Interview about Recipe to Riches

Tracey Padmore from 102.3FM in Montreal on Tracey's cuisine with guest Brad Gash, Sweet Pies and Puddings contestant from Recipe to Riches. Enjoy! http://www.divshare.com/download/16076775-f4e

Maple Pudding Chômeur - Brad's Original Recipe

(pic to come)

Brad’s Detailed Recipe for the Best Maple Pudding Chômeur

2 1/2 cups heavy (35%) cream
2 1/2 cups maple syrup (preferably medium to amber)
3 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter AT ROOM TEMPERATURE (leave out for at least 2 hours)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
4 eggs AT ROOM TEMPERATURE (leave out for at least 2 hours)
1 ½