Restaurant Barroco

312 Saint-Paul Ouest
Montréal, QC H2Y 2A3
http://www.barroco.ca/

Hello food lovers!

I've been going out more than I've been cooking lately :)

I recently tried this interesting new restaurant that my friend Silia told me about called Barroco. 
The cuisine is French and Spanish. Yay - Different!


I have been obsessed with Spanish anything lately...especially the wine + Serrano ham. lol I even bought the Mario Batali book called "Spain, a Culinary Road Trip", which he wrote with Gwyneth Paltro. They went on a culinary road trip together through Spain. They met lots of people and ate a lot of great Spanish food along the way (my dream). The pictures, the recipes and the funny little anecdotes were very entertaining. So, needless to say this restaurant was right up my alley!

Barroco's website was very nice, the pictures were great and the menu was different and exiting to me. I also checked out some popular sites like Urbanspoon to see how real people liked their experience there. 


88% of diners liked this restaurant. I am always a little skeptical and hate the idea of wasting a Saturday night with a mediocre food experience so I always gage these opinions based on how it compares to Da Emma's rating (I consider DaEmma to be one of the best fine dining establishments in Montreal). Barroco actually rated a little higher than DaEmma so of course, I hopped over to my phone and made a reservation for the following Saturday.

Boy! Was I excited... 


When we got there, my husband and I  both agreed that the decor is really interesting, cozy,inviting, romantic, rustic, and of course very barroc! (Hence the name :) I usually dont't start with decor but it really was cool.

The restaurant is a lot smaller than it looks on line & its a little on the loud side but I'm not complaining. There were lots of people talking and having a good time. I didn't mind that atmosphere. It was after all, a Saturday night and we wanted to have fun more than a romantic 'tete a tete' dinner. The music selection was great! They played some mellow classic rock like Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton and so many more that I can't remember right now.

You can eat at the bar which I don't normally do however at this place, I would. Its spacious and attractive as bars go. Couples were sitting comfortably next to each other - it looked more intimate and romantic than sitting face a face and for friends, its great for conversation in that type of environment. So if you're having a dinner for 2 and they don't have a table, only the bar...take it. 

On to the food...We were starting off really well...The butter that came with the bread was so tasty, it was combined with a mixture of smoked paprika, a little garlic. So many restaurants these days flavour their butter and I'm usually annoyed by it because I like plain butter on my bread. However, this one still tasted like butter but with a little kick.

We both ordered the 'amuse-bouche' of the evening which was a single oyster with a piece of fois gras on it. Delectable! My bouche was amused & we were psyched for the rest. 6 bucks each though..

Appetizers.  My husband had the Fois Gras Terrine (Cognac & Porto) lemon confit and harvest bread. He deemed it as just 'Good'.  Mine was the Grilled Octopus with corn mash and corn soufflé , pimiento de padron , arugula & Parmesan. I enjoyed this but can't say I was impressed..the texture of the octopus was a little chewy but the flavors were well balanced.

Main.  I chose the Braised Beef Cheeks with Mashed Potato Mousse. It was the special of the day so you may not find it on their menu all the time.  IT...WAS....HEAVENLY! It was a stew, so the meat just fell apart, the sauce was thick and smooth.  The mushrooms were of a meaty texture and took on the beefy flavour of the dish. The mashed potato mousse was light, creamy and contrasted nicely against the darker stew colour.


My husband had the Paella de Barroco. It was tomato based, made with lobster, shrimps, scallops, morcilla, tomatoes, red peppers and green peas. This was also very tasty. In fact , he wished  his portion was bigger. The seafood wasn't chewy, it was perfectly cooked.


Our waiter was very nice and pleasant but I got a little annoyed when my husband told him that I thought that there was something wrong with the wine. It seemed "off" to me. He didn't verify it (usually they try it or smell it to see if its ok- and they'll change it if necessary) 
He said , "Oh well not everybody likes the same wine" and walked off with a little laugh..That made me feel that he wasn't trained properly. I didn't have anymore wine - disappointing.


Dessert. We tried the chocolate molten cake and the so called "Apple Pie". The molten chocolate cake was what you'd expect and it was good. The "so called apple pie" was a few sliced apples on a kind of shortbread rectangle...The description sounded  so good...but it was on the bitter side and didn't look like pie at all..


Barroco, I would have gone traditional on that one..Its what you'd expect when reading the description. It was such a departure from the rest of the menu which is comprised of many comforting foods.
The description shoulda' read, "sliced bitter apple on a hard rectangle" It was so small and I didn't even finish it. Have a cocktail instead...they have a great cocktail menu. They should try serving Churros (taditional Spanish fried dough covered in cinnamon and sugar) 

So, I think I understand why it got an 88% approval rating. It must have been based on atmosphere primarily and then because the food is really decent. Meaning, one must choose carefully. Not everything on their menu is a hit.

I've said this before...Its harder to find the right balance of a fun atmosphere and great food in Montreal. They seem to be few and far between.  In New York, and Miami, its so easy to just fall upon a place with that balance, especially Miami - they've really got it down! If you find one in Montreal, please let me know!

