Tag Archives: food

Entree, Meat, Recipes

Roasted Nicola Valley Venison Loin

We are fortunate to have great fallow deer from the Nicola Valley readily available. It is tender and sweet, and a great winter meal with gnocchi and roasted vegetables

Marinade

1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp juniper berries
1/2 tsp coriander seed
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
1 clove garlic, sliced

Combine all ingredients and set asideWatch Full Movie Online Streaming Online and Download

2 lb venison loin, boneless
Coarse sea salt

Trim venison loin of all silverskin and sinew and place in a container (a large freezer bag works well). Cover with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 days

Remove venison from marinade and allow to come up to room temperature

Season well and sear on all sides in a sauté pan over high heat
Transfer to a wire rack and roast in a hot oven 450 F until medium rare (registers 125 F on a meat thermometer)
Remove from oven an rest for at least 10 minutes before serving
Slice into thin slices across the grain and serve with gnocchi and rosemary sherry reduction

Entree, Meat, Recipes, Sauce

Rosemary sherry reduction

All great dishes include some form of a great sauce, and here is a basic recipe for a nice demi-glace based reduction. I usually make demi glace in a largish batch and then freeze it in 1/2 liter (2 cup) bags for future use.

2 shallots, sliced
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp cup butter
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sherry
1 branch rosemary
2 branches thyme
2 cups demi glace, (beef or veal)

Sauté shallots and garlic in butter until tender
Add red wine vinegar and reduce until syrupy (au sec)
Add sherry and herbs and reduce by half
Add demi glace and simmer for 1 hour, strain, and adjust seasoning

Recipes, Side dish, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Caramelized Mire Poix (Root vegetables)

Mire Poix is the basis of all French stock making and the foundation of most soups: a dice of carrot, celery, leek, and onion. This vegetable dish takes that combination and adds a couple of additional flavours to make a great winter vegetable dish. For a vegan preparation, use olive oil and vegetable stock.

2 leeks
4 carrots
1 celery root
2 parsnips
1 rutabaga
2 tbsp butter or olive oil
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp freshly chopped parsley

Wash and trim leeks, and peel carrots
Cut into 1/2 inch rounds
Peel other root vegetables and cut into a large dice (1/2 inch)
Sauté vegetables in butter or olive oil until lightly coloured
Cover with stock, season, and bring up to a simmer
Cover lightly, and braise in a hot oven until tender, 1/2 hour or so
Remove from oven, and add chopped parsley before serving

Entree, Recipes, Seafood, Soup

Pan-roasted trout with mussel chowder

Fresh trout is readily found, and most of the time filleted already. Otherwise, this is a great recipe if you find yourself camping by the sea at the mouth of a river. Try this with other fish as well, just adjust the cooking time based on the thickness of the fillets.

4 trout fillets
salt
vegetable oil

Season trout and panfry until golden brown and crisp on skin side, turn and cook for an additional 2 minutes and serve over top of chowder

Mussel chowder

1 lb fresh mussels, cleaned, beards removed
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups water
2 sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrot, diced
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Bring water, thyme, garlic, and wine up to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes
Add mussels and cook until they just open
Remove mussels from shell and set aside.
Discard shells
Strain liquid and reserve

Sauté onion, carrot, celery, peppers, and garlic in olive oil until translucent and slightly softened.
Add reserved liquid from cooking mussels and bring up to a simmer.
Add potatoes and cook until vegetables are tender.
Add cream and cook for 10 minutes more
Add cooked mussels, adjust seasoning and keep warm while trout cooks.
Add parsley just before serving

Dessert, Recipes

Poached pears in blue cran wine syrup

This recipe uses a local fruit wine, made from blueberry and cranberry. You may substitute another fruit wine if you like, or a light red. Anjou, Bosc and Bartlett pears all work well in this recipe, and should be just ripe or slightly under-ripe for best results.

2 cups blueberry – cranberry wine
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 star anise
6 peppercorns
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick

6 pears, peeled, halved, and cored

Bring all ingredients except pears up to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to develop flavour
Add pears and simmer until tender, 20-40 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the fruit
Remove with a slotted spoon, and place in a shallow dish
Pour poaching liquid over and allow to cool to room temperature(pears may be poached and refrigerated for a few days in advance)

Serve with blue cheese and hazelnut shortbread