The Plateau and Mile End, Montreal, Canada

If anyone from Montreal should actually chance to read these posts, know that I am geographically dyslexic. So if I say a restaurant or place of interest exists within a certain geographic location, understand that in my mind that is a proposition of fact. Is anything in Little Italy or North of Boulevard St Laurent in the Plateau? Strictly speaking, probably not, but I never said reading maps was a strong suit of mine.

There is nowhere else to start but the smoked meat capital of the North East, Schwartz's Charcuterie Hebraique. Located on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, no matter the season, no matter the time, the place draws a crowd.

Previously owned by the Schwartz family since 1928, it was sold in 2012 and is now in the hands of a consort which includes French-Canadian crooner Celine Dion. There were concerns that Dion would begin franchising, in effect creating substandard clones of the one-of-a-kind restaurant. That fear has only been partially realised since the company started stocking supermarket shelves with mass manufactured Schwartz brand smoked meat products. 

Schwartz's Deli is a Montreal institution and may I be so bold to say to think of not visiting is kind of like going to Rome and by-passing the Sistine Chapel. Okay, okay, dining at Schwartz's will not elicit epiphanic moments, granted, but you will come close to identifying with the "Hungry Bear" scene in the movie Bridesmaids.

Schwartz's smoked meat is cured with salt, sugar, peppercorns and aromatic spices and you can order your meat lean (no fat) medium, old-fashioned or fat. I prefer medium, where you have a mix of lean and fat meats, first to add another layer of texture to the meat, and second fat is flavour. Personally, I can do without the peppers. But absolutely and most definitely, dill pickles and mustard are not optional.

There is some kind of star-alignment that takes place when you invite slices of smoked meat onto light rye and add some mustard and the crunch of dill pickle. It leaves you with a calming sense that all is really right in the world, even if only for a brief bite.

Fast food joints abound in the Plateau, so if you are looking for a quick fix of barbequed chicken or even poutine you've come to the right spot. La Banquise on Rue Rachel is a 24-hour fast food restaurant which serves twenty-five different kinds of poutine. Now to the uninitiated, poutine has been routinely described as a "heart attack in a box", containing french fries dripping in gravy and smothered in fresh cheese curds. There are of course variations on the theme, the addition of chicken, vegetables or beef, or if you are Chuck Hughes of Garde Manager fame - even lobster.

I have tried a few variations on poutine now and probably prefer the traditional version of french fries and gravy with curds. There are many arguments on where the best poutine is to be found, and I am sure every Montrealer will have their own Number 1. I have heard La Belle Province does a good version, but my pick is Chez Ashton in Quebec City, which unfortunately will not open up a store in Montreal because they cannot assure the "freshness of the product because of the transportation involved in shipping the local produce". Yeh, I think international foreign trade is a farce too.

The best barbeque chicken in town is also a hot debate amongst Montrealers. Cote-St-Luc Bar-B-Q is a front runner for no-nonsense crispy skinned barbequed chook and gravy you could drink by the cup load. But if you are after spicy Portugese style chicken cooked over charcoal, and a) don't mind spending half your lunch break waiting in line or b) the smell of wafting barbeque smoke lingering in your clothes and hair then Rotisserie Romados on Rue Rachel is a good choice.
 

Ramados lunch option

If fast food ain't for you and you are after a sit-down option where the food is unpretentious, authentic, and serving sizes are just like Yiayia would give you, then try Ouzeri at 4690 Rue Saint-Denis. The grilled octopus with lemon juice, capers and olive oil is a must try, but they also do a fabulous boozy version of pan-fried saganaki cheese with flambeed ouzo, but be sure to douse the flames out before you dive in, and don't be greedy and attempt to dip your bread into the pan juices at the end, lest you want your taste-buds to feel like the dance of the flaming assholes.

Close to Ouzeri and still in the Plateau is African/Ethiopian restaurant Le Nil Bleu or The Blue Nile. Silent Diner and I ate there on my most recent trip to Montreal and were secretly pleased at our ability to find new and exotically authentic eateries...that was until an African taxi-driver told Silent Diner that Africans don't actually eat there.

Perhaps this is because the place is upmarket, and maybe lacking in the rustic qualities that African food is founded on. Admittedly the place was a little odd, replete with a cascading water feature en route to the bathroom (the sound of running water an encouragement nonetheless) baby grand piano in the middle of the dining room (no doubt reserved for rowdy renditions of Paffendorf''s "Welcome to Africa") and various decorative pieces such as a formidable looking African Tribeswoman and native animals plucked straight from a game park.

 

Decor aside, I found the food to be very flavorful with a great use of spice, and the discovery of the African spongy flat-bread called "injera", which was served with all our dishes was a true food epiphany. Made from teff flour, the bread forms an integral part of the meal, being both the plate food is served on, and with pieces being broken off and used to scoop the meal up becomes your eating utensil too. The saying goes, once the tablecloth is gone the meal is over. As you can see, spoons are also "available" should your skill at eating with injera need further refinement.