I would go back, definitely! I want to sit at the bar with my better half and have a few cocktails or go back with friends to have a good time....Great place for a 5 a 7. I don't know if I'll have dessert though.

I want this place to get a better rating - it has so much going for it.

Thanks for reading!

Restaurant L'Un des Sens

L'Un Des Sens
108 Laurier Ouest
Montreal (QC) H2T 2N7
(514) 439 4330
http://www.lundessens.com/


Hello guys!

Recently I went out for a relaxed and well needed dinner with my Mom and Sister. Just the girls!
It was well needed because my Grandmother passed away and all of us have been dealing with this great loss.  I have to say, she was so great! She always had a positive outlook on life, always had a smile on her face and was passionate about food, love, friends - everything!  She always said, "Bisogna avere la passione" (You need to have passion!) or "non vi dovete mai abbandonare" (Never abandon yourself! - not sure about the spelling in Italian..but anyways) We used to giggle and kinda' poke fun at her for saying that but they are words to live by and she definitely did. She is my inspiration.

So, we needed to decompress… our Family Doctor and friend, who also happens to be a fellow foodie  recommended this restaurant a while ago. Its local, market cuisine. Meaning they serve traditional Quebecois inspired dishes, local produce (as much as possible), lots of comfort foods such as a personal sized meat pie, pea soup with quail egg as well as daintier local fare like fois gras. So, anyway, he absolutely loves this place! So much so, that after he discovered it he went back the during the same week. Of course,  we had to try.

An interesting concept...It reminds me of Tapas. For 33$ you can order any 3 items on the menu, 4 items for 44$ and 5 for 55$. For example, if you take the 5 item choice, you can order 3 mains, 1 appetizer and 1 dessert. Now, don't be alarmed. The mains are quite small.

Its great if you're a small group, you can order a bunch of different things and share.  Its perfect for me because I can never decide what to order...With this place, I can have it all and YES, I was full afterwards.

To start:
The traditional green pea soup was served with a poached quail egg on top. It was flavourful and delicious! Then we had a breaded and fried "galette" or patty of chick pea puree - It was served hot and was so tasty! Next, we tried the eggplant caviar (which I learned, just means cooked an kinda' pureed and seasoned eggplant, which was great on bread - very tasty.

The main:
I wanted to try a fish and a meat dish so I ordered the trout, served on a sea urchin mousse and bisque. I was nervous about sea urchin mousse but it ended up being my favourite thing on the dish. Next I tried the stuffed rabbit. This one was just OK. The meat was dry and the stuffing of horse chestnut, lentil and mushrooms was lacking something...

My mother had the cod and she loved it! It was served with ratatouille of autumn vegetables. My sister had the Meat pie which was personal sized, served in a ramekin with a crispy pie crust over top. This was one of my favorite things! So warm and comforting.

Dessert came and we were already stuffed. I ordered the grilled cheese, served with breaded and fried squeaky cheese. Its the kind of cheese you'd find in a poutine. It was breaded with what I believe to be brown sugar.   It was served piping hot and the cheese was beautifully , gooey and stretchy. Loved it!

In the end, I decided I would definitely return because the food was very good, they use high quality produce, its local cuisine (which I love and want to encourage) and finally just because it was fun to discuss what each of us would choose. However, even though I understood the concept, when I got my mains, I suppose I had an illogical feeling of disappointment. The portions were small and I guess I'm used to a full sized main...on the other hand, had they been full sized, I wouldn't have been able to try more than one!

The service was great in the sense that the waitress was friendly and charming but they were a little "relaxed" when we first got there. We stood at the door a little too long before someone came to greet us and the wait was also a tad too long before someone came to see us at our table.

The decor is modern and kind of zen but the size of the restaurant makes it feel cozy. Its small but feels airy. (there's a nice space between tables) The reddish colouring of the restaurant and candlelight makes it feel warm and inviting. The black chalk board that lines the length of one wall gives it a little dressed down feel. On this chalk board they feature their mission statement about how they are environmentally concious and use local ingredients. It also features their late night menu.

I would dress neatly and "put together" for an outing here but I feel like even if you don't, nobody will care..lol. Its unpretentious.

The music was great, it was subtle and jazzy earlier in the evening and then around 11PM , they upped the volume just a bit with some slightly upbeat dance tunes. It wasn't too loud so you could still talk but you got the feeling that you were somewhere cool and mellow. I could have stayed there all night.

Needless to say this restaurant was just what the doctor ordered!

I definitely recommend this pleasant restaurant & I give it a 4 out of 5. You must be opened to the concept or you may be disappointed with the portions!

Let me know if you try it!

(2/2) Opa! Its Greek night! Fresh Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb

Hi, 

I had to decide on a main to go with my Spanakorizo (previous post). My choice was this Fresh HerbCrusted Rack of Lamb from my fantastic cookbook, Around the Greek Table.

