BEEF WELLINGTON WITH CHESTNUT AND AGED CHEDDAR PATE

Some will argue that this recipe is not a proper Wellington since it lacks a mushroom duxelles, however, original recipes actually use pate rather than duxelles and so since the chestnuts are made into a pate, I stand by the name. :P

Chestnut and Aged Cheddar Pate 
200 g of Roasted Chestnuts
200 g of Aged Cheddar; grated
Fresh Thyme
1 Clove of Garlic
1/4  Yellow Onion
1 Strip of Bacon

Put the chestnuts in a blender and grind. Cut up the bacon into small pieces and toss into a hot frying pan, turn down to medium and fry until crispy. Toss in the onions and garlic and caramelize. Add ground chestnuts and fry until everything is nice and dry.

Add a bit of fresh thyme, and the cheddar and mix.

Set aside to cool.
Beef Wellington
2 small strips of beef tenderloin. Also possible tenderloin medallion steak.
Puff pastry
100 g of Prosciutto (or 200g Lachsschinken)
Chestnut Pate
Mustard Mix: dijon, horseraddish, mesquite bbq sauca, honey
Egg Yolk
Salt and Pepper

Follow instructions x 2 (once for each tenderloin piece) 

Clean a piece small piece of beef tenderloin of skin and large fat. sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss into hot skillet with hot olive oil and sear on all sides. Remove from pan and let rest. Immediately
after removing from heat, paint on a mustard mixture and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Lay out some prosciutto on some saran wrap. Make sure they overlap slightly and that there is enough to fully cover the tenderloin. Put a layer of the chestnut pate on top of the prosciutto and then place the tenderloin on top. Using the Saran wrap, roll the prosciutto and chestnuts around the tendloin, making sure the ends are also closed, then roll the saran wrap tightly to give it a round shape and make it tight.

Put into fridge for 15 minutes or more to set.

Take out bundle. Roll in single layer of puff pastry, using saran wrap again to roll into right shape.

Put into fridge for 5 minutes again. You can also leave it in the fridge overnight to use the next day as well.

Preheat oven to 400. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes then at 350 for 10 for rare, 15 medium, 20 well done. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.

This recipe is a modified version of the recipe presented in this Gordon Ramsey Video. I recommend watching the video to see Chef Ramsey’s amazing technique in how he does things. I tried to make a video to show a well but experienced some technical difficulties. I will however be trying again at some point so stay tuned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uXIPhxL5XA

Spiced Minced Yak Phyllo Cigars

One of the things I love about Ottawa is our weekly Farmer's Markets. The big one at Brewer's Park on Sundays has an amazing selection of meats to try. One such meat I picked up is Yak. A rich taste similar to beef, with less fat. It needs very little cooking, and doesn't taste gamey. 

I used some leftover spice mix from yesterday's dinner.

1 Tbsp Tomato-pepper powder

1 Tbsp Curry powder 

1 Tbsp Chile powder 

1 Tbsp Paprika 

1 Tbsp Ginger 

3 Tbsp Cinnamon 

1 Tbsp Cumin 

1 tsp Salt 

1 tsp Tumeric 

1 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 lb of ground Yak 

1 large carrot, grated 

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 onion, chopped or pureed 

1 tbsp of sugar 

salt to taste 

8 Sheets of Phylo 

1 Tbsp of Coconut oil 

1. Brown the yak. 

2. Add the carrot, onion, garlic, sugar, and the spice mix and salt to taste. 

3. Melt the coconut oil. Put down one sheet of phyllo. Paint on some coconut oil and place second sheet gently on top. Repeat until you have four layers sheets glued together. 

4. Spoon Yak onto the sheets and roll into cigars. I was able to make three large cigars from one prepared bundle of phyllo. Make another sheet to use rest of the meat. 

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until crisp and golden brown. 

6. Serve with tomato sauce either poured on or for dipping. 

Tomato sauce:

1 cup ground tomato

1 cup of beef broth 

salt, pepper, sugar, onion, and cayenne pepper. 

Lamb Squash and coconut curry

Ever since our visit to Ceylonta restaurant I've wanted to try my hand at reproducing the delicious creamy squash and coconut curry we tried. This recipe was delicious and had several similar flavors but had more of an smoky roasted flavor than the one we had previously tried.

I had purchased some delicious locally farmed lamb chops from a friend farmer, and decided that this would be the perfect recipe to try them out on. Many people will swear at me for removing the meat from the bone, but I think the addition from the lamb stock was so worth it. 

To make vegan, remove lamb and replace stock with veggie stock or if you are feeling adventurous, coconut water. 

1 small butternut squash - chopped into 1/2 peeled pieces

1 Tbsp of Coconut Oil

1 tsp of salt 

Roast the squash, with salt and coconut oil at 425* for 35 min. 

4 small lamb chops 

1 Tbsp Tomato-pepper powder

1 Tbsp Curry powder 

1 Tbsp Chile powder 

1 Tbsp Paprika 

1 Tbsp Ginger 

3 Tbsp Cinnamon 

1 Tbsp Cumin 

1 tsp Salt 

1 tsp Tumeric 

1 tsp Cayenne pepper 

Small pot of water

2 inches of leek greens 

1/2 carrot 

1 bay leaf 

10 peppercorns

1/2 an onion, chopped or pureed 

1 tsp Coconut Oil 

leftover spice mix 

salt to taste 

1 can of coconut milk 

1/2 tsp curry paste 

1. Cut the meat out of the bone and fat. 

2. Cut the meat into small cubes, and seasons with the spice mix. Allow to sit in spice rub for about 30 minutes.

3. In the small pot of water, add leaks, carrot, bay leaf, and peppercorns and lamb bones. Allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes. If you want a more intense flavour use a pressure cooker. 