Try the tasting menu, at $26.99 per person it is good value and allows you to try a bit of everything

A little further East from Le Nil Bleu on Avenue Duluth lies a restaurant that may, when reading the next few paragraphs, require a dose of cholesterol and blood pressure medication. Disclaimer: We take no responsibility that the following information may cause extreme hypertension and instant hardening of your arteries.

Owned by Martin Pickard Au Pied De Cochon, the decadent French inspired restaurant with a nose-to-tail philosophy has to be on the list of any foodie's mecca. To dine at PDC is to have a once in a life-time experience that will transcend beyond having paid "Le Facture" and most likely remain with you at midnight when you are lying in bed cursing your heart burn and nursing your fatty liver.

If you want to get a snapshot of the craziness that is PDC then leaf through the restaurant's self-titled cookbook,  the homage paid in picture form to squirrel sushi (p344) and hare with orange and maple syrup (p352) is truly a sight to beholden.

I had a game plan when I dined at PDC. I was starting light, with a salad. I chose the bacon, endive and goats cheese on warm bread. The bacon fat formed the dressing. At that precise moment the bacon fat started to congeal on the plate, I knew I was out to sea without a life jacket.

 

Silent Diner and I decided to share PDC's signature Foie Gras Poutine.There are not enough synonyms for the shameless excess of french fries, cheese curds, cream and foie gras that meets you on the plate, except maybe the name Jordan Belfort (AKA The Wolf of Wall Street). The dish was calorific-ally moreish, although being in such a saturated-fat induced haze I honestly can't remember if we finished the plate. My instinct tells me it was licked clean, generally because I have a psychological disorder instilled in me by my father, thank you very much, that one does not waste food, and one always eats what's on one's plate.

But I was getting seriously full. And too late as we had already ordered the rustic lentil, saucisson, foie gras and lardo casserole for two. Initially, I misheard the waitress say the "special of the day" was $17.00. I figured, well how big can it be, for $17.00 right? A couple of mouthfuls a piece? Closer inspection of "Le Facture" revealed I had a hearing problem which was precisely $53.00 short. The dish was huge and at this stage after bacon lardon entree and shared foie gras poutine I was trying hard not to channel Monty Python's Mr Creosote meeting his fate with a wafer-thin mint.

Needless to say and much to my psychological self-flagellation, a "sac de chien" (doggy bag) was requested, and unsurprisingly neither Silent Diner nor I had the desire or the stomach for the signature sugar tart dessert. After a series of heart palpitations during the night, I recovered the left-overs from the fridge the following day to discover the residue fat from the dish had somehow managed to escape the plastic container and completely saturate the brown paper bag so that it became almost iridescent. I made the sign of the Cross and said a quick prayer my arteries had narrowly escaped the worst of it.

If you stay in Montreal long enough to recover from the heady excesses of Au Pied De Cochon and want to try a great pizza joint head North up Boulevard St Laurent to Pizzeria Magpie, a funky restaurant with small bar where you can order a drink and wile away some time waiting for a table. I haven't tried anything else on the menu bar pizza and a menu staple kale salad, but both have kept me coming back time again.

The menu is basic, with around 10 pizzas to choose (usually one special of the day and the staples). The meatball pizza with three cheese and mushrooms should be your number one pick, but if you prefer try the fennel salami pizza with red onion and red pepper. If, you are so lucky to have the smoked meat pizza on as a special of the day do order it. Smoked meat, pickles and mustard. Sounds like a food experiment gone bad right? Wrong! The rich paper thin sliced smoked meat offsets beautifully against the crunchy tart pickle and the creaminess of the wholegrain mustard all nestled perfectly on a crispy thin wood-fired pizza base. There is nothing else this pizza needs, but the restaurant offers chilli oil at the table. The chilli oil is so good, I am willing to risk ass burn as I unabashedly and shamelessly drown my pizza in it every time.

Smoked meat pizza

Exploits aside, my favourite dish at Pizzeria Magpie has to be the kale salad. It is quite simply divine, and it has been my benchmark for experimenting, replicating, and finally perfecting a similar kale salad at home. Tossed with kale, toasted pecans, fresh ricotta and apple, the crowning glory is a gloriously runny poached egg which sits atop with pride.

Final pit stop on this whirlwind Plateau tour is Baldwin Barmacie. Situated at 115 Avenue Laurier Ouest, it is technically in Mile End, but I think my initial disclaimer and title of this post explains the anomaly. The place is groovy with mood lighting and hip clientele, but it also has a good cocktail list, bar snacks and a happy hour. They even have a resident DJ who plays songs I've never heard by artists I don't know. It's that kind of on-trend place. Plus they have these amazing leather backed chairs which are half-cut out wine barrels. Worth a visit for that reason alone.

Don't you just wanna look hip and cool in these chairs

Kick Ass Kale Salad

It's taken some time to perfect this salad. I have tried it with pecans and walnuts, ricotta and fior di latte and even buffalo mozarella. I have added radishes, taken radishes out - and finally I think I have nailed it.

Just thinking out loud I like this salad equally with either pecans or walnuts so its purely personal preference. I prefer to eat it just made, as I like the crunchy texture of all the ingredients mixing and mingling slowly together like steamy tango partners, but Silent diner prefers this salad the next day when all the players are like old mates who have played footy together for a few seasons and understand the play. Again, personal preference and your choice - but I do hope you like it!

