Oyster Season Is Still On So Have Some More

Because it’s still oyster season I’m going to write again about the sea’s gem! Of course, some of you probably hate the damn thing and I kind of understand you. Who wants to eat a raw, slimy and salty mollusk? Not many. But trust me, once you try the slimy beast, you might realize how good and refined it actually is. And you just might get addicted to it, even if it’s against your own good will!

There are easier ways to start eating oysters than to have them naked and raw. Although they’re not my favorite once cooked, they can be easier to gulp on once they’re not raw. Plus, if you add some flavor to them, a taste to which you might not be accustomed to becomes more subtle. But take it to the next level fast; cooked oysters might be good but they’re not the real deal. And if you want to pass as an oyster lover, people won’t believe you if the only way you like yours are cooked with a bunch of unnecessary ingredients on top.

The best way to eat an oyster is still raw with a hint of lemon but hey, if you’re gonna eat a lot of them and often, why not try different variations? Here are some of my favorites!

OYSTER WITH CUCUMBER AND MINT SALSA

INGREDIENTS  

1 small Lebanese cucumber, deseeded and finely diced

½ red onion or shallot, finely chopped

2 tbsp soy sauce

4 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

PREPARATION

In a bowl, mix of the ingredients. Spoon a little on top of freshly opened oysters. Serve immediately .

Note: Add the mint to the salsa only when ready to serve. If not, the mint will become brown.  

BACON AND GRUYÈRE OYSTERS

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup 35% cream

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

¼ cup grated gruyere cheese

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

4 slices of bacon cut in small pieces

6 oysters

PREPARATION

Open the oysters and put them in a bowl with the juice. Keep the bottom of the shells.

In a skillet, cooked the bacon pieces until they become nice and crispy. Place on an absorbing paper and take off the excess fat. Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat the cream and reduce it by half.

In a skillet, cook the olive oil and the shallot. Add the cream and the oyster juice. Blend well.

When ready to serve, preheat your oven to broil. Place the bottom shells on a cooking sheet and put an oyster back in each shell. Put a small spoonful of the cream mixture on top of the oyster and top off with some gruyere cheese and crispy bacon. Put in the oven and cook until the cheese has melted and is slightly golden.

Note: Be very careful, the shell will be dangerously hot when you take it out of the oven so it’s better to eat with a small fork.

Delectable Braised Veal Cheeks

There’s nothing better than a rainy day to spend some time cooking. But to spend some time cooking, you need to go food shopping (if your fridge is empty!). Which is what I did this morning and it was totally annoying since I had to carry my little baby around in the rain. Which made me think: why didn’t I just clean the house or watch a movie instead? I guess the power of food is stronger than everything else!

Anyways, I will cook after I write this page… but I don’t know what yet. What I do know is that the recipe I’m showing you today is totally worthy of trying and that the time you will put in it will be soooooo rewarding you’ll never look back. Because this recipe is so tasty you will lick your fingers once you’re done. And it’s probably one of the easiest you’ll ever make; the only thing you need is 3 hours ahead of you. On a chilly rainy day you can always indulge in melt in your mouth braised meat. And braised veal cheeks, well, how can I put it… it’s refined yet hearty, tender and simply melts in your mouth. Try it and you’ll be sold. I know I am!

BRAISED VEAL CHEEKS

Makes 4 servings or about 24 appetizers

INGREDIENTS

800g veal cheeks

1 onion, chopped

200g lard, roughly chopped

3 tbsp canola oil

2 beers

1 cup red wine

6 sprigs fresh thyme

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven at 350˚F. Season the cheeks with salt & pepper.

In an ovenproof skillet, heat the oil. Roast the cheeks on each side until slightly golden. Put aside. In the same skillet, add the lard and cook for a few minutes until slightly golden. Add the onion and cook for another few minutes, until the onion is translucent.

Poor the beer and the wine and add the thyme. Put the cheeks back in the skillet. Cover and cook in the oven for 3 hours.

Note: I served my cheeks as an appetizer in small serving eatable cups. You could also serve them as a meal along with potatoes and vegetables. 

The Aftermath: Stuffed Eggs With Matane Shrimps

Well, the tornado has passed and the quiet wind of September is settling in again. No, I’m not talking about Irene, I’m talking about my son’s baptism. An event like that can really take over a household for a few days, or even a full week! I got so absorbed into the eye of the tornado that I quite frankly had to put aside my urge to write a new page in my blog. There was simply not time to write; but there was time to cook!