All of my guests loved this recipe and one of them actually described it as EPIC. Yes, EPIC - they used that word! You must try this.


I prefer Quebec lamb myself but alas, they only had New Zealand lamb at the Metro store on this day.
However, to my surprise it was really great and didn't have that strong flavour that New Zealand lamb usually has.  Forgive me, I wish I could provide a better description of what I mean. New Zealand lamb is more "lamby" lol. Quebec lamb is more delicate in flavor. We're famous for it! I heard that the more pungent flavor of New Zealand lamb is due to the way they raise them. They raise the lamb to shave its wool a couple of times before slaughtering it, so its a little older than Quebec lamb...


Uhhh, I suddenly feel sorry for those little lambs...but not enough to become a vegetarian! I'll get over it.


As in my last post - here is the Greek name and pronunciation for this recipe.

Arni me Fresca Votana (Ahr-nee Meh Frehs-ka Voh-tah-na)


Fresh Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb


Ingredients

2 Racks of lamb, 1 + 1/2 lb (750g) - 7 or 8 ribs each
2 Garlic cloves , thinly sliced
1/4 cup each of the following: Fresh parsley, mint and basil - all minced
Olive oil for coating
1/4 tsp each salt/pepper

Tsatziki dip (optional)

Tip: MAKE AHEAD: Lamb racks can be prepared in the morning of the serving day and refrigerated until they are ready for searing.

Preheat oven to 450F (230C)

Trim away the any excess fat from the lab racks.
Cut each rack in half so that there are 3-4 ribs in each piece

Cut slits 1/2 inch deep into the the meaty side of each chop and insert a garlic slice

Combine the herbs in a bowl and set aside

Brush the lamb with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a heavy ovenproof frying pan over high heat.
(The size of the pan should  be large enough to hold the lamb racks comfortably.)

Sear both sides of the lamb , about 2 min per side.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer lamb to a cutting board

Once cool enough to handle, generously cover the meaty side of the lamb with the fresh herbs.

As you can see, I chose a pan, in which they didn't fit that comfortably, but it still worked!

Place the lamb back into the ovenproof pan and place in the middle of your preheated oven.
Cook for 15 minutes for medium or 18 minutes for well-done.

Remove the lamb from the pan and tent with foil.
Let it rest for 15 minutes. Keep in mind that the lamb will continue to cook during this time.

Carve the lamb racks into single chops and arrange on a serving platter

Serve with Tsatziki if desired for dipping. I also like to drizzle with lemon.

I served this with Greek Salad & my Spinach & Dill rice (previous post)

Enjoy!

(1/2) Opa! Its Greek night! Spinach & Dill Rice (Spanakorizo)

Hello everyone!

In the mood for Greek food, I hope

Cookbooks


I went to Chapters the other day - BIG MISTAKE! Once again, I spent way too much time there pouring over a multitude of cookbooks. I bought uhhh...several. I couldn't decide which one to leave behind. Finally, I decided to put the Michael Chiarello cookbook down - the recipes looked too complicated or rather, impractical for a home kitchen. I just wanted it because the book was so darn beautiful!  Anyway, upon my return home, I reluctantly showed my husband what I had purchased. He was exasperated! "More cookbooks? Couldn't you just buy one, then go back another day?" I  reminded him that I actually use them...Not like some close family members I know, who buy cookbooks but read them in place of novels before bedtime..lol...

"Ahh, I don't know what to make...its always the same thing." 


"Why don't you try a recipe from one of your cookbooks? Hey, where are they!!?", I ask , searching the kitchen.


"Oh, on my bedroom nightstand" they reply brightly.


"Oh, wonderful... great place" lol

I can't totally fault them for that. Food can be riveting...I know,  I love reading about food too.
However, you should always try a couple of recipes from each cookbook you buy.

Around the Greek Table 


One of the cookbooks I bought is "Around the Greek Table", written by 3 sisters, Betty , Eleni and Samantha Bakopoulos. This cookbook was voted "Best in the World" by Gourmand, the World Cookbook Awards. I thought "Wow, best in the world, hu?" I also happen to LOVE Greek food so I bought it.

I had my family over for supper so I decided on this rice recipe. I chose it because when I read the ingredients, it reminded me of Spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) - the spinach, the dill, the feta...SOLD!!!!

The dill is what makes all the difference. Who knew it married so well with Spinach and Feta?? (Besides the Greeks, that is.) It was a recent discovery for me anyway.

When I served this, everyone wanted seconds and even thirds...some wanted to save some for their lunch the next day! Needless to say this tasty dish will make several come-backs in my kitchen and hopefully in yours as well.

Oh yeah! Another reason I love this cookbook is because they give you the Greek name and the pronunciation for each recipe. This one is Spanakorizo (Spah-nah-koh-ree-zoh).