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 bunch kale (stem and vein removed) and finely sliced
One small bunch of radishes finely sliced from whole (around 5-6 radishes)

250 grams of fresh ricotta broken into bite sized pieces
1 gala apple halved and finely sliced
2 cups picked parsley leaves roughly chopped
1/2 bunch chives snipped

Place all the salad ingredients in a big serving bowl - but wait to add the ricotta till after you have added the nuts (next step down below) and the salad dressing.

Spiced nuts
250 grams of walnuts or pecans
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp icing sugar, or honey or dark brown sugar
Pepper and Salt
Olive oil to coat

Toss the nuts with all the ingredients making sure they are evenly coats and place on a lined baking tray and into a 180 degree oven for 10-15 minutes to toast. Watch them as they will burn quickly if left unattended. When done, leave to cool and break apart if they have stuck together - removing any excess "caramel" that may find itself hanging on to any nuts. Set aside.


Dressing
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 french shallots finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste


Whisk dressing together. Add the nuts to the salad mix then the dressing, being careful to add the ricotta at the end so it doesn't break up too much through the salad. Toss with your hands so you maintain the integrity of the salad. Leave to sit and let the flavours develop for 30 minutes, or if in a hurry eat straight away!

Montreal, Canada - Outremont

I just recently came back from my fifth trip to Montreal. That's a lot of frequent flyer points right there! Montreal is Silent Diner's hometown and so scuttling back and forth is kind of a necessity. I've decided to break this post into parts in fairness to the City as there is so much to see, to do, and more importantly to eat, I don't want to leave anything worthy out. Also, the seasons change Montreal so drastically that it is really almost like being in a different City from Summer to Winter.

My first trip to Montreal was in April 2012. I was told "it's getting warmer but bring a jacket just in case". It snowed. I remember going for a run to Mont-Royal and seeing a light falling of (what looked to be) leaves - but for all my ignorance were actually snowflakes. One day it was like 2 degrees. I said to Silent Diner "This is the coldest I have ever been" he replied "Think about the difference between this and plus 30 degrees and that is how much worse you are going to feel when it's minus 25 degrees".

Fast forward to December 2012 and the Super snowstorm. The single biggest dump of snow to hit the North East since 1973. Let's just say I would rather engage in blood sport than have to shovel a car out of snow with a sand spade again.

And in the most severe form of animal cruelty (dressing a pet up in human-like clothing) even the dogs were forced to wear jackets outdoors.

Silent diner lives in Outremont. Aside from young professionals and trendy types, there is a densely Hasidic Jewish population which makes up a large part of the demographic and the area is rich and vibrant with restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops. It is around a 50 minute walk into the downtown area or a short bus ride along the North-South running Avenue Parc, aptly named because it runs alongside Parc Mont-Royal (for reference the Number 80 bus stops outside the YMCA on the corner of Parc and St Viateur). A walk down Avenue Parc reveals a number of fruiteries. My favourite is the Mile-end fruiterie. They stock their fruit and vegetables outside in the Summer months, and keep everything indoors when the temperatures plummet. They also stock my favourite smoked Chipotle tabasco (I could drink this stuff).

The first real food stop in Montreal has to be St Viateur bagels. It is a Montreal institution alongside smoked meats and poutine. Of course there are other bagel houses around, but I love going to St Viateur as they always grab bagels from the fresh baked batch at the back, and there is nothing, nothing, like a fresh baked and piping hot bagel with a slightly crispy exterior and soft chewy inside to keep your heart more aflutter.

Just down the road from St Viateur bagels is one of the best (if not only) Peruvian sandwich shops in Montreal (if not the world). Called Rotisserie Serrano BBQ they roast their chickens whole in house and lay whole potatoes underneath to soak up all the drippings and fat from the chickens as they cook. They do a mean pork sandwich replete with crackling (I defy you not to go back for another) and I have been there so many times now, I know just how I like my sandwich. Of course you can get either the chicken or pork all dressed (they will cut the chicken right off the bone in front of you) but I have decided the pork and crackling sandwich with hot gravy, lettuce, tomato, coleslaw and hot sauce is the best and to mess with otherwise would be a sacrilege.

Across from Serrano Rotisserie BBQ there is a small chocolate shop, Chocolats Genevieve Grandbois who hand-make all their chocolates in-house. You must try the bacon and pretzel balls, which aside from the novelty factor, the crunchy salty pretzel balances well off the sweet white chocolate and the smoked bacon gives that smoked and salty finish to your palate that confirms that everything does in fact taste better with bacon. The dark chocolate orange balls are also smack bang full of rich chocolatey goodness too.

If you are in the market for some high quality aged beef (at least you should be) you must try Chez Latina. They stock everything from fruit and vegetables to pantry items to ready-to-go meals. For Christmas, Silent diner and I bought a 40-day dry-aged beef fillet which the butcher tied, and I seasoned it with rosemary and sea salt and pepper and baked it according to Adrian Richardsons tips on how to cook the perfect roast beef.

