Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions with Individual Pommes Anna

As I organize and make list after list for my upcoming drive to Victoria, BC (read 'seafood') I am still reminded by tummy growls that I must make food. I am a recovered hoarder and now check my freezer first before planning meals. I have a beautiful naturally raised pork tenderloin from Carmen Corner Meats in Waldheim, SK. And I still have market potatoes and carrots.

Rather than grill up the entire tenderloin as I usually do I decided to cut it into medallions and then pan grill. After making this recipe I have decided that it is a good one to make for a crowd. It is relatively inexpensive yet looks elegant. It can be prepped in advance and cooked all at once in a large pan. If I was catering this would be on my menu for sure.

Pommes Anna, obviously a French version of a potato dish, has been cropping up a lot lately. Ditto this for a crowd. I made mine in a muffin tin for an individual size serving but it could also be made in a pan and cut into squares for serving.

I like easy peasey recipes and have also been wanting to play with my piment d'esplette that I purchased back in the spring. Time flies, doesn't it. I have already kept it long enough. Ground spices and herbs have a shelf life of up to 2 years. Some say 12 months.

Piment d'esplette is the champagne of hot chiles in more way than one. It is a chili pepper that is cultivated in the Basque region of France in the Atlantic Pyrenees. These peppers were introduced from Mexico in the 16th century. Initially they were used medicinally but later became a staple in flavouring their food. Now it has AOC status. This is appellation d'origine de contrȏlée which translates to 'controlled designation of origin'. So you see, it is like champagne. Unless it comes from the Esplette region it cannot have this name.

What is so special about this chile, you say? It is only 4000 on the Scoville scale of heat so it isn't that hot but it is packed with flavour. It has a slightly smokey flavour. It has replaced black pepper in many Basque recipes.

Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions

1 small pork tenderloin
8 - 10 slices bacon
sea salt
piment d'esplette

Remove tenderloin from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you will be cooking. Season generously with piment d'esplette and sea salt. Cut into medallions the thickness of the bacon slice.

Preheat your oven to 350 F.

Slowly sauté slices of bacon in a heavy grill pan or cast iron pan until browned but not crispy. If they are too crispy they won't wrap around the medallions. Wrap medallions with the bacon pieces and secure with a toothpick. Season both top and bottom of the medallion with more piment d'esplette and sea salt. It is a thick piece of meat and the seasoning has to compensate for that so be liberal.

Over medium heat in the same pan used for the bacon place the medallions flat side down and sauté until bottom is golden, about 3 or 4 minutes. Turn over and brown the other side. Place the pan in the oven and continue to cook until the meat is no longer pink in the centre. An internal temperature of 145 F is ideal. Remove from the oven and tent with foil until ready to serve.

Mini Pommes Anna

small potatoes
butter
garlic
fresh thyme
sea salt

Peel potatoes and slice with a mandoline so they are almost transparent thin. I don't have a mandolin so I used my box grater. You know, that side you never use? It worked perfectly to make very thin slices.

Melt butter and brush each muffin tin with the butter. Place a round piece of parchment paper on the bottom of each muffin. Place a small sprig of thyme and then drizzle about half a teaspoon of butter in each cup.

Add minced garlic and more chopped thyme to the butter. 

If you are not immediately using the sliced potatoes put them in a bowl of cold water. If left in the air they may discolour. Before using, drain the water and dry the potatoes in a clean tea towel. Place in a bowl and drizzle with the seasoned butter and mix well.

Arrange the potato sliced in each muffin cup. Press down and fill as high as possible. It will wilt down during cooking. Cover tightly with tin foil and bake in 350 F oven for about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until tender and nicely browned on the edges.

Perfect Old Fashioned Pancakes

Every once in a while I crave a simple pancake. Mostly I make the ultra nutritious type with a variety of whole grains and oatmeal and dried fruits. They are the best. But nothing beats an old fashioned pancake for brunch with a crowd gathered to watch something like the Calgary Stampede Parade. After a lifetime in the city I have become fond of the Stampede and the traditional pancake breakfasts. I have yet to gather my friends here in my new home for a pancake breakfast to watch the Parade.