Spinach & Dill Rice 

Ingredients


1 Bunch (500g) of fresh spinach leaves, washed, larger stalks removed - I found my 500g bag at Costco.
2 Tbsp of Olive oil
1 Yellow onion
Pinch of salt
1Tbsp of chopped fresh dill
1 cup of Arborio rice
2 cups of water
1tsp of salt
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil for drizzling
Crumbled Feta cheese (Optional) - I thought, "what?? Optional?? Why???"
4 lemon wedges

Cut the spinach in half and set aside
Heat the olive oil in a heavy suacepan over medium heat. Add the onions and the pinch of salt
Saute onions until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add all of the spinach to the pan, a handful at a time and saute.
Add the dill , rice, 2 cups of water and the 1 tsp of salt.
Bring to a boil

Reduce the heat and simmer, covered until the water is absorbed, about 20 min. If the rice is not tender and fluffy at this point, add more hot water and continue simmering.

Remove the pan from the heat.
Add the lemon juice and drizzle with some olive oil
Serve warm or even at room temperature (I prefer warm).
Top with some Feta cheese and garnish with a lemon wedge just before serving.

Voila! That's it and you've got a hit!

By the way, now that I posted this - I will pull out my bag 2nd pack of spinach to make another batch! Who's coming over?

Note: They list the Feta as "optional", which I understand, if you don't like feta or are cutting calories.   However, if you buy Greek Feta, it adds a wonderful creamy texture and another dimension of flavour.   You can always add the Feta for the guests who want it. Try not to omit - It goes so well with warm rice. Comfort food at its best. 

Greek Feta is more expensive than Canadian, but the quality really shows in its texture - you wont need much. Canadian Feta (purchased by weight) is fine.  Go to any "ethnic" friendly grocery store. I like to frequent Morilatos or Cavalaro Fine Foods for my Feta.  If you must go the pre-packaged route, there are some Greek brands that you can try.  Yes, Go Greek - DO NOT buy Saputo - its too salty and dry. 

Sexy Zebra, Double Chocolate & Pistacchio Biscotti

Hello all,

I have a great recipe to share with you today...

I'm not a fan of biscotti. There are only a few times when I could say that I really enjoyed one. However, I was flipping through my cookbook "Pasta Et Cetera" a la DiStasio and I came across this recipe. These cookies looked different from what I've seen - they looked beautiful & decadent. I loved how the bright green pistachios stood out against the dark chocolate.

The author of this cookbook, Josee DiStasio is a popular Montreal Chef- especially with the French speaking foodie community. She's also friends with another local Chef which I was lucky enough to cook with - Franca Mazza. Fun fact - Franca has appeared on Josee's show a few times.  I've never caught the show myself but I hear its great. I love to encourage and try recipes from local chefs. We have a lot to be proud of up here.


Check out her site to learn more about her.  
http://aladistasio.telequebec.tv/a_la_distasio/accueil.html

So, I made them. The result? They tasted as great as they looked. I added my own little twist to the recipe by making a kinda" zebra motif over top. They looked like....edgy.. modern....sexy Biscotti if that's possible...lol

Here is the recipe.

Makes 36 biscotti

Ingredients.

2 Cups of flour

1/2 Cup of Cocoa

1tsp of baking soda

1/2tsp of salt

1/4 Cup of of butter at room temp.

1 Cup of sugar

2 extra large eggs at room temp.

2tsp of vanilla extract

2tsp of almond essence 

1 Cup of whole, shelled pistachios (unsalted - can be found at any nut shop such as "Best Nuts" on St-John's in the West Island.

145g or 5oz of 58 to 70% Cocoa - finely chopped

*Keep a small amount of flour aside in case the dough is too sticky.

Directions

Preheat oven to 325. 

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper

In a bowl sift flour cocoa, baking soda and salt - set aside

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time and mix again after each addition.

Add the vanilla extract and Almond essence

With a wooden spoon, add the dry ingredients, the nuts and the chocolate, working the dough with your hands. Add some extra flour if dough is too sticky.

Divide the dough in two and roll into a log of about 10 inches in length and 3 inches in width. 

Cook at the center of the oven for 30 minutes or until the dough seems firm to the touch. 

With the help of two spatulas, place the logs on a cooling rack for about 20 mins ( i never wait long enough, Im too impatient)

Reduce the oven temperature to 300.

Place the logs on a cutting board. With a bread knife (Serrated) cut diagonal slices of about 1/2 and inch in width.

Lay them down on the baking sheet and continue to bake them for another 10 minutes.

Allow them to cool. Biscotti can be stored in an air tight container for about 2 weeks but they won't make it to two weeks, I guarantee it.

Once biscotti are cool, dip the top in some melted chocolate. - I usually just melt "Baker's" brand chocolate in the microwave.

I used semi-sweet and white chocolate and drizzled them over the tops of the cookies to give it that Zebra look.

Enjoy and of course, give me feedback!! xoxo

Thanks for reading!!

Weeknight or Weekend Gourmet - Gnocchi with peas, crispy prosciutto. Must try!

Pictured: Gnocchi, with peas, crispy baked Serrano Ham (Spanish version of prosciutto), and a small scoop of lightly-lemon flavoured ricotta. 