Take home goods from Chez Latina

As you can probably see, I spend a bit of time in St Viateur. I tend to do a little circuit which usually starts with a bagel and ends with a coffee. The best coffee in the street has to be Cafe Olimpico, and no matter the time, night or day, it is always bustling with caffeine addicts. There is always a line-up, and sometimes if I can't be bothered to wait I head to Club Social which is just up from Cafe Olimpico. Italian-run the coffee is still good, but Olimpico has a cool buzz to it and the barista's employ a certain theatrical flair in their coffee making.

If you are not a coffee drinker (and for that I have genuine sorrow for you) and tea is more your thing, then you are in luck. Davids Tea is a Montreal originated tea-house which has branched out across Canada and Stateside too. You can find them next to St Viateur bagels. They do all manner of herbal teas, both caffeinated and non-caffeinated, and the versatile thing is you can enjoy an iced tea in Summer, and wrap your woolly mittens around a hot brew in the death of Winter. Their tea blends are also very good quality.

There is also some great shopping around Outremont. One of my favorites is Francois Beauregard on Laurier Ave. What I like about this boutique is the garments are all made in Montreal, so it's keeping the manufacturing industry in Quebec alive by keeping it local. Laurier has a number of sheeshy boutiques particularly West of Avenue Parc so hopefully your credit card is of the gold kind. There are some other great finds, Charlotte Hosten on Bernard Avenue for hand-made jewellery (find her here) and a great gift store also on Bernard which has some interesting finds is Kokoon. Of course if you really want to shop then the boutique lined streets of St Denis, St Laurent and Sherbrooke have some of the best shopping in Montreal - but that's for another post.

Back on Avenue Parc you can find all sorts of gems. Cafes such as Navarino (directly opposite the YMCA on Parc) who bake pastries in-house but also offer healthy salad choices - great for a quick bite without any attached guilt. Now I wouldn't be honoring my fellow countrymen if I didn't pay homage to the Tourtiere Australienne (or "Ta") further down towards Mont Royal. An Australian pie shop owned and run by a French-Quebecer and her Kiwi husband (even the Kiwi's want to claim Australian lineage). During Hugh Jackman's filming the X-Men in and around Montreal during the Summer of 2013 - he paid the pie shop a visit and ordered pies for the cast and crew. Newspapers reported he is a genuinely nice guy. Why not, he is Australian after all.

If you like Mexican then you have to try Ta Chido snack-bar Mexicain also on Avenue Parc, they do really tasty taco fillings and have some good lunch specials. Find them on their facebook page. Silent diner and I tried another Mexican restaurant called Tamalera on Fairmount when Ta Chido was closed over Christmas, and the food just didn't take the train to flavortown like Ta Chido's does.

Of course Outremont also does upmarket. Try Lemeac on Laurier who do a 10pm Fin de Soiree menu which is like 2 courses for $27.00. Pretty good value for an upscale restaurant, that is, if your stomach will forgive you at midnight.

The beef tartare at Lemeac 10pm sitting. 

This past trip the Silent diner and I found ourselves at "Le Deux Singes de Montarvie" which translates to "The two monkeys of Montarvie"...whoever they are. The restaurant is nestled between Chocolats Genevieve Grandbois and Cafe Olimpico on St Viateur and if you blinked as you walked past you might miss it. It is a very intimate and cosy setting, and for a local eatery the food is very good. In fact, and this is a big call for me, I ate one of the single most best mains of my life to date; Quebec lamb shank braised with lebanese spices, served over a saute of brown rice, swiss chard, and smoked bacon, with a garnish of mint pesto and candied pumpkin. Eating candied pumpkin is like one of those a-ha moments in life. You know nothing ever really existed before it, and life won't ever be the same again after it. The candied pumpkin is a recipe closely guarded by the owner, but on the night we were there the owners parents were also there. The owner's mother who is from Lebanon told me she would give me a jar next time I came in. Pity I was flying out the next day. However I have ascertained from certain Lebanese sources that the process of making candied pumpkin involves the use of limestone. I will not rest in my life's quest to find out more.

Now there is a bit of debate as to where Outremont ends and the Plateau starts. Because I want to include Wilensky's in this post, and strictly speaking Fairmount Street east of Avenue Parc could be considered the Plateau and not Outremont. I'm willing to risk being admonished by Montrealers.

I cannot of course talk about smoked meats without some considerable dialogue about Schwartz's on Boulevard St Laurent. But that of course is in the Plateau and I can't be too irreverent. Wilensky's is what's known as a "casse-croute" or snack-bar. Open since 1932 the shop inside is much the same as it probably was back and still run by the same family. I think it could be a cardinal sin to visit Montreal and not go to Wilensky's. Famous for the "Wilensky special" which is a beef salami and bologna sandwich with mustard and grilled on a flat roll similar to an English muffin. You can also get the special with cheese, but don't even think about getting anymore creative. Silent diner also enjoys the old fashion cherry-cola from the original soda fountain. Aah there is nothing like old-time nostalgia to feel all is well in the world right?

