of the most versatile ingredients used in the kitchen. We commonly use eggs from chickens but duck, goose, and quail eggs are used as gourmet ingredients and are generally used around the world by many cultures. Gull eggs are considered a delicacy in numerous countries throughout the EU. Quail eggs are considered a delicacy in many countries. In Japanese preparations they may be served raw or cooked in sushi. In Colombia quail eggs are so commonplace that a single hard-boiled quail egg is often a topping on hot dogs and hamburgers. Although wild birds’ eggs are edible they are often protected by laws which prohibit collecting or selling them.
Chicken eggs intended for human consumption are unfertilized as laying hens are usually kept without roosters. Fertilized eggs can be consumed as refrigeration prohibits cellular growth delaying the development of the embryo.
I remember watching Rocky Balboa drink raw eggs while training for his big fight. If Rocky only knew that humans can only absorb about 50% of the protein in raw eggs, whereas the proteins in a cooked egg have a 90% bio-availability.
Egg yolks are often used as a binder or emulsifier in the kitchen. The albumen, or egg white, is high in protein but contains little or no fat and can be aerated to a light, fluffy consistency. Beaten egg whites are used in desserts such as meringues and mousse.
Sometimes when boiled eggs are overcooked, a green ring can appear around the yolk. This is caused by iron molecules reacting with sulfur compounds within the egg. It is not always a sign of the eggs being overcooked as it can also occur when there is an abundance of iron in the cooking water. The green ring does not affect the egg’s taste.
There is very little difference between white and brown shelled eggs. I personally prefer the brown-shelled eggs, as they are more durable and the shell is harder to break. Locally farmed eggs are usually at most a week old compared to those from large-scale producers, which could age up to two months in cold storage. Fresh eggs have egg yolks that will stand up more firmly when cracked open onto a surface and often surpass the grade “A” standard in yolk form and shape, as well the yolk exhibits a richer mango colour.
Rasi and Eli Cajindos raise laying hens that provide them with free-range brown eggs in Youngs Point. Pixie Hollow Farm eggs are available at the farm gate or by contacting 705.875.0428.
The laying hens enjoy playing in the autumn leaves at Pixie Hollow Farm!
Let the kids make this recipe with some supervision. It will work well for breakfast lunch or dinner.
Easy Breakfast Burrito
Two large potatoes
One cup of sausage or ham diced
Six Pixie Hollow Farm eggs
One red bell pepper diced
One cooking onion diced
Grated cheese
Tortillas as needed
Salsa as needed
Salt
Pepper
Cut the potatoes into bite size pieces and boil in water until soft enough to pierce with fork. Drain the water and reserve the potatoes.
Brown the sausage in a large skillet with bell pepper and onion until sausage is completely browned. Add potatoes to skillet and cook until the potatoes start to brown. Break eggs into large bowl and whisk. Pour the eggs into the sausage mixture. Continue cooking and stirring until the eggs are no longer wet and resemble scrambled eggs. Serve immediately with tortillas, cheese and salsa.
Tags: Caterer Kawartha, Caterer Kawartha`s, Caterer Lakefield, Caterer Peterborough, catering Canada, Chef, Chef Algonquin Park, Chef Apsley, Chef Bancroft, Chef Bobcaygeon, Chef Brian Henry, chef Canada, Chef Cottage Country, Chef Haliburton, Chef Hastings, Chef Kawartha, Chef Muskoka, Chef North Kawartha, Chef Northumberland, Chef Peterborough, consultant, cooking classes, cottage caterer, cottage country catering, culinary educator, eggs, Emergency food response team, Food, Food Safety Training, food writer, Ghost Chef, ice carving, ice sculptures, Kawartha Culinary School, Local food, Ontario Catering, Personal Chef, Private chef, Private Chef Canada, recipes. same sex catering, restaurant consultant, Restaurant consulting
Posted in Events, Private Chef Services, Recipes |
Comments Off on Gastronomically yours,
April 22nd, 2012
Indigenous trumps local food
Without question our unstable weather patterns from winter have carried over into spring and this is challenging for those who like to harvest their own food. It has been hard resisting the temptation to plant my vegetable garden as the weather has often felt like summer on many days since February. Although the risk of frost continues until May 24th weekend it is hard to believe that the first long weekend of summer is still almost five weeks away.