Hello friends!

I am so excited to share this recipe with you. Its a real winner. When I tried it - I thought of you and said..."Must... blog!"

As you may or may not know, all I think about is..."what are we eating tonight, tomorrow, next week, & right now..." Especially now that I'm married and in charge of all the meals, I spend time, happily scouring my many cookbooks or the Food Network site for tasty& easy new recipes.
My faithful follower and fan, my husband (God bless him), is my guinea pig (like he has a choice) and he loves this one! He'll never tell me he hates something, he's a smart man, but I sure know when he LOVES something :)  With the praise, there is a funny downside. I constantly get blamed for any ounce of weight gained, tight fitting jeans and shirts..lol  Everything in moderation, honey. *Angelic smile*

Back to the recipe! Its super easy , its different, quick to prepare and looks beautiful! You'll love the different flavours and textures - the creamy tasting,soft gnocchi, the saltiness and crispiness of the prosciutto. OMG! Why do I do this to myself!? Its Sunday morning! Guess what I'm making tomorrow night!

Special notes before we start...

-For a weeknight dinner, I purchased ready-made gnocchi (shame on me) but thats what makes this recipe so quick to prepare. I didn't want you to read the recipe and think "What is she, nuts?? I can't make gnocchi from scratch on a weeknight!" lol

To note, for the Weekend Gourmet: I have made  Gnocchi using this recipe and its easy particularly because the potatoes are baked and not boiled. They came out fluffy and light and I did not have to add more flour than indicated. (I have included some pics of my process below.) 
Boiling potatoes to make gnocchi creates a lot of water , obviously,  and is harder to drain them fully. That CAN lead to having to add too much flour, causing the gnocchi to be too hard. Pebbles with peas, anyone?

- I use the Spanish version of prosciutto called Serrano Ham. I really prefer the flavor and has less fat.

- I've written this before - Please DO NOT use low fat or "0% Fat" ricotta.
   I don't know what that sh*t is.

- Unless you despise ricotta - please do not omit it. It adds another dimension of flavour and it is not too   lemony. All you need is a tablespoon of it per dish and it really adds something to it.
Although, inexplicably, my father doesn't eat Ricotta and had the dish without - he still loved it. But of course! It has crispy prosciutto on it for heaven's sake!


Side thought....I want to try this with Farfalle pasta instead of gnocchi. I imagine that it makes for a lighter dish. Why are Farfalle always paired up with peas, eh?

The following recipe is by Tyler Florence and was obtained on www.foodnetwork.com ....Enjoy!

Ingredients

Potato gnocchi:

• 2 pounds (about 4) russet potatoes, or similar starchy/white variety (I had to use 6 to equal 2 pounds - if you have a scale,please weith them.)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 egg white
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 pound prosciutto
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Grated Parmesan
• 2 cups Lemon Ricotta, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Scrub potatoes, pierce the skin with a fork, drizzle with olive oil and salt and place on a sheet pan. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until they are easily pierced with a pairing knife. Allow the potatoes to cool slightly then peel the potatoes while they are still hot and press them through a potato ricer. Put the potatoes in a large bowl with salt, nutmeg, baking powder, gratedcheese and egg white. Add the flour a little at a time and mix with your hands until the mixture forms a rough dough. Do not over-work the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough for 1 or 2 minutes until smooth, adding a little bit more flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking.

Break off a piece of the dough and roll it back and forth into a rope, about the thickness of your index finger. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces. Gently roll each piece down the prongs of a fork while pressing a small dimple with your finger in the back. The gnocchi should be slightly curved and marked with ridges. This will allow the pillows to hold sauce when served. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

Boil the gnocchi in batches in plenty of salted water. The gnocchi are done about 2 minutes after theyfloat to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon. Reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water. If not cooking immediately, place the gnocchi in a single layer on a baking pan dusted with flour.

Note: If the gnocchi start to feather and fall apart in boiling water, you need more flour. If the gnocchi don't float after 2 minutes and are hard, you used too much flour.

(Quick weekday part)

Blanch peas in hot water and set aside.

Place 4 strips of prosciutto on a sheet pan and place in a preheated 350 degree F oven. Cook until the bacon is crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add chopped shallots to a pan over medium high heat with 2 counts of olive oil pan of and gently saute until fragrant and translucent. Dump in the peas and toss gently to coat. Season with a little salt and pepper. Add boiled gnocchi to the pan and gently toss. Add a ladle of gnocchi water to the pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter, sprinkle with Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with crispy prosciutto and a scoop of fresh lemon ricotta. (Optional: finish with a drizzle of white truffle oil)

Lemon Ricotta:

• 2 cups good quality ricotta cheese
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Salt

Place the ricotta cheese in a mixing bowl and add the lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and serve with the gnocchi.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Here are the pics of my Gnocchi making process!

I have a potato ricer,  I love it.
I used whole-wheat flour.