So if we are going to talk about Montreal Jewish institutions like St Viateur bagels and Wilensky's do we dare to venture into Mont-Royal territory and also give an honorable mention to Beautys Luncheonette? I dined at Beautys and personally couldn't see what all the hype is about, that is, with the exception of owner Hymie's flagrant disregard of La charte de la langue francaise, and his ability to work the young and out of shape employee Julius to the bone. They are renowned for their mish-mash (a glorified union of egg, potato, peppers and hot-dog or salami) and their bagel and lox.

Beautys included (if only to watch Hymie at work on Julius), Montreal has a lot to thank the Jewish community for, but no more so than for Cheskies Hamishe bakery at 359 Bernard Avenue Outremont. After trying many of Cheskies baked goods, there is no dispute that the Russian Chocolate babka is the go-to choice. Baked fresh daily, the babka is a flaked pastry that is densely layered with gooey rich chocolate, and quite frankly I would shank you with a home-made shiv for it if I had to. But if chocolate ain't your thing you could get an opium-high from the poppy seed rich rugelach which is also pretty special.

 

Chocolate babka glory

So right on so many levels

poppy seed rugelach

Keeping with Jewish tradition, a little further up the road on Avenue Bernard is Lester's Deli, which has been serving smoked meat sandwiches for over 50 years. Having also tried Schwartz's and Snowden's Deli, I must say I was not blown away by Lester's, however it is good to have the option of a local deli which serves smoked meat sandwiches, pickles, and fries without having to wait your life away in a line-up.

If all the rich food is getting too much for you, then try a healthy option like Maiko Sushi. Not only is the food good, but their plating could be considered edible art. The sushi is very fresh, and the place is frequently busy and most often full.

Maiko sushi on the corner Bernard and Hutchison, Outremont

Artfully plated

This past trip Silent Diner and I had dinner at Les Enfants Terrible on Avenue Bernard. It is a very popular spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The vibe is young and hip, and I really like how they bring their shop front alive for different festive occasions. During Halloween they go all out with a ghoulish display including a headless diner and carved pumpkins, and at Christmas they have wooden reindeer manning the windows.

Les Enfants Terrible is the kind of place that ticks a lot of boxes. Ambience is good, wait staff attractive, wine list reasonable, food on trend. You know what I mean. If I only had a week in Montreal, there are definitely other restaurants I would find myself in before this one - but as a local, it works.

Just up from Les Enfants Terrible at 1311 Avenue Bernard is Le Glacier Bilboquet. In Summertime the line winds its way down the street with couples and families with children yearning for the sweet delectable ice-cream and sorbet treats Bilboquet offers. In maple syrup harvesting season (April-May) they offer a Tire d'erable which is a maple syrup ice-cream with maple taffy chunks. If you ate a triple scoop of this stuff you might be right to feel you could now die complete. Ironically, in the middle of Winter the place looks like a Western movie after a shoot-out and actually closes for a time during December and January. Although don't fret, the Deppaneur on the corner still stocks Bilboquet tubs of ice-cream if Cheskies doesn't manage to satiate your sweet cravings.

Outremont is bounded in the north-west by one of the most special places in all of Montreal, Parc Mont Royal. Majestic in every season for different reasons, you can run, hike, cross-country ski, snow-shoe, toboggan, skate and just have plain old fun no matter what the weather. Parc Mont Royal is the jewel in Montreal's crown and the place I look forward to spending time in every time I am in Montreal. You can head to Beaver Lake in Summer and feed the ducks, or in Winter hire a pair of skates and get your Torvill and Dean on. There are tonnes of trails, and you can literally get lost if you are not careful.

There is always a road less travelled

In the Summertime every Sunday afternoon hundreds of urban hippies gather around the monument to listen to the beating tam-tams. A colorful collection of  dancers, drummers and vendors selling all sorts of legal and illegal fare. Just follow your nose to work out which is which.

In the Winter time, if you want to know how it feels to have your sartorius muscles being ripped off of your hips as you propel yourself up the mountain, and then find terminal velocity just trying to avoid falling off the mountain, then cross country skiing is for you. Don't be fooled by the various skiers who make it look easy, you WILL look and behave like an out of control banshee and vow never to participate in this ludicrous activity people call leisure sport, again. 

But to appear so negative is unbecoming. There is definitely something magical about Mont Royal in Winter, and Montrealers certainly have intestinal fortitude when it comes to enduring cold harsh weather. The average Montrealer just says "Screw you Mr Polar Vortex, because I am gettin' out and livin' my life!!" and they do. Two classic scenarios I have witnessed with my own eyes, a guy jogging in shorts in -14 on Mont Royal and a couple cross-country skiing down Avenue Bernard during the Super snowstorm of Christmas 2012. Just don't get me started on the potholes.

Blistery conditions don't stop Montrealers

The Cross at the top of Mont Royal

There ain't a better way to navigate these mean Winter streets

Rock n Rollin Chipotle Mayo

Happy New Year Peeps! My first post of the year starts with a cracker condiment you are going to keep as a part of your kick-ass cooking repertoire and use time and time again. Chipotle mayo is the new crack cocaine. It's so versatile, you can use it as a spread on the bun of a pulled pork sandwich, sandwiched between ham and cheese toasties, as a condiment to fajitas or tortillas with chicken or beef, as a dipping sauce for fried chicken or popcorn prawns, (okay let's face it anything fried) use it to make a spicy Mexican slaw, and even serve alongside grilled corn or peppers.You are really only going to be limited by your imagination so be creative and spread the Chipotle love!