But the page has been turned and I can move on with my normal life. One where cooking is enjoyable and not just a matter of success. Thanks to a few of you, I got some great ideas for my fancy buffet. I made a delectable menu and had raving reviews for the food. I know this might sound a little cocky but I even impressed myself with a few things. You see, I tried quite a bit of new recipes and even took a new angle to my style. I usually make a lot of fish and raw foods. This time, I added a lot of meat and cooked foods!! Not an easy challenge for me, and it was hard to get around to creating my menu but in the end the challenge was great and I ended up making one of my best buffets yet. To top it all off, I believe I have regained my love for cooking, which had been lost along the way this summer. Too much vacationing can really get to your head. Now I really feel like trying some new stuff and taking things a notch higher. That’s what fall should be about.

If you don’t mind, I’ll present to you what I made in my next few blog entries. You can recreate the whole thing after if you like, or make 1 recipe at a time when necessary. The first recipe was a mad success. A modern twist on a classic recipe: stuffed eggs. Only when you make them chic and fancy, no one can resist a good egg. Simple to make ahead, finish them just before the guests arrive. Perfect as an appetizer, you can’t go wrong with this one.  

HARD BOILED EGGS STUFFED WITH MATANE SHRIMP

Makes 24 half eggs

 

INGREDIENTS

12 eggs

1/3 pound Matane shrimps, cooked

2-3 tbsp mayonnaise (home made is ideal)

½ tsp Dijon mustard

1 green shallot, finely chopped

1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

Salt & pepper.

Cilantro for decoration

Salmon roe for decoration

PREPARATION

In a saucepot, put the eggs in cold water. Bring the water to a boil. Once it’s boiling, take off the heat and let the eggs cook for 15 minutes. Put the eggs in cold water to stop the cooking. When they are cold, peel and wash the eggs. Cut the in half and, with a small spoon, take out the egg yolk.

In a bowl, mix together half of the egg yolks with the shrimps, mayo, Dijon, shallot and cilantro. Add salt and pepper. Adjust taste if necessary.

Cut a tiny piece off the bottom of each egg half so that they stand upright. Fill them with the egg and shrimp mixture. Decorate with a piece of cilantro and salmon roe.

A Cool Crab Dip For Canada Day

Ok, I have to admit it: I don’t celebrate our National day. Sorry for those who do. But what I do enjoy on our National celebration day is a nice day off, usually spent with a bunch of friends. Isn’t that what long weekends should be about?

Big parties on a day off usually equal pot luck, which means you might have to bring something along to your friends’ house (if the party isn’t being held at your place). I’m personally always impressed with what some people bring at these sorts of parties (forget about those who buy prepared foods…no comments on that). I mean, some people can get really creative. A friend of mine, who’s almost a local version of Martha Stewart, always brings these really cool dishes that seem to be made for entertainment. Where does she get such cool ideas? She’s probably hooked on the Martha Stewart website… I’m not sure I want to go that way. Still… I, on the other hand, with my not so bad cooking skills, never seem to find a cool idea for what to bring at these gatherings.

This time though, I decided to think out of the box. Lately, I wanted to try out for the “Women of Philly” contest, a cooking contest organized by Philadelphia (the cheese, not the city!). I bought some big jugs of Philadelphia cheese at Costco, only to realize that the contest was closed to the residents of Quebec (what the heck?). Anyways. The cheese has been in my fridge forever so I decided to put it to use. I found a great recipe for entertainment: a cool and easy to make and carry around crab dip. Finally! I believe I made a Martha Stewart out of myself and am ready for those parties coming up in the weekend. Bring it on! Are you ready?

CRAB DIP

INGREDIENTS

250g Philadelphia cheese, softened

1 ½ cup grated Swiss or Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise

1 can (120g) crab, drained

2 green onion, chopped

Hot sauce (optional)

PREPARATION

In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients. Lay the mixture in a pie plate.

When ready to serve, place in the over at 350˚F and cook for 15 minutes stirring once during the baking.

Serve in a dipping bowl. Accompany with bread stick or nachos.

Note: tastes even better if you have along with a nice Rosé wine! 

Because I still dream of Italy, Porcini Crostini

This weekend I really got into the pasta thing with my Tuna, Tomato and Black Olive sauce, which made me dream of Italy. Once you start dreaming of such a place, it’s not easy to get it out of your head. I feel like eating pasta everyday now, or anything Italian. I want to watch La Dolce Vita and indulge on tons of Gelato. I feel like drinking a nice big glass of Chianti and sing like Pavarotti!!

I can’t get any of these great things from my kitchen. Sadly. But I can try to make the most of it by cooking something Italian and simple. I’ve said it before, I’m a big mushroom fan and I so happen to have some really nice wild mushrooms in my fridge. Why not make something simple like the Italians do so well and put a lot of taste into it? Who needs to try to make something complicated when simplicity usually pays off in the kitchen?