TIP: You have to peel your baked potatoes while they are still quite hot. I was not in the mood for a game of Hot Potato so, I held the potato in one hand with an oven mitt and quickly peeled with the other hand. It was easy. I don't have pics of this process because its a little hard to do that when your hands are full. :)

 You'll notice that I have not mastered the gnocchi shaping process...with the fork. I guess I'll have to practice.

Tiramisu, My-misu, Franca-misu...its all good-misu

Hello Vanillabeaners!

For my bridal shower, I had the opportunity to see Chef Franca Mazza in action. My shower took place at Atelier Franca Mazza at the Marche 440 in Laval. You can either attend one of her cooking classes where she explores different themes such as appetizers for instance, or fois gras... OR..you can have a private dinner there with your friends (with or without cooking instruction). I highly recommend this to anyone who loves good food and wants to try something new.

At my shower she and her suchef Pino showed us how to make her version of a Tiramisu. It is made with green tea instead of coffee.

Here it is:

Franca's Green tea & Strawberry Tiramisu

Ingredients

-2 cups of 35% cooking cream (yikes!! - yeah but what the heck did you think it was made of..lol)
-500G of Mascarpone cheese
-60ML of Gagliano liqueur
-1 + 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
-2 vanilla beans worth of seeds (scrape them out of the pod with a sharp knife)
-4 cups of steeped green tea
-12 ladyfinger cookies
-1 cup of sliced Strawberries.

Directions

Using an electric mixer, combine cream, mascarpone, Gagliano liqueur and sugar. (it should be pretty stiff but not as much as plain whipped cream would be. This mixture is heavier. - As long as its not liquidy)
Scrape the vanilla beans and add seeds to mixture.
Dip ladyfingers quickly in green tea and start layering putting the cookies at the bottom.
Add strawberries and top with cream mixture - repeat and finish with cream.

That's it!!

NOW...I'm more of a traditional tiramisu kinda' girl....actually to be completely honest - I never really liked Tiramisu at all but if I gotta' have it, it has to be with coffee - like my mother makes it (and DaEmma's but we won't talk about that..lol my mother doesn't like me saying that)

So I followed Franca's recipe but substituted the green tea for coffee and the liqueur with Kahlua or Irish Cream. (I always make a mistake and call it Irish Spring for some reason. DO NOT USE IRISH SPRING - lol sounds like the warning on my hairdryer "Do not use while sleeping" lol)


Also, I only put strawberries on top. (I did not add them to the layers.)
Then I grated some chocolate over-top and garnished with mint leaves.

I made individual ones in glasses, they looked pretty but they were wayyy too much for one person - lol.

I really want to try Banana-misu - my friend David Ialenti gave me the idea. I'll keep you posted!!

Steph

Newlywed Pizza continued...Calzone con Bietole e Olive

Calzone con Bietole e Olive

Use 1/2 of the basic pizza dough for 1 calzone.

For the filling

1+1/2 lbs of Swiss chard or fresh spinach 

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced (center removed)

3/4 cup of pitted black olives, halved

1/2 cup of fresh whole mozzarella drained and diced ( i also mixed in Tallegio cheese)

1/4 lbs (110g) of Speck or prosciutto crudo

Salt and pepper - to taste

(Optional) A pinch of chili pepper flakes

Pan

2bsp olive oil to oil pan

Coarse corn flour, to sprinkle over oiled pan

To top the calzone

1 garlic clove, minced

1tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp crumbled try oregano leaves

(Optional) 1/4 tsp of hot chili pepper flakes

2 sprigs of rosemary, cut into 1-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 450

Remove stems from the chard or spinach and place the leaves in a bowl of cold water. 

Wash thoroughly, changing the water several times.

Bring a stock pot of cold, salted water to a boil 

Drain the chard and add to the pot

Cook uncovered until soft, over medium heat

Drain and squeeze excess water from the greens

Finely chop the greens

Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the chard and cook for 1 minute. 

Lower the heat to medium, stir in the garlic and olives.

Season with salt and pepper

add chili flakes if using

Stir thoroughly and remove from heat. Let cool

Roll out the douch into a 16 inch or 40 cm disk.

Place the chard mixture over half of the circle (beause you're going to have to flip the other side over it)

Leave about 1-inch border clear in order to later seal the calzone. 

Place the mozzarella and sliced prosciutto over the chard. 

Fold the dough over the mixture, then pinch the edges of the calzone with your fingertips to seal it.

Oil a baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse corn flour. Place the calzone on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the calzone with the garlic and oil.

Sprinkle the dried oregano and hot chili pepper flakes (if using) 

Insert the rosemary pieces evenly along he border. 

Using a sharp knife, make three diagonal slits on the calzone.

Bake until crisp and golden (about 35-40 min)

Remove from the oven, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. 

Cut into slices and serve, preferably hot.

yield: 6 - 8 servings.

Crostata di Lamponi - My RaspberryTart

Hi Guys,

How berry nice of you to drop in! 

Lamponi is Italian for Raspberries. I got the recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks called "Florence" by Williams-Sonoma.