These are much better than the chain pancake restaurant pancakes. They are not so salty or sweet. To get the crispy edges generously butter the pan before adding the batter. And bonus, you can stay in your pj's on this Fall Back Sunday. However, where I live we never change our clocks. This is my first year to confuse that. With all the advertising around turning the clock back I forgot that we don't do that. So sad. I didn't get my extra hour today.

This recipe makes more than I alone can eat for breakfast (or supper if I am so inclined). In the past I have always followed every other bloggers suggestion to cook them up and freeze them. Popping them in a toaster does not bring them back to life. They are stale and tough. This time I simply kept the extra batter in the refrigerator. It held up very well. Use within a couple of days for fresh light and fluffy pancakes just like the first day they were mixed.

These take five minutes to whip up and all the ingredients are usually in your kitchen. I have taken to making them for impromptu overnight guests. Serve with bacon or sausages, maple syrup, whipped cream and fresh fruit for a satisfying start to the day. I gently sauteed apples with chopped walnuts to serve with mine today.

Old Fashioned Pancakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Whisk to mix all ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Veal Osso Buco with Burnt Orange and Campari

From time to time I am reminded that people do read my blog. I do have followers. And to them I send my sincere apologies for being so inconsistent in posting. I struggle with time management. The farmers' market is over for the season but I continue to do lots of cooking even if it doesn't appear here.  I am always recipe testing for the Western Producer articles but my day to day cooking at the moment tends to be sporadic and uninspired.

Today I find my inspiration in one of my earlier cooking classes from November, 1996 at The Cookbook Company in Calgary. I remember the date because I bought the cookbook and inscribed the details inside the front cover. A man who became one of my favourite chefs prepared the meal that evening in a 'kitchen come cavern' in the basement of the popular cooking shop. I loved that space and wonder how it is used today. Classes are now in a larger main floor kitchen with natural light streaming highlighting crystals in the granite counters. It is bright, spacious and more of a kitchen than a dining room.

John Bishop, chef and owner of the perennially popular Bishop's Restaurant in Vancouver, was the presenter. This, taken from his restaurant website, sums up his persona perfectly ...

"Thoughtful, sincere and unassuming yet an unswerving perfectionist. John is a consummate host who in 22 years of business, has placed his brand of understated West Coast cuisine firmly on the map."
Tim Pawsey, Northwest Palate Magazine

Still after all these years he stands tall among chefs and he mentors new and experienced chefs alike.  

I have not made this recipe in a long, long time. A bottle of Campari in my cold room, beautiful veal shanks in my freezer and oranges in my refrigerator tell me it is about time I fill my kitchen with these warm aromas on this shivery cold autumn day.

Campari is generally associated with a thirst quenching summer cocktail. Its bittersweet herbal flavour is an acquired taste. A traditional pairing is orange juice so it does not surprise me at all to find oranges in this recipe. Carmelizing the orange slices layers on more complex flavours.

Serve over risotto with pan juices.

Veal shank is a less tender cut and requires long, moist cooking. If you have the time, do it this way. If time is not available a pressure cooker prepares perfectly good results. This can be served with a pasta such as fettuccine or a lentil ragout but the traditional Risotto alla Milanese is still my favourite.

Veal demi-glace is impossible to come by in a small town and making it is just about as impossible due to the scarcity of veal bones. Veal in any form is not readily available. The demi-glace is essentially a veal stock made in a traditional way and reduced to produce a more concentrated stock. I simply substitute more chicken stock.






And do not let the bone marrow find its way to the garbage. Dig it out with a little fork or knife and slather it on crusty bread for an additional treat.

Veal Osso Buco with Burnt Orange and Campari
adapted from Bishop's the cookbook

4 lbs. veal shanks, cut 1 1/2 inches thick
1 orange
1 c. red onions, finely diced
1 c. carrots, finely diced
1 c. celery, finely diced
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
3 1/2 oz. Campari
2 c. veal demi-glace
1 c. chicken stock

Preheat oven to 350 F. Use a sharp knife to score the outside of the veal shanks, to help stop the meat from curling up while cooking.

Place the shanks in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Remove the shanks from the water and arrange in a roasting pan.

Slice the orange and sear in a hot frying pan, until golden in colour. Cover the blanched shanks with the orange slices, diced vegetables, garlic and rosemary. Pour the Campari over top.