I bought a can of Chipotle in adobo sauce from Salt Meats Cheese in Rosebery, but you can buy it online too.

 

3 Chipotle in adobo from the can (about 3 tbsp)

150g whole egg mayonnaise

250g sour cream 

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp dried oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

Blitz the ingredients in a food processor until nice and creamy. Makes 1 1/2 cups which will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for at least one week.

Serve with whatever your heart desires. I  char-grilled some corn cobs before sprinkling them with paprika and kefalograviera cheese and serving with the mayo and lime wedges on the side. Ole!

Paleo Cacao Smoothie

Tastes like a chocolate milkshake only healthy! A tasty and healthy smoothie which is sugar free and paleo to boot! Bee Pollen is touted as a super food and is rich in protein, free amino acids, B-complex vitamins as well as folic acid. You can find it in any reputable health food store. Cacao is full of flavonoids which act as natural anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants help to protect the body from aging and disease caused by free radicals.

Serve 3 large smoothies

2 frozen bananas
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tsp organic raw cacao powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 x 400ml can lite coconut milk
1 x 4cm knob ginger sliced thinly
400ml water
1 tbsp bee pollen
Ice cubes (enough to give the smoothie a thick and icy texture)

If you don't want the Paleo option: add 1-2 tsp coconut sugar or honey for extra sweetness

Add the ginger, cacao, cinnamon and chia seeds with your coconut milk and blend until well combined and ginger has broken down. Add your frozen banana, cup of water and ice cubes plus your coconut sugar if using. Blend until the ice is crushed and you have a chocolatey looking smoothie on your hands!

Enjoy!

No Cook Choc-Coconut Balls

I am becoming obsessed with the raw food movement. It started with green smoothies and has progressed to raw treats. I do not know where it will end, but what I DO KNOW is that making these snacks just got a whole lot easier since I got my THERMOMIX. Wow. What a life changing little piece of kitchen gadgetry that is.

Making these raw treats in the thermomix is a snap, but a food processor does the job just as well.

Makes around 20 balls.

Ingredients
1 cup pitted medjool dates (soaked in water for 10 minutes to soften)
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
1/3 cup virgin coconut oil
1 tbsp chia seeds
25 grams organic coconut flakes
100 grams rolled oats
150 grams of nut butter (I use Mayver nut and seed spread)
100 grams raw almonds
1-2 tbsp coconut sugar or honey (but only add this if you like a sweeter treat)

1/2 cup shredded coconut to coat balls.

Process the raw almonds until they resemble crumbs. Add the oats, and continue to blend until the oats and almonds are both ground. Add the dates, cacao powder, nut butter, coconut oil, coconut flakes, chia seeds and coconut sugar. Continue to process until the mix comes together.

Place mix in a bowl, and shape into walnut size balls, and place on a tray. In a separate bowl add the shredded coconut, and then roll each Choc-Coconut ball into the coconut until well coated.

Place the tray in the freezer so the balls firm up. You can then pop them in the fridge (will keep for around 3-5 days) or do what I do and place in a snap-lock bag and keep in the freezer for on-hand snacks when the sugar cravings hit!

Another variation is to add a raspberry into the centre of each ball, so that when you bite into the into it you get a tart raspberry hit to offset the rich chocolatey goodness.

Raspberry and Coconut Chia Sago

For a number of months now I have espoused the benefits of coconut oil to anyone who will listen. I have used the liquid of the Gods to fry my eggs in, butter my toast, and even to oven-bake my muesli. I have, also, occasionally been known to eat it by the spoonful straight out of the jar. But lately I have stepped the health kick up a notch. I have become a mixologist of green breakfast smoothies and a mad scientist of sorts concocting kick-ass healthy raw snacks and desserts. Hell I have even tried activating the only nuts I could find in the cupboard - pistachios, and to cap it all off I ordered bee pollen online from Cheap Superfoods to add to my herbal tea.

Where to next you ask? By stealth and in the pale light of the moon, my mission involves converting members of my family onto the health food train without their knowledge. If they can eat something that tastes delicious and then have the added health benefit - then a little subterfuge between us is surely forgivable, no?

I hate to admit I did not take a photo of this dessert. My bad. But by virtue of the fact it was a winner with the family who actually thought it was real sago I will be making it again and I will update this post once I do, so you too can revel in the marvel that is my Raspberry and Coconut Chia Sago!

Ingredients - Serves 4
1 x 400ml can light coconut milk (if you only have coconut cream that's fine but just pour it into a bowl and whisk out any lumps before you use it)
1/3 cup of white or black Chia seeds (I used a blend)
2 tbs of honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups frozen or fresh raspberries (I used frozen)
1/2 cup of whole toasted pistachios
4 tbsp toasted coconut flakes

Place the coconut milk, honey and vanilla extract in a bowl and stir well. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or until the Chia seeds have absorbed the coconut milk and the mix resembles sago.

