Rice Pilaf

Rice Pilaf

                Ingredients                  Yield: 4-6 servings

• 30ml (2Tbsp)      Canola Oil
• 50g (1 small)      Onion, fine dice
• 25g (1/2 stalk)   Celery, fine dice
• 25g (1/2 carrot) Carrot, fine dice
• 1 clove               Garlic, fine dice
• 250g (1 1/4c)     Long Grain Rice
• 500ml (2c)         Stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
• 2                       Bay Leaf

                Instructions

1. Add oil to a pan on medium heat and saute onions, celery, and carrots. (Oven should be preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit)
2. Wash rice under cold water until the water runs clear. (Best to use a strainer of sieve for this).
3. Add garlic the the pan and sweat for a couple of more minutes.
4. Add in washed rice and coat in the fat. Should turn from a translucent colour to more of an opaque/white colour.
5. Pour in stock in stock and add bay leaves.
6. Turn up to high heat and bring to a boil. Also add a couple of pinches of salt since it is easier to season rice while it is cooking than after it has cooked.
7. Once at a boil, cover with a lid and throw in the preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20-30 minutes.
8. Once cooked, remove from the oven, fluff with a fork, remove bay leaves and serve!

Check out the video!!

https://youtu.be/EBxaMOL01t4

Thick Chocolate Lava Cake

Thick Chocolate Lava Cake

                Ingredients                     Yield: 4 cakes

• 120g (3/4c +1tbsp) Chocolate (dark,                                                 milk or semi-sweet)
• 65g (1/2c)              Icing Sugar
• 60g (1/4c)              Butter
• 4                            Egg Yolks
• 36g (1/4c)              All-purpose Flour

                Instructions

1. Melt chocolate and butter in a microwave for two 30 second intervals. Stir until smooth.
2. Add in icing sugar and egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
3. Add flour and mix until just combined. (Best to use a spoon at this point.)
4. Grease and dust muffin tins with cocoa powder to ensure that the cakes come out easily.
5. Split the batter amongst four holes in the tin. (At this stage you can wrap the tin with plastic wrap and refrigerate the batter for up to 2 days. Just remove two hours prior to baking so it comes up to room temperature).
6. Bake in a preheated 425 degree Fahrenheit oven for anywhere between 10-15 minutes. 
7. Once cooked remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for a couple of minutes.
8. When a couple of minutes are over, place a cookie sheet on top of the muffin tin and flip over the pans so the muffin tin is on top.
9. Serve right away, or cool down for a fudgey brownie.

Check out the video!!

https://youtu.be/5e6kdArmSr0

Basil Compressed Strawberries

Basil Compressed Strawberries

                Ingredients             Yield: 1 box(pint) strawberries

• 125ml (1/2c)    Water
• 110g (1/2c)      Granulated Sugar
• 14g (1/2bunch) Basil, ripped apart
• 1 box (1pint)     Fresh Strawberries

                Instructions

1. Combine water and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil on the stove.
2. Once it comes to a boil, remove from heat, add in basil and cool down.
3. Hull and cut strawberries to desired shape and size.
4. Place strawberries in a vacuum seal bag and add enough of the cooled syrup so that each strawberries will be coated when sealed.
5. Seal the bag using a vacuum sealer, stopping it when all the air is removed. (Don't have a vacuum sealer? Just marinate the berries instead!)
6. Depending on size and shape of strawberries it can be instantaneously or take up to 24 hours. One can also cut the bag and keep resealing to speed up the process if in a rush.
7. Use to garnish plates.

Check out the video!

https://youtu.be/LZ2omf5GzuE

Caramel Cages

Caramel Cages

                Ingredients              Yield: 4 cages (depending on size)

• 30ml (2Tbsp)  Water
• 110g (1/2c)    Granulated Sugar

                 Instructions

1. Combine water and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil.
2. Cook until sugar has reached a golden brown color.
3. Remove sugar from heat and let cool down slightly. (To test if it is ready, use a spoon and see if the sugar drizzles off in a steady stream. If it just drops irregularly its not ready yet).
4. Now that the sugar has cooled, drizzle it over your desired mold in a criss-cross pattern. (Metal molds are better than glass).
5. Let the sugar cool down and it should be easy to remove.
6. Use within a day as the sugar will absorb moisture and lose its crunchy snap.

Check out the video!!

https://youtu.be/zGRshPn3eWI

Hazelnut Coffee Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Apple Raisin Sauce

Hazelnut Coffee Crusted Pork Tenderloin with

Apple Raisin Sauce

                 Ingredients            Yield: 2-4 servings

• 1                      Pork Tenderloin
• as needed         Hazelnut Coffee Rub
• 125ml (1/2c)    Apple Juice
• 30g (2Tbsp)      Raisins (Sultanas)
• 30g (1/2 small) Onion, fine dice
• 250ml (1c)        White Wine, dry (unoaked Chardonnay                                                                                             is a great choice)

                Instructions

1. Remove silver skin from the tenderloin by running knife underneath the tendon.
2. Coat liberally with hazelnut coffee rub.
3. In a large frying pan on medium high - high heat, add a bit of oil for searing.
4. Sear tenderloin in the hot pan on all sides.
5. Place the pan in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven and roast for 20-30 minutes. (If you have a rack the will fit in the pan, place the meat on the rack in the pan for a more even cooking)
6. Once pork is cooked, remove from oven and allow meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
7. In a small pot with butter or oil, caramelize onions on medium high heat.
8. Once caramelized, deglaze with white wine.
9. Add raisins, and bring to a boil.
10. Reduce heat to a simmer and reduce sauce by half.
11. Once reduced in volume, add apple juice and bring to a boil.
12. Reduce heat to a simmer and reduce sauce by at least a third to half in volume.
13. Season to taste and serve!

Check out the video!!

https://youtu.be/VEsACa3FxnA

Hazelnut Coffee Rub:

http://foodasalt.blogspot.ca/2015/05/hazelnut-coffee-rub.html

Hazelnut Coffee Rub

Hazelnut Coffee Rub

                Ingredients             Yield: 250ml (1c)

• 90g (3/4c)            Hazelnuts 
• 20g (1/4c)            Coffee Beans (fine grind)
• 20g (1Tbsp +1tsp) Salt
• 10g (2tsp)             Granulated Sugar

                 Instructions

1. To remove skins on hazelnuts, toast them in an oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes. Place nuts onto a dish towel, and rub the hazelnuts in between the towel to remove the skins.
2. Grind coffee beans to a fairly fine powder.
3. Combine all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the nuts are about the size of a grain of sand.
4. Store in an airtight container until needed.

Check out the video!!

https://youtu.be/6-gJMxxuFyY

Celery Root Puree

Celery Root Puree

                Ingredients               Yield: 375-500ml (1 1/2c-2c)

• 200g           Celery Root, cubed
• 250ml (1c)  Heavy Cream
• 250ml (1c) Stock (chicken, beef, etc.)

                Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. (Optional; brown the celery root for more flavour but it will change the colour of the puree). (Also, for a more white puree use milk instead of stock).
2. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender.
3. Take off heat and add vegetables to blender base first. Then add some of the liquid but not all. (The more liquid added the thinner the puree, the less liquid added the thicker the puree).
4. Season to taste, pass through a strainer if there are any large lumps.

Check out the video!!

https://youtu.be/fOdhcHuhCRo