Switching our attention from the garden to the forest might help feed our instinctive hunter-gatherer needs by allowing us to harvest the many foods that are available in nature such as ramps, morels, fiddle heads, elm seeds, nettles and dandelions to name a few of the many .
These wild and free foods are ahead of schedule and ready to harvest throughout the region. I don’t know of any other way to eat more locally than by eating indigenously.
I strongly encourage you to know how to correctly identify any foods that you are harvesting from the wild. Always inspect the foods you harvest and discard any diseased or insect infested pieces.
For long term preservation of your forest foraging bounty you can dry the morels, pickle the ramps and blanch/freeze down the extra fiddleheads; there is never a shortage of dandelions so only harvest what you need.
If you are not comfortable with the thought of harvesting these foods on your own then I recommend heading down to the Peterborough Farmers Market on Saturday and forage around the many vendors who are selling these wild ingredients safely in a tame manner.
Where the Wild Things Are Chicken
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3 tbsp. canola oil
½ cup morel mushrooms cleaned, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1-2 ramps cleaned and coarsely chopped
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. thyme
¼ cup fiddleheads
¼ cup chopped dandelion greens
1 cup light cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour for dredging
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Pre-heat a large sized Dutch oven over med-high heat. Dredge the chicken in flour and shake off excess. Add the canola oil to the Dutch oven and add the chicken to the pan. Do not overcrowd the pan. Allow chicken to lightly brown on each side. Now add the morels and ramps to the pot and continue cooking for few minutes. Stir in the wine, chicken stock and herbs. Secure the lid on your Dutch oven and place it on a lower rack in the oven. Cook or braise chicken mixture for 90 minutes. While waiting for the chicken to cook prepare a few cups of egg noodles.
Once cooked remove chicken from the Dutch oven, and place the thighs over the egg noodles. Skim off any fat from the braising liquid with a large spoon. Stir in the fiddleheads, dandelion greens and the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the braising liquid over the chicken and serve immediately.
Tags: Blogger, Caterer, Catering, Catering Kawartha`s, Catering Lakefield, Catering Peterborough, Chef, Chef Algonquin Park, Chef Bobcaygeon, Chef Cottage Country, Chef Haliburton, Chef Muskoka, Chef Peterborough, consultant, consulting, cooking classes, Corporate Culinary Team Building, Food Safety Training, food writer, ice carving, ice sculptures, Kawarthas, Local food, Personal Chef, Private chef, professor, Restaurant consulting, sustainability, Weddings
Posted in Catering, Cooking Classes, Events, Ice Sculptures, Private Chef Services, Recipes |
Comments Off on Gastronomically yours,
April 7th, 2012
Rampage!!
The wild leek known as “ramps” is a wild onion native to North America. This member of the Lily family is one of the very first plants to push its head out of the ground after the snow melts. They usually appear in late April and can be harvested throughout the month of May.
The wild leek can be recognized by its broad, smooth, light green leaves that grow to about eight inches in height. The leaves are often tinted with burgundy or purple highlights. First time ramp hunters need not worry so much about their botanical identification skills for when one pulls up the strongly rooted Scallion like bulbs from the ground your nose will confirm your find; by tearing the plants stem and taking a sniff. If it the strongly distinctive scent of an onion sears your nostrils then you have hit pay dirt.
Later in the season ramps develop a yellow flower which only develops after the leaves have dried up and fallen away from the plant. Although they are still edible at this time the bulbs become rather swollen and tough with a woody texture.
Ramps are adaptable to almost any food style and can also be sautéed or used in soups and stir fries. Substitute them in any recipe that calls for onions or garlic. I enjoy eating freshly harvested ramps raw; however their scent seems to linger for a couple of days on your breath.
Ramps have made the USDA endangered species list as spieces of concern resulting from its commercial exploitation. Ontario does not have any laws in place to protect ramps but I do recommend that you only harvest ramps when they are abundant, and even then only collect scattered patches or individual plants.