Toast the coconut flakes for 5-10 minutes either on stove-top or in the oven. I soaked my pistachios for a couple of hours to remove the skins, then I dry roasted them on an oven tray at 130 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. You don't have to do this - its perfectly fine to leave the skins on and just toast as they are for 10 minutes at 180 degrees.

Using either 4 serving glasses or 4 small dessert bowls divide the Chia sago mix into the bottom of each. Then dividing the other ingredients top each bowl with the raspberries, the pistachios and the coconut flakes. Using a teaspoon then drizzle a little honey over the top of each bowl before serving.

* You can use any nuts you like, and any fruit for that matter. Opt for whatever is seasonal and to your tastes!

Christmas Turkey + Trimmings

We are edging closer to Christmas again and the fat guy in the red suit is starting to check his naughty or nice list. It's also about the time that foodies start to scour the internet in search of recipe ideas for the family feast. I thought I would post this roast turkey recipe which I made for the first time last year, and hope to do so again this year. It is a loosely adapted recipe from Gordon Ramsay The Nations Favourite Food and Donna Hay and it was a cracker. I was actually in Montreal for Christmas and was able to order a free-range fresh turkey from Atlantique Deli a European style Deli on Cote-des-Neiges, and I really think if you can buy fresh over frozen too it is going to elevate your Christmas turkey to the next level of gobble-gobble goodness. Also it's Christmas so time to indulge. Don't be afraid of all the butter. Remember you are most likely only going to eat a small amount of turkey amongst other things - so relax and enjoy it!

 

Ingredients
For the herb butter
250g unsalted butter
3-4 sprigs thyme (leaves only)
sprig of rosemary (leaves chopped)
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and fresh ground Black Pepper
4kg medium-sized turkey

*Extra sprig of rosemary, 2 sprigs of parsley and 2 bay leaves

For the stuffing
125g butter
1 brown onion finely chopped
Sprig of thyme and rosemary (leaves only and chopped)
200g breadcrumbs (I like sourdough)
6 sage leaves
Zest of 1 lemon (keep the lemon to use inside the bird)
50g pine nuts
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper
3 tbsp parsley chopped

For the gravy
1 brown onion chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
125ml dry white wine
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
500ml chicken stock
2 tbsp cornflour
Pan juices for roasting
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
2. Make the herb butter by mixing the butter with the herbs and salt and pepper (to taste) to form a paste. Place in fridge to chill.
3. To prepare the turkey, prick the lemon you have zested for the stuffing a few times, and place inside the bird, tie up the extra sprig rosemary and parsley and bay leaves with butchers twine and place inside the bird (you can really use any of the other herbs too just bundle them all up, tie and place inside the bird).
4. Take the butter out of the fridge, and using your fingers to feel your way carefully lift up the breast skin from the flesh and divide the herb butter between the two breast flaps and pull the skin back over (I saved a little butter, and did the same thing with the legs)
5. Truss the turkey (use you tube if you have to) and then season all over the skin of the bird.
6. Place turkey on a rack in a roasting tin, and pour about an inch of water in the tin to help keep the bird moist (you will see from my pic above I have herbs in the bottom of mine - don't do this unless you want green gravy!) then cover loosely with foil.
7. Place the bird in the oven and cook for 3 hours. At the 1.5 hour mark, baste the bird with the pan juices every 15 minutes. 1/2 hour before the end of cooking time, take the foil off the bird so the skin can get brown and crispy, continue to baste every 15 minute mark. Rest for 30 minutes covered loosely in foil.

I like to serve the stuffing separate from the turkey. I also like a crispy crunchy stuffing which makes a nice contrast in texture when served with the gravy (not the dense mushy stuff you get when you put the breadcrumb mix into the turkey).

8. To make the stuffing, melt butter in a large frying pan and saute the onion for 5-10 minutes until soft.
9. Stir in the herbs and then add the breadcrumbs to absorb the butter.
10. Mix in the lemon zest, pine nuts and season to taste, cooking over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until the breadcrumbs start to brown and crisp. Take off the heat and stir in the parsley. You want to serve this warm - so either place some alfoil over the top and leave on stove top to retain heat or pop it into a cooling oven (unless you are still using your oven for other things).
11. To make the gravy (note you can prepare most of this while your turkey is cooking - finishing with the pan juices at the end). Saute the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes, pour in the wine and then add the thyme and bay lead and boil until reduced right down.
12. Add the chicken stock until reduced by half. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes then strain. Do not season at this point as you don't want to have an overly salted gravy.
13. In a clean pan add the turkey juices and boil for 2 minutes, add the reduced chicken stock. To thicken the gravy add the 2 tbsp cornflour (make sure you have loosened the cornflour in a little bit of cold water to make a paste first before you add it to the gravy).
14. Once the gravy is at the desired thickness, check for seasoning, adding salt or pepper if needed.
15. Carve your turkey and serve with the stuffing and gravy to the side and whatever other accompaniments make your Christmas feel like, well Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah!

