Grill Interrupted

This recipe did take a little bit of work – but resulted in one of the tastiest dishes I’ve ever put on a plate. The complex layers of flavours really work so perfectly together. The rich tomato sauce and light rouille were so packed full of flavour and was absolutely delicious.

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Chicken Bouillabaisse

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Preparation:

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel and season with salt, pepper and rosemary.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large roaster, Dutch oven or similar. Brown the chicken in batches, 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, saffron, fennel seeds, tomato puree, chicken stock, white whine, Jagermeister, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to the pot. Stir, being sure to scrape and browned bits on the bottom, and then simmer, about 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Add the potatoes and browned chicken pieces to the pot. Stir carefully. Cover the pot and bake until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is done, about 55 minutes. Serve hot in in bowls with a dollop of rouille and slices of crusty bread.

Rouille:

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation:

1. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, whip until smooth the salt, garlic, egg yolk, lemon juice, saffron and red pepper flakes.
2. With the mixer running on high, slowly pour in the olive oil to make a mayonnaise emulsion. Transfer the rouille to a bowl and in the fridge until ready to serve.

Filed under: Recipe on July 4th, 2011 | Comments Off on Chicken Bouillabaisse

As a Canadian with a wife from Wisconsin, there is certainly never a shortage of cheese or beer in our house. This delicious soup incorporates both into a dish like nothing you’ve probably ever tasted before. This vegetable broth based soup is hearty, filling and delicious. With a bit of bite from the horseradish, and great depth of flavour thanks to the sauteed onion, garlic and roasted red pepper, this sharp cheddar and dark beer soup is a perfect dish to start off any meal.

Serve it with a hearty bread so your guests can clean the inside of their bowls – they’ll be talking about it long after your meal is done.

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Horseradish Cheddar Beer Soup

Adapted from Jenny Levison

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups vegetable stock
1 x 15 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained & finely chopped
24 ounces dark beer (e.g. Guinness, Leffe Brune etc.)
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped parsley, for garnish

Preparation:

1. In a heavy stockpot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add onions and saute until onions are soft, about 5 minutes, then add garlic.
2. Cook for 3 minutes more, then stir in flour, and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring often.
3. Add stock slowly and stir to make sure all flour is dissolved. Add roasted peppers and beer and bring soup to a boil. Lower heat and simmer soup for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Take off heat, slowly stir in grated cheese and horseradish, then puree with a handheld immersion blender.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Filed under: Recipe on June 11th, 2011 | Comments Off on Horseradish Cheddar Beer Soup

Born, raised and living in Toronto, I take a lot of pride in my Canadian roots. From a culinary perspective I take great care to ensure I take the time to appreciate the incredible bounty of this great nation. From our agricultural resources, to the cuisine of various regions, and our marvelous chefs – we have been truly blessed.

When I heard the fine folks at Canadian Beef were having a contest dubbed ‘Who Rules the Grill?’ (twitter: #whorulesthegrill), I knew I would definitely be pulling something special out of my hat for this one. I reached into my pantry and fridge and constructed a truly Canadian Beef Brisket. Montreal steak spice, beer, maple syrup, mellow ground coffee, all help to lend this brisket its Canadian charm.

The resulting dish has a beautiful crust, almost like a pastrami or smoked meat, with good bite. The meat is melt in your mouth tender having steamed on the grill in both beer and maple syrup. The flavours blend together into a truly unique Canadian Beef dish.

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Grilled Canadian Beef Brisket

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 Canadian Beef Brisket single point (approx 1 kg)
1/4 cup pure Canadian maple syrup
1 bottle Canadian beer
2 tablespoons olive oil

Dry rub:

2 tablespoons, fine ground Canadian coffee
2 tablespoons Montreal steak spice
3/4 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup quality barbecue sauce, for serving

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl mix the dry rub ingredients together.
2. Preheat grill on Low heat and prepare for indirect cooking. I like to light the outside burners on low and place a foil pan of water under the grates to separate the heat source from the beef and catch any drippings.
3. Trim any excess fat from the brisket, rub with olive oil, and then rub liberally with dry rub.
4. Place the brisket away from the heat source and cook until the rub is just caramelized, about 90 minutes, flipping every 30 minutes.



5. Pour the beer into a large foil pan, and add the brisket. Glaze with maple syrup, and cover tightly with foil. Still using indirect heat, roast on the grill for one hour. Grill temperature should be 300-325 F.



6. Remove the brisket from the grill and prepare the grill for direct cooking on high heat. Put the brisket directly on the grill to sear, about 2 minutes per side.
7. Remove brisket from grill, slice and serve alongside barbecue sauce. Enjoy!

Filed under: Recipe on May 30th, 2011 | 5 Comments »