Ever feel like flying to Florence but just don't  have the time??
Make this dessert, sit on your balcony on a warm night, close your eyes, take a bite and pretend you're there! Why not have a Prosecco with that?... Sure, I'll have a Prosecco....Now, imgine George Clooney...George? Ok. Why not....That will surely help the imagination along.  Next, you'll need  some peircingly loud ambulance or police sirens and you're practically there!  
*Poof!* -  Day dream over - for now.

(Little note about my beloved Florence:
Everyone who's been there knows that it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world but the abulance and police sirens are super loud - it freaks me out - its heart stopping when you're in relaxation mode! We were like .."Who's injured again!!? Where are we, the ghetto!? Who's been arrested??...its only been 90 times today!!") (In tense moments, we speak like Dane Cook or Rodney Dangerfield )

Ok. back to the dessert...
Even though this is a Raspberry tart recipe, feel free to add whatever berries you like as long as they are similar in size. 

I would call this a "dainty" dessert. No heavy cheesecake, no chocolate, no cakey texture. This is a light, fruity dessert..great when served with coffee or tea but it should be paired with a dessert wine or even a Prosecco. That stuff goes with anything!

Don't let the picture throw you off. It looked difficult to me too when I first saw the recipe. In truth, it was simple. For instance, the dough is a no-brainer. Take it from someone that has had many, many failed dough attempts. Try it.


Here is the recipe:


Ingredients

Crust:
3/4 cup of unsalted butter, at room temp
1 large egg

1/3 cup of granulated sugar
2 cups of flour - preferably soft cake&pastry flower (they sell small bags at IGA)

I added a nice pinch of Cinnamon - I recommend it.

Custard  A.K.A - Cholesterol
3 cups of whole milk ( I used 3.25)
Now hold on to your hats.... 8 large egg yolks (save the whites and make an omelet)
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of cornstarch

Topping:
2 cups of raspberries (or any fresh berries)
Confectioner's sugar  (icing sugar) for dusting

To make the crust, in a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine the butter, egg and sugar.
Add the flour and mix with the wooden spoon until a homogeneous dough forms.
Roll into a ball and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours , up to 8 hours.

-Preheat your oven to 400 F.
-Butter a 9 1/2 inch tart pan with removable bottom (preferably with straight sides) - I used my regular spring form pan and it worked out fine too.
-Unwrap the refrigerated dough and place onto a lightly floured work surface. (let the dough sit a bit if its too hard to work with. Its tough when its cold)
-Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a round, 1/8th inch (2-3 mm) thick.
-Separate the tart pan bottom from the sides.
-Lay the dough round over the bottom, then trim the overhanging dough.
-Replace the dough-lined bottom into the pan sides.
-Gather up the dough scraps and roll it into a rope about as thick as a finger.
-Lay the rope along the inside edge of the pan and press it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan to a height of 3/4inch (2cm).
-If desired create a zigzag edge by using a knife to cut the dough so that its edges form triangular points. (up sidown triangle cutouts)

-Line the inside of the tart shell with foil.
-Fill the pan with a generous layer of dried beans or pie weights (this will stop the dough from bubbling and becoming uneven.)
-Bake until pale and dry, about 30 minutes.
-Remove the beans and foil

-Return the crust to the oven and bake until golden - about 5 more minutes

-Let cool. Then carefully remove the crust from the tart pan and transfer to your serving plate. Set aside.

To make the Custard, in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk until small bubbles appear along the edges of the pan, about 5 min.

-Meanwhile in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, granulated sugar and cornstarch. Whisk until pale and creamy.

-Whisking constantly, slowly add about 1/2 cup of the warm milk to the egg mixture.
-Return the egg mixture to the remaining milk in the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly until the mixture begins to thicken and begins to bubble around the edges of the pan, 5-8 min.
-Remove from the heat and continue stirring for 1 minute longer. Pour the custard through a medium mesh sieve into a bowl. (I used a colander with small holes - it worked)
-Let it cool slightly, stirring occasionally, then pour the custard into the tart crust using a rubber spatula to distribute evenly.














When the custard has cooled completely, arrange the raspberries in a single layer.

Dust lightly with confectioner's sugar and serve.  

Note: make sure to dust your tart with the sugar right before serving because the natural juices from the fruit and/or condensation will dissolve the sugar after a few minutes.

Nice option:

Barefoot Contessa has a similar recipe but she uses Raspberry jam instead of Custard.  
This was exactly the way it was served to us in Florence -at Cibreo, a quaint cafe located right near my sister's and cousin's apartment. What a gem.

So anyway, I made the crust shown in this recipe but used the jam. It adds a nice tang and just feels lighter. Note: Don't buy jam with chunky pieces of fruit in it.

Favorite Jam quote:

"Sir, the radar appears to be ...jammed."

"Hmm..Raspberry. There's only one man who would dare give me the Raspberry... LONE STAR!!!"

Whomever guesses where that quote is from will be in my heart forever.