4. Using coconut oil grease and heat a skillet. Add onion and spiced meat and brown. 

5. Add the squash, stock, coconut milk, remaining spice mixture and curry paste. Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes or until the sauce becomes creamy. 

6. Serve over Jasmine rice. 

Spiced Pumpkin Scones

The other day I had the most amazing squash curry at a Sri Lankan restaurant. Since yesterday I have had a craving for coconut and spiced gourd. I also wanted dessert. I decided to make scones!


4 cups all-purpose flour 
14 Tablespoons sugar 
2 Tablespoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
2 tablespoon ground cinnamon 
2 teaspoon ground cloves 
1 tablespoon ground ginger 
12 Tablespoons coconut oil 
1 cup canned pumpkin 
6 Tablespoons coconut milk 
2 large egg

1 cup shredded coconut

Sugar Glaze Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons powdered sugar  
2 Tablespoons coconut milk

Spiced Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar 
3 Tablespoons powdered sugar 
2 Tablespoons Coconut Milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
½ teaspoon ginger 
½ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon tomato-pepper powder (with cayenne)

Scones Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl.

4. With a fork, pastry knife, or food processor, cut coconut oil into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter remain.

5. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

6. Spoon out scone portions.

7. Bake for 20 minutes until scones turn light brown. Knife test to ensure they are cooked all the way through.

8. Place on wire rack to cool.

9. Glaze

The best gooey cookies Evah!!!

•        1 cup coconut oil or butter/margarine

•        1/2 cup molasses

•        1 cup Peanut Butter

•        1 cup sugar

•        1 tsp. salt

•        2 tsp. vanilla

•        2 eggs

•        2 1/2 cups flour

•        1/2 tsp. baking soda

•        2 cups chocolate chips

1.       Preheat oven to 350°.

2.       In a mixing bowl, combine the butter with sugar and molasses; cream together until light and fluffy.

3.       Add peanut butter and mix well.

4.       Add the salt, vanilla, and eggs and beat until well mixed.  

5.       Add flour and baking soda; mix until just combined.

6.       Stir in the chocolate chips.

7.       Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets

8.       Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 10 – 12 minutes.

9.       Transfer onto plate or wire rack and let cool, or eat them hot (careful melted chocolate can burn)

If you want plain chocolate chip cookies, just leave out the peanut butter. This recipe works great without it as well. To make ginger molasses cookies, leave out peanut butter but add 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger and 2 tbsps powdered ginger! 

Asian Fusion Pierogi

Beef and Cabbage pierogi are pretty standard among Polish cuisine. I have never been a huge fan however.
Then a few years ago I found a great Korean BBQ restaurant, where the combination of meat and cabbage was shown to me in a different light. I fell in love and I wanted to see if I could bring the fusion to Polish cooking. I decided to take the flavours of the Gyoza and put them inside a pierogi.

1 lb ground beef
1 cup of grated cabbage
1 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of fish sauce
1/2 cup of rice vinegar
2 tbsp of chopped green onion
1/2 tsp chile flakes
1 tbsp of grated ginger
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
1 tbsp honey

Pierogi dough

Brown the ground beef, pour off fat, and bled dry to make the meat very fine.
Add all of the seasoning ingredients.
Let the liquid simmer out

Roll out the pierogi dough very fine.
Add 2 tsp of filling and seal tight. Make sure there are no holes in the dough and that the edges are sealed tight. add to boiling salted water and boil till they float on the top.

Fry or bake the cokked pierogi to get a nice crisp, or serve boiled.

Butter Chicken

The other night, my partner and I decided to use up the jar of what we believed to be butter chicken sauce in our pantry. Wanted to give it that extra kick, I decided to look up some recipes for something I could marinate the chicken in during the baking process to give it that little extra kick. I got some great advice on making some garam and tandoori masala and baking the chicken in a paste of that. Once I was done, I went to the pantry to grab the sauce, and wouldn't you know it, it wasn't Butter Chicken. On one of our grocery trips we had accidentally picked up a bottle of Mango Curry sauce instead. While I am sure it is wonderful, I had prepared everything with the idea of making butter chicken. I jumped online and scrolled through a bunch of recipes, until I put together something that I could enjoy. Here is the recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Spice Mix
2 tbsp Garam Masala (spice mix containing cloves, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, ginger)
1 small can of tomato paste (1 tbsp for spice mix, rest of can for sauce)
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tsp cayenne Pepper
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp Molasses
Salt

2 chicken breast

1 cup of whipping cream
1 cup of plain yoghurt or sour cream
2 tbsp butter
1/2 onion puréed
1 tsp lemon juice

Mix together the spice mix ingredients, using only 1 tbsp of the tomato paste and conserving the rest for the sauce. You should have a moist spice mixture/rub. Use some of the spice mix to rub onto the chicken breasts.

Bake chicken breast at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, 10 minutes on each side. Make sure chicken is fully cooked, then cut into cubes about 1/2 square inch.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and then add the onion. Fry for a few minutes until cooked. Add remaining ingredients and the spice mix, including remaining tomato paste. Let simmer and add more of less of the same spices from the spice mix depending on how strong you like the flavour. The longer you let it simmer, the spicier the sauce will get. If it evaporates too much, you can add more whipping cream, or use milk or water. Don't boil as you might curdle the cream.

Add the chicken cubes and allow to simmer in the sauce for a few minutes.

Serve with jasmine or basmati rice.