I won’t go to Italy any time soon, so I’ll have to get over the dreaming. But cooking a few Italian things in the last few days has made me feel like I was elsewhere, far from the last bits of Canadian winter and its melting snow. Very soon, La Dolve Vita will be right here in my own back yard.  

PORCINI CROSTINI

Makes 4 small crostinis

 

INGREDIENTS

4 slices of sour dough baguette

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 small shallot

2 garlic cloves

1 cup porcini or wild mushrooms

½ tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

3 tbsp heavy cream

1 tbsp black truffle oil (optional)

Salt & pepper

PREPARATION

Preheat your oven at 450˚F. Cut 4 slices of your bread and generously spread olive oil on top. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes, until lightly roasted.

In a large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tbsp of oil and the butter. Add the shallots and the garlic and cook for about 1 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add the oregano, mint and cream. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the cream thickens. Finalise with salt and pepper to taste and truffle oil, if you like.

Serve hot on the crostini bread. You can serve with a nice arugula salad or, as I did, with tomato and Mozzarella Di Buffala. 

Green Tea Infused Gravlax; When You've Got A Piece of Fish To Spare

Just the other day I bought a huge piece of salmon fillet thinking I would cook it for a group of friends. But then the happening didn’t happen. So I was left with my fresh piece of fish not knowing what to do with it. I could’ve cut it into pieces and frozen it, but I find it sad to freeze a nice piece of fish or meat… because it’s never as good as when it’s fresh! Since I’m pregnant and about to burst, I can’t get into the tartar thing (raw fish is sadly forbidden to pregnant women), which is normally what I would’ve done. So I got a flash genius (so I believe!) and decided I would make a nice big piece of gravlax.

Gravlax, for the unfamiliar, is a Swedish way of preserving and infusing taste to fish by curing it into a mixture of salt and sugar. Dill is the usual flavor used for such a method but you can try to be creative and add a few flavors such as orange or lemon and, as such is the case here, tea!

I personally can’t get enough of salmon. It’s like chicken, I’m never sick of it. Any way you serve it it’s bound to be tasty… unless you overcook the poor thing. The good thing about gravlax is that you can keep it for a good week in the fridge and add it to anything you like, any way you like it. Be creative. And get your dose of Omega-3 at the same time!

GREEN TEA INFUSED GRAVLAX

INGREDIENTS

500 g salmon fillet, skin on

4 tbsp coarse sea salt

4 tbsp sugar

1 ½ tbsp fresh dill

2 tbsp black pepper

2 tbsp green tea leaves

Grated zest of 2 lemons

2 tbsp vodka

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, pepper, tealeaves, lemon zest and vodka. On a baking sheet covered with cheesecloth, evenly spread half of the mixture.

Place the salmon filet on the mixture, skin side down. Cover the salmon with the rest of the mixture.

Wrap the salmon tightly in the cheesecloth and press down with a heavy pan or a cutting board. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours, flipping the salmon every 12 hours.

Unwrap the fish and rinse well under cold water. Dry with Scott towels.

Placing the fish skin side down, cut thin slices, diagonally. You can serve it as you like… Here are a few ideas: for brunch, in a bagel with cream cheese; for cocktail, on small blinis with sour cream; as a snack, on rye bread with goat cheese, for lunch, in a salad, etc!

My Own Personal Salmon Bite (Of Heaven)

This is one of my favorite bites. It’s fancy and it looks really amazing. I usually keep it for the big occasions and the special people. Salmon is such a sexy fish. Yes, you read me well: sexy!!! It’s my favorite ‘accessible’ fish (Bar and Black Cod being my ultimate favorites… but they are extremely expensive fish so I try to stay away from them!). I like salmon especially when it’s raw. Because it’s a fat fish, it melts in your mouth when you eat it raw. These days I can’t indulge on one of my favorite dishes, tartar (my pregnant self not allowing it), so I cheat by eating tiny pieces of the raw flesh I love so much! Of course, if you eat your fish raw, it has to be really fresh (or just unfrozen… but that doesn’t sound too sexy!).

I usually make this as a first course, in a larger size, which you could too. But this time, I decided to make it into bite size little gems. A Montreal Japanese chef, who makes a similar salad, inspired me for this recipe. I tried to interpret what he made and gave it my own personal twist. I highly recommend that you try to make this if you’re looking to impress someone. It never fails!