The ramp season isn’t very long but you can preserve harvested ramps by freezing or pickling them.
Ramps grow in moist sandy soil often near streams. I usually stumble upon them when foraging for Morel Mushrooms. Try hunting for both this weekend and cook them in a quiche with this weeks recipe.
Wild Leek and Morel Quiche
9-inch pie pastry
Two tblsp canola oil
Five ounces ramps, washed and coarsely diced
Four ounces fresh morels, split and cleaned
Two ounces bacon, diced
One tsp tarragon
5 large eggs
One quarter cup 35-per-cent cream
One quarter cup milk
Two ounces Monteray Jack
Two ounce Romano cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Method: Preheat the oven to 325 F. In a medium sized sautee pan heat the oil over medium heat. add the bacon and morels, season with the salt and pepper. Cook mixture until it becomes fragrant and the mushrooms release some moisture. Add the ramps and tarragon. Continue cooking until leeks are limp and tender. Remove from heat and check seasoning. Spread evenly on pastry shell and sprinkle with grated cheeses. Beat eggs and mix in cream and milk. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake on the middle rack of oven until mixture sets. Around 20-25 minutes.
Tags: Blogger, Caterer, Catering, Catering Kawartha`s, Catering Lakefield, Catering Peterborough, Chef, Chef Algonquin Park, Chef Bobcaygeon, Chef Cottage Country, Chef Haliburton, Chef Muskoka, Chef Peterborough, consultant, consulting, cooking classes, Corporate Culinary Team Building, Food Safety Training, food writer, ice carving, ice sculptures, Kawarthas, Local food, Personal Chef, Private chef, professor, Restaurant consulting, sustainability, Weddings
Posted in Catering, Cooking Classes, Events, Ice Sculptures, Private Chef Services, Recipes |
Comments Off on Gastronomically yours,
March 23rd, 2012
Something to Birch About
This winter or more specifically a lack of it has made for easier heating bills and a lot less shoveling but I can’t help but wonder what will happen to this year’s maple sap harvest. For those of you who weren’t aware Ontario maple syrup producers started harvesting this year’s crop three weeks ago.
Making birch syrup is similar to making maple syrup but you need to be aware of some critical differences in the saps to be able to have a successful harvest. Birch sap harvesting begins right after the maple harvest ends as it requires warmer weather than the maple sap to flow. The birch sugaring season is shorter than maple and only lasts for about two weeks.
Birch sap contains less than half the sugar found in maple sap. This translates to approximately 100 liters of birch sap being required to produce 1 liter of birch syrup opposed to the 40 liters of maple sap required to produce 1 liter of maple syrup. Also the sugars present in birch sap are fructose and glucose instead of sucrose found in maple sap. Fructose and glucose burn very easily which necessitates birch sap being processed below its boiling point so that its sugars do not burn. Comparatively birch sap is far more expensive to produce as it requires almost 4 times the amount of energy to render it into syrup. This explains why birch syrup costs $275.00 a gallon.
Birch syrup is easier to digest than maple syrup and has significantly higher amounts of nutrients than maple syrup which is why it has been considered somewhat of an elixir or tonic throughout many cultures living in the extreme northerly regions of the northern hemisphere.
If are thinking about harvesting birch sap for sugaring you will also need to consider that birch sap is notably more acidic than maple sap. For this reason you should only use plastic or stainless steel equipment to process birch syrup as aluminum and galvanized steel can be dissolved by the sap giving the finished syrup a metallic taste. Also look for Paper birch trees as they have the highest concentration of sugar than other species of birch trees.
Before setting out in the woods or off to a specialty food store to get some birch syrup you need to be aware that even though birch syrup is used just like maple syrup to coat meats, vegetable and stacks of flapjacks; it’s taste is quite different as it’s sugars give it a roasted caramel flavor with somewhat spicy tones to it. Locally you can find birch trees almost anywhere to tap to make your own birch syrup and try it in the following recipe. Remember that 1 cup birch syrup reads: 100 cups birch sap,
Birch Syrup Pie
1 cup Birch Syrup
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 egg yolks, beaten lightly
2 tbsp. butter
1 8 inch pie shell- made and baked ahead of time
Method:
Gently heat the birch syrup over a low flame in a medium sized, stainless steel sauce pot. Separately whisk together the corn-starch and water until smooth, then whisk the cornstarch slurry into the syrup. Next whisk the egg yolks into the syrup. Continue stirring the syrup mixture while cooking it over low heat until it has thickened and the corn-starch is cooked out.
Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the butter. Pour the syrup mixture into the pre-cooked pie shell and allow it to cool down to room temperature. Serve warm with ice cream.
Tags: Algonquin Park, Blogger, Bobcaygeon, Caterer, Catering, Catering Kawartha`s, Catering Lakefield, Catering Peterborough, Chef, consultant, consulting, cooking classes, Corporate Culinary Team Building, Cottage Country, Food Safety Training, food writer, food writer and culinary presenter, fundraising, guest speaker, Haliburton, ice carving, ice sculptures, Kawarthas, Lakefield, Local food, Muskoka, Ontario, Personal Chef, Peterborough, Private chef, professor, Radio and television promotions, Restaurant consulting, sustainability, teaching, Weddings
Posted in Catering, Cooking Classes, Events, Ice Sculptures, Private Chef Services, Recipes |
Comments Off on Gastronomically yours,
March 4th, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
At The Venue, 286 George Street North,
Peterborough, Ontario
Noon until 8:00 p.m.
$12.00 per person (HST included)
Included 1 Food and Wine Pairing Wine Wheel (retail value $10.)
The Venue is proud to be hosting the first annual Kawartha International Wine & Food Festival… Sunday April 15th! Produced by Shari Darling and the Kawartha Entertainment Group, the festival promises to be a one of a kind event that will draw global wine, artisan local beer, spirit and food lovers from all over the Kawarthas and beyond.
The Kawartha International Wine & Food Festival’s goal is to put superb wines from around the globe alongside some of Peterborough’s finest fare…Global wine, local food is our mantra! While strolling around the Venue sampling from our incredible list of vendors, you’ll be able to stop and listen in on one of our product seminars which will run throughout the day. Or you may like to book yourself into one of our global cooking demos from local culinary masters Chef Brian Henry and Chef Brian Forsythe. Perhaps a trip up to our artisan micro brew and spirit section may be of interest? We’ll have it all under one roof! Each vendor will charge for samples.
This is a truly unique event for Peterborough and the surrounding area. No other event in the Kawarthas will bring such an amazing array or food and wine vendors together to tantalize your palette like the Kawartha International Wine & Food Festival.
Tags: Algonquin Park, Blogger, Bobcaygeon, Caterer, Catering, Chef, consultant, consulting, cooking classes, Corporate Culinary Team Building, Cottage Country, Food Safety Training, food writer, food writer and culinary presenter, fundraising, guest speaker, Haliburton, ice carving, ice sculptures, Kawarthas, Lakefield, Local food, Muskoka, Ontario, Personal Chef, Peterborough, Private chef, professor, Radio and television promotions, Restaurant consulting, sustainability, teaching, Weddings
Posted in Catering, Cooking Classes, Events, Private Chef Services, Recipes |
Comments Off on Kawartha International Wine & Food Festival
March 3rd, 2012
Bovine Milk
Humans began consuming the milk of other mammals around 9000 BC. It was at this time that we began domesticating animals which led to the agriculture revolution. Farming practices began in Southwest Asia and grew in commonality through nomadic cultures as it permitted people to move about the land taking their food sources with them instead of the more firmly rooted practice of crop farming.
These nomadic people`s became wandering yet self-sustained micro-economies, who sold dairy and meat derived foods as well as livestock throughout the regions they traversed. At this time global diversity and trade progressed at a nomad’s pace taking almost 4000 years for the practice of dairy farming to reach Europe. After which globalization saw another 1500 years pass before milk harvesting reached the Americas.
At first humans raised sheep and goats for milk production as these smaller creatures were easily cultivated in comparison to the domestication of bovine species as this required the taming of the now extinct auroch which would have been a dangerous feat as these mammals measured 5ft across at their withers which shouldered horns up to three feet in length each.
Although milk is most commonly collected from cows, sheep and goats there are cultures and economies that rely on milk harvested from camels, horses, reindeer, water buffalo, bison and yak.
Today our planet produces in excess of 700 million tons of milk annually to supply the demands of our planets ever growing population. The bulk of this milk is derived from bovine sources of which India is the world’s largest producer of milk. The ever increasing demand for our global consumption of milk products has seen the growth has seen the advancement in automated milking equipment and investment by large conglomerate dairy companies around the world.
Locally we can still savour the taste of smaller scale milk producers like The Kawartha Dairy Company who works cooperatively with smaller farms creating a diverse local economy and is celebrating its 75th year as a Canadian-family owned and operated business. I encourage you to buy some locally produced milk to add to this weeks following recipe.
Chunky Potato Soup
Ingredients
½ pound bacon, chopped
¼ cup celery, diced
1 cup cooking onion, diced
1 tsp. garlic, minced
4 cups of potatoes, cut into ½ inch and cubes
3 cups chicken stock
½ cup milk or heavy cream
½ tsp of dried thyme or tarragon
1 tbsp. parsley chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a heavy bottomed soup pot cook the bacon over medium heat until desired doneness. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside. Sauté the celery and onions in the remaining bacon grease until they are tender but not browned. Add the garlic and potatoes to the pot and continue cooking for another 5 minutes while continuously stirring the mixture. Pour in the stock and simmer over medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender. Add the milk, and herbs to the soup. Puree half the soup to let the potato starch act as a natural thickening agent while the remaining potato pieces will allow for the soup to be chunky. Stir the cooked bacon into the soup. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Tags: Bobcaygeon, Caterer, Catering, Chef, Cottage Country, fundraising, ice carving, ice sculptures, Kawarthas, Lakefield, Local food, Ontario, Personal Chef, Peterborough, Private chef, professor, sustainability, teaching, Weddings
Posted in Catering, Cooking Classes, Events, Ice Sculptures, Private Chef Services, Recipes |
Comments Off on Gastronomically yours,
March 2nd, 2012
Where the buffalo roam
We use the words buffalo and bison interchangeably as if they were describing the same animal but the two are actually distant relatives which are more closely related to the domesticated bovine than each other.
Buffalo are related to the Asian water buffalo. Bison are the almost mythical creature that roamed North America with a population in excess of 50 million. Today those herds have dwindled down to around 13 000 animals that areconsidered to be truly genetic- wild-bison living in protected game preserves and park land.
Commercially we can find half a million bison being raised for its meat and hides throughout North America. Annually we see about 10% of these animals being culled for human consumption. These cultivated animals are crossbreeds that contain bovine or beef cattle DNA and are referred to as beefalo by some.
Wild bison have a lifespan of 15 years and may weigh up to 1,000 kg compared to commercially raised bison that may exceed 25 years of age and weigh in around 1600kg.
At first glance bison meat is quite similar to beef. Nutritionally bison contains less than half the fats and cholesterol found in beef. Due to the healthier qualities associated with this densely flavored protein we have to make some adjustments in the kitchen when we prepare it. Bison is naturally tender however it is often misjudged as being tough this misconception is largely due to it being improperly cooked. The main thing to consider when cooking bison is that it is extremely lean and will cook very quickly compared to other meats. It responds best to being cooked slowly using lower temperatures. It is critical that buffalo meat does not get over cooked; simply this meat should not be cooked beyond medium rare.
Locally Tim Belch operates a bison farm that supplies restaurants throughout Ontario and is sold to the public from their farm and at Peterborough’s Saturday Farmers Market. At one time Belch’s Bison farm was the largest producer of bison in Canada.
I recommend trying some of Belch’s Bison as a healthy alternative to other proteins you may currently use in your diet keeping in mind the preparation tips previously suggested or simply try this week’s recipe for a southwestern flavored roast.
Southwest style Bison Tenderloin
1 center cut bison tenderloin approximately 2 lbs.