In a saucepan, combine the demi-glace and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Pour over the shanks.
Cover the roasting pan with foil and place in the oven for 80 minutes.

To serve, place the veal shanks and sauce in large soup plates or bowls. This can also be served plated with risotto.

Tuscan Rabbit Ragu with Pasta

 

I lived in Calgary for a lifetime and one of my favourite neighbourhoods was Bridgeland, little Italy. At any time you could drive in and find wild rabbits hopping in the back lanes. Folklore has it that some escaped from the warrens kept by the Italian immigrants and continue to raise their young in this friendly area.

Little Italy has the most amazing gardens brimming with tomatoes, herbs, zucchini and any variety of vegetables. The grocers bring in grapes and much wine is made in these modest homes.

This easy as pizza pie lasagna uses fresh pasta sheets layered with rabbit ragu before being crowned with your favourite grated hard cheese and fresh Parmesan. I pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes to get that nice carmelization.

Tuscan Rabbit Ragu with Pasta

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 (3-lb) rabbit
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse gray sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Heat oil heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot and add onion, carrots and celery. Saute until translucent. Add to preheated slow cooker.

 Add sage and rosemary and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add rabbit and cook, stirring occasionally, until rabbit is no longer pink on outside, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, sea salt, and pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.

Cooks' notes: ·Ragù can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. ·

Ragù can be made with 1 1/2 pounds boneless veal shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces, in a 6-quart wide heavy pot. Add veal to pot in place of rabbit and, after cooking until no longer pink on outside, add 4 cups water and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup and veal is very tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Proceed with recipe.

Baked French Toast

This French Toast can be put together the night before and refrigerated to bake in the morning. It is a great recipe any time you have guests or a busy time like Christmas or a wedding. I made it in this casserole dish but if made in a baking pan there would be more crispy bits for everyone. 

Baked French Toast

I used pannetone, an Italian Christmas bread, in this recipe. It is slightly sweet and made a wonderful baked breakfast. However any slightly sweet and stale bread will work just as well. A shallow baking dish allows lots of crispy topping bits for everyone.

Butter, for greasing the pan

8 eggs

5 c. whole milk

1/2 c. sugar

2 tbsp. vanilla extract

Day old bread such as French bread, cinnamon buns, brioche

1/2 c. walnuts or pecans

1/4 c. maple syrup

Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks or cut into cubes and evenly distribute in the pan. Use enough bread to completely fill the pan. Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla. If you are using an unsweetened bread you may want to increase the sugar.

Cover pan tightly and store in refrigerator, overnight preferably.

Before baking top with coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup. Preheat oven to 350 F and bake, uncovered, for 45 – 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Chanterelle and Chevre Quiche

Quiche were at their height of popularity in the 1980's. Every lunch menu featured at least one choice of quiche. Then crustless quiche made their debut. This was possibly the beginning of the gluten-free craze. But you cannot deny that a quiche makes a satisfying lunch or brunch. These individual pastries can be served nicely on a plate with with a green salad or fresh fruit.

Fresh chanterelles are the star of this dish. Dried mushrooms would work equally well. Pea shoots make a lovely garnish.

Chanterelle and Chevre Quiche

1 2/3 c. all purpose flour

3 tbsp. finely grated Parmesan

1/4 c. warm water

pinch of salt
1 egg

5 tbsp. olive oil

3 oz. fresh chanterelles, coarsely chopped

3 small green onions, chopped

2 large eggs

2/3 c. heavy cream

6 tbsp. crumbled chevre

2 tbsp. finely grated Parmesan

1 tsp. sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Put the flour, salt and Parmesan into a bowl. In another bowl whisk egg, olive oil and warm water. Add liquid to dry ingredients and mix well until a dough forms. Knead lightly on a floured surface and form into a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Divide pastry into six portions and roll out each to a thin circle and line six 4-inch individual flan tins. Prick the bases with a fork then line with foil and bake for 10 minutes, until beginning to colour around the edges. Remove the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes.

While the pastry is cooking, prepare filling. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté chanterelles.

Remove pastry shells from the oven. Place equal amounts of chopped green onion, sautéed chanterelles and chevre in each. Beat eggs and cream together and pour over mushrooms, then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes until the filling is set. Serve warm.