JAPANESE SALMON SASHIMI BITE

Makes 12 bites

 

INGREDIENTS

100 g fresh salmon, thinly sliced (more if you make it as a full dish)

12 thin slices of English cucumber, skin on

2 tbsp salmon roe

1 green apple, skin only, thinly sliced

12 Shiso leaves (optional)

Black sesame for decoration

Japanese Vinaigrette

1 shallot, thinly diced

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp Japanese mustard powder (or English mustard powder)

Black pepper

4 tsp water

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp grapeseed oil

PREPARATION

Thinly dice the shallot. In a mixing bowl, mix together the shallot, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, mustard powder, pepper and water. When the sugar has dissolved, mix in the sesame and grapeseed oils.

Note: This dressing tastes even better if you make it a day ahead.

You can find Shiso leaves at an asian market or a Japanese specialized store. Here in Montreal you can find them at Miyamoto on Victoria in Westmount. 

FOR SERVING

In a small plate, lay a shiso leaf, a cucumber slice and a salmon slice. Top it with a spoonful of vinaigrette. Finish it off with a few apple skin slices, salmon row and black sesame. Indulge! 

Cooking With Friends For My Birthday!

I’ve been neglecting my blog for a few days now and I’m sorry for those who came by to get new recipes. But it was all worth it and this is why: this weekend was my birthday! Yep! I’ve turned the page on another great year and am ready to attack the new one. As you can imagine, the past few days were filled with great food experiences; and they were!! I had such a great time with friends and family and have been eating some amazing food. Sadly, I haven’t taken a picture of everything I ate… probably due to my enthusiasm which made me forget about all the serious stuff!! But this recollection of food will surely please the most enthusiasts!

My friends gave me a big treat on Friday: they cooked for me! Yep, that’s how we do things amongst us. After the French Laundry experience, we decided to reproduce it at home! Everyone had to cook a small plate which made up for a seven course meal, plus some little extras. It was absolutely delicious and everybody brought to the table their culinary creativity and style. The evening’s food was a surprise as we didn’t know what people were preparing. We ended up eating for a total of almost 6 hours and had an amazing time. We thought we would have too much to eat but in the end, because everybody respected the small quantity rule, we had just enough.

Personally, I took care of the desert. I need practice in that department (referring to the cake disaster episode) so I took on the challenge. On top of that, I decided I was going to take care of the mise-en-bouche and of the entremets. All four plates were delicious a great crowd pleasers. Very easy to make, you’ll find here recipes for both the entremets and the first desert (the teaser!). Tomorrow I’ll share my desert recipe… You’re going to have to be patient to see what it was!

Here's a recollection in images of what my friends prepared. 

Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes Pockets
Arugula and Crispy Prosciutto Salad

Fresh Mushroom and Foie Gras Ravioli
Crispy Pancetta and Mushroom Broth

Duck Magret with Red Wine Sauce
Watercress and Beets Salad

Wild Canada Goose (Outarde) with Red Currant Sauce
Potato and Celery Root Purée

Slow Infused Beef Consommé

Seared Beef Tenderloin
Crispy French Fries

SUMMER FRUIT SAKE JELLY

Makes 24 spoonful servings

INGREDIENTS

100g selection of fresh berries

2 gelatine leaves

100ml water

50g granulated sugar

100ml sake

Fresh mint for garnish

PREPARATION

Wash the fruits gently, drain well and place on a kitchen paper to absorb excess moisture.

Place the gelatine leaves in a small saucepan and add the water and the sugar. Warm gently over low heat and stir slowly until all the sugar and gelatine have dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly.

When the mixture is tepid, stir in the sake and strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any remaining lumps of gelatine.

Pour a little of the mixture into the base of the spoon to cover the bottom, and place in the freezer for a few minutes to set.

Remove from the freezer, place the fruit on top of the set jelly and cover with the remaining jelly mixture. Place in the refrigerator and allow to set for 3-4 hours. Garnish with mint sprigs.

STRAWBERRY AND MINT GRANITÉ

Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ cup water

½ cup fresh mint, minced

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 cups fresh strawberries (or raspberries)

A few mint leave for decoration

Vodka (optional!)

PREPARATION

In a small saucepan, mix the sugar with ½ cup, water and the mint. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Let the syrup cool completely. Strain through a fine sieve and throw out the mint. Add the lemon juice a mix well.

In a blender, reduce the strawberries and 1 cup of water into a purée. Strain through a sieve if necessary (especially if you’re using raspberries). Add the mint syrup and blend well. Poor into a shallow pyrex. Cover saran wrap and put in the freezer for 4 to 6 hours.

Just before serving, scrape the granite with a fork. Split between serving glasses or cups. Add a little bit of Vodka and a mint leaf to decorate.