DON'T Google it - cheaters! 

Now take a look about my pictures.

 Then I performed an experiment...I had these sturdy gold foiled cupcake liners so I decided to make mini tarts. I bought these liners at Ares Kitchen Supplies.
Anyways, they turned out great!

Voila! Enjoy.

Le Garde-Manger Restaurant

Le Garde-Manger Restaurant

408, St-Francois-Xavier (Corner St-Paul)
Old Montreal
514-678-5044

I was fascinated by this restaurant and admittedly by the restaurant's celebrity chef, Chuck Huges.

The restaurant looks cool, sounds cool and the chef has tattoos of his favorite foods!! Yeah! He's got lemon meringue pie on his arm!! That's my favorite dessert too!

Anyway, I was introduced to this restaurant because I was watching the food network (no kidding) and I stumbled upon this show called "Chuck's Day Off", which is filmed at the restaurant.  He makes great looking food seem so effortless to make. Doesn't hurt that he's kinda' cute too.  -That was it, after one show, I had to go to Le Garde-Manger.

It wasn't easy..for a party of 2 on a Saturday evening, we were looking at about a month long wait. That's crazy...I told the girl on the phone that I was flexible with the time..so she said brightly, "OK! We have space in two Saturdays from now, at 10pm, at the bar"    Urrhhhhh!

I finally ended up going with my sister at some point, after collecting dust and cobwebs.

We were so excited, we loved the ambiance. We were seated right away and it didn't take us long to notice the great music playing. The restaurant's play list is awesome..We were singing along the whole evening - lots of older songs including Led Zep  - loved  it!

It seems to be a hot spot for the 5 a7 crowd. Very nice-looking patrons too, business people and some "city people" as I call them..it was a healthy mix. The feel was vibrant and a little bohemian. I wanna say "shabby-chic" but don't know if its the appropriate term.

To start we, of course, tried the Lobster Poutine - so Quebecois and so good. The fries are similar to McDonald's in size, the gravy- a veal reduction sauce. They were very generous with the cheese and the lobster.  The lobster was so tender - no chewiness whatsoever. I cannot even describe how good this was- it rocked. We were fighting over the last bits. We also tried the tomato salad with avocado. When my sister proposed this..I thought it would be ordinary but these were the best, freshest tasting tomatoes ever :) They tasted as if they were straight from the garden. Besides that, there was such a great combo of flavors in this dish. We couldn't pin-point what it was that made this salad so special and the waiter suggested that its the dill  - "it makes all the difference".

For my main I chose the short rib, which was very tender, falling off the bone, saucy and so tasty
However, this is where the celebration and cart wheels ended. I found what I thought was a piece of clear plastic in my plate..I picked it up, examined it..I tried pulling it apart to see if it was a piece of onion. It wouldn't break.  In a braised meat dish, if it had been an onion , it would have fallen apart right away.
I told the waiter and he brought it back to the kitchen straight away..I could see right into the kitchen. (they have an open concept kitchen , which I like, where you can watch the crew of young and hip looking chefs do their thing. They wear a modern black "uniform", with caps rather than traditional chef headgear) Anyways....
I saw a group of them peering over my plate at the plastic/onion.  Minutes later the waiter returned without my plate and told me that it was an onion - for sure!  He asked if I wanted my plate back..at this point I was a little turned off and said "no"  I was positive that it wasn't an onion. (for the record, my sister didn't think it was an onion either)..I was further turned off when they didn't even offer anything, not even a drink or at least ask me if I'd like to have something else. Maybe I shouldn't have expected anything, I don't know.
My sister had ordered the Bavette with fries. She found that the meat was tough and said it was mediocre at best. Too bad.

I did not try the fried Mars Bar but I hear its the best thing there..That, and the seafood platter.

I decided to give this place another chance, thinking that over all, I really had a good experience , except for that one little, itty-bitty incident. I'm a forgiving person. :) So, I went back with my fiance, Andre.

I told him we had to have the Lobster Poutine. Sadly it was a disappointment..the portion was smaller than the last time..not much of anything..lobster or cheese. He loved the tomato salad though, couldn't stop talking about how fresh the tomatoes tasted..lol..Those freakin' tomatoes...the most consistant thing on the menu.

For Andre's main, I struck out once again. I told him to try the short-rib dish..sans plastic
It tasted boiled..no flavor. I know that its common practice to boil ribs to tenderize them and then bake them, basting them with sauce. My guess here is that they boiled it but did not baste long enough..

For my main I had...hmmmm...I can't remember. That can't be good.

Unfortunately, the only way I'll go back at this point would be for a 5 a7 to enjoy the music and ambiance and I would share a bunch of the appetizers with friends. Hey, I still haven't tasted their famous seafood platter.

Hey Chuck! I hear you're never at the restaurant anymore - maybe you should be.

Sadly, I give this restaurant 2.5 stars, until Chef Chuck comes back to us.

Love,
Steph

Seriously, I see Chuck here, I see customers...when the heck was this taken??