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 ½ tsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 tsp. celery seeds
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
Method: In a medium size bowl whisk together the oil, herbs, spices and lime juice. Completely coat the bison loin with the oil mixture and let it stand at room temperature for 45 minutes. Preheat your oven to 425°f and then cook your tenderloin on a wire rack in a roasting pan for 25-30 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature 130°f. Remove the roast from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes prior to slicing and serving it. Serves 4 people.
Tags: Bobcaygeon, Caterer, Catering, Chef, Chef Brian Henry, Cottage Country, fundraising, ice carving, ice sculptures, Kawarthas, Lakefield, Local food, Ontario, Personal Chef, Peterborough, Private chef, professor, sustainability, teaching, Weddings
Posted in Catering, Cooking Classes, Events, Ice Sculptures, Private Chef Services, Recipes |
Comments Off on Gastronomically yours,
March 2nd, 2012
Something to Birch About
This winter or more specifically a lack of it has made for easier heating bills and a lot less shoveling but I can’t help but wonder what will happen to this year’s maple sap harvest. For those of you who weren’t aware Ontario maple syrup producers started harvesting this year’s crop three weeks ago.
Making birch syrup is similar to making maple syrup but you need to be aware of some critical differences in the saps to be able to have a successful harvest. Birch sap harvesting begins right after the maple harvest ends as it requires warmer weather than the maple sap to flow. The birch sugaring season is shorter than maple and only lasts for about two weeks.
Birch sap contains less than half the sugar found in maple sap. This translates to approximately 100 liters of birch sap being required to produce 1 liter of birch syrup opposed to the 40 liters of maple sap required to produce 1 liter of maple syrup. Also the sugars present in birch sap are fructose and glucose instead of sucrose found in maple sap. Fructose and glucose burn very easily which necessitates birch sap being processed below its boiling point so that its sugars do not burn. Comparatively birch sap is far more expensive to produce as it requires almost 4 times the amount of energy to render it into syrup. This explains why birch syrup costs $275.00 a gallon.
Birch syrup is easier to digest than maple syrup and has significantly higher amounts of nutrients than maple syrup which is why it has been considered somewhat of an elixir or tonic throughout many cultures living in the extreme northerly regions of the northern hemisphere.
If are thinking about harvesting birch sap for sugaring you will also need to consider that birch sap is notably more acidic than maple sap. For this reason you should only use plastic or stainless steel equipment to process birch syrup as aluminum and galvanized steel can be dissolved by the sap giving the finished syrup a metallic taste. Also look for Paper birch trees as they have the highest concentration of sugar than other species of birch trees.
Before setting out in the woods or off to a specialty food store to get some birch syrup you need to be aware that even though birch syrup is used just like maple syrup to coat meats, vegetable and stacks of flapjacks; it’s taste is quite different as it’s sugars give it a roasted caramel flavor with somewhat spicy tones to it. Locally you can find birch trees almost anywhere to tap to make your own birch syrup and try it in the following recipe. Remember that 1 cup birch syrup reads: 100 cups birch sap,
Birch Syrup Pie
1 cup Birch Syrup
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 egg yolks, beaten lightly
2 tbsp. butter
1 8 inch pie shell- made and baked ahead of time
Method:
Gently heat the birch syrup over a low flame in a medium sized, stainless steel sauce pot. Separately whisk together the corn-starch and water until smooth, then whisk the cornstarch slurry into the syrup. Next whisk the egg yolks into the syrup. Continue stirring the syrup mixture while cooking it over low heat until it has thickened and the corn-starch is cooked out.
Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the butter. Pour the syrup mixture into the pre-cooked pie shell and allow it to cool down to room temperature. Serve warm with ice cream.
Tags: Bobcaygeon, Caterer, Catering, Chef, Chef Brian Henry, Cottage Country, fundraising, ice carving, ice sculptures, Kawarthas, Lakefield, Local food, Ontario, Personal Chef, Peterborough, Private chef, professor, sustainability, teaching, Weddings
Posted in Catering, Cooking Classes, Events, Ice Sculptures, Private Chef Services, Recipes |
Comments Off on Gastronomically yours,