Flour Bakery + Cafe Egg Sandwich

                  

I can't believe when I was in Boston at Flour Bakery + Cafe, I didn't buy Joanne Chang's "Flour, too" cookbook. If only I had of known it contained the recipe for her scrumptious breakfast egg sandwich, I wouldn't have had to trawl the internet like a porn addict in search of it.

Don't get me wrong, my desire to replicate this sandwich is by no means a substitute for the real thing, I would buy and eat this sandwich from Flour bakery all day every day given half the chance. There is just one small obstacle, being in Australia - there is 20+ hours of flying time between our unrequited love. So here it is:

Makes 4 servings (or sandwiches)

9 eggs

3/4 cup half and half (which is basically half milk and half cream)

3/4 tsp kosher salt

Pinch ground pepper

1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Secret sauce

4 tbsp Hellmans mayonnaise

4 tbsp dijon mustard

4 foccacia rolls

4 slices sharp cheddar cheese

8 slices smoked bacon or 4 slices black forest ham

2 cups mesclun greens or rocket

4 slices of ripe tomato or 4 roast Roma tomato halves

Crack your eggs into a bowl and whisk with the half-and-half, adding the salt, pepper and thyme. Once the egg mix is whisked, pour into a 20-22cm round cake tin, and place on a baking tray or dish that has high sides. Add a little water to the tray so that you create a water bath for the egg custard. Place in a pre-heated fan forced oven at 150 degrees for 30-35 minutes. You want the egg cooked enough so that it doesn't wobble around, and is set.

Once the egg souffle has cooled down cut it into 4 portions, and place the slices onto a baking tray. You then need to layer egg with your sandwich ingredients. First add the cheese, then the tomato. If you are time pressed, you can simply add sliced tomato on top of the egg. If you have extra time and lots of ripe Roma tomatoes, try halving your tomatoes and seasoning with salt and pepper, a little thyme and olive oil and roast in a low oven on 150-160 for 1 hour to extract some of the moisture and intensify the flavour of the tomato.

Then top your egg with either the bacon slices (that have been pre-cooked) or the black forest ham, and place the topped egg in the oven so that the cheese has time to melt.

Yes the bread is super important to the overall quality of the sandwich. And if you totally had the time (or even if you didn't) you would make your own. That's what Joanne Chang would do. At Flour bakery they use a focaccia dough to make their sandwich rolls. You can use whatever rolls you like, but the crust should be soft. 

To make the not-so-secret sauce, mix the mayonnaise and dijon mustard. If you can't find Hellman's any other whole egg mayonnaise (I like S&W) will do just fine. Halve your rolls, and spread both sides with mayonnaise, then place a small handful or mesclun or rocket on each base. Retrieve your  eggs from the oven, and top each roll with an egg, and top with the bread rolls. And there you have it, your very own piece of Flour bakery in every bite without having to leave the comfort of your lounge. Bon Appetite!

Hartsyard Enmore

I read a bumper stick recently which said Happiness = Expectation - Reality. The happiness equation. Like a kid on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa's arrival, I was so looking forward to dining at Hartsyard.

Neddys powerhouse muesli

This concept for this cereal began as a bit of a joke when my Dad had a bilateral knee replacement around 3 years ago. When he was in hospital I decided to create a "care package" which consisted, amongst other things - of my fabulous "powerhouse muesli". So powerful in fact as you can see from the before and after photos, it would have him running world record 10 metre splits in no time.

This is the kind of muesli that sticks to ya ribs and puts hairs on your chest (*individual results may differ and are not guaranteed).

Ingredients
6 cups of Macro brand organic wholegrain oats
1/2 or 3/4 cup shredded or flaked coconut (the greater amount if you like coconut)
1/2 cup each of: sunflower seeds, pepitas, pumpkin seeds, raw almonds, raw cashews and raw pecans all roughly chopped
1/2 cup of dried cranberries or currants
2 tbsp sesame seeds
4 tbsp chia seeds ( I use Naturefirst brand breakfast booster black and white chia seeds)
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup rice malt syrup or pure maple syrup

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees, and cover 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Heat the coconut oil and rice malt syrup in the microwave for 20 seconds.
3. Place the oats, nuts and seeds into a bowl and add the cinnamon (leave out the chia and sesame seeds, cranberries and coconut), pour the coconut oil blend over and mix thoroughly.
4. Spread the mixture evenly over 2 baking trays, and then place one tray on the top and bottom rack of oven.

Depending on how golden and how crunchy you want your muesli, the process takes around 40 minutes. You will also need to change the top and bottom tray around as the top tray will cook quicker, so do this every 5-8 minutes. Also when you do this give the muesli a stir moving those grains around the edge of the baking tray to the middle, and those in the middle to the edge to encourage them the oats to brown consistently.

At around the 20 minute mark, add the coconut and the sesame seeds. If you add them at the very beginning you risk them burning.

Once the muesli is done to your liking which might take longer than 40 minutes (I like mine lightly toasted and not break-your-teeth brown) place the mix from the trays in a bowl and add the dried cranberries and chia seeds. Let the muesli cool down before you place it in an air tight container. This recipe makes around a 1.5kg batch of muesli so is a solid few weeks worth of breakfast cereal.

Serve with either milk or yoghurt, and some fresh berries or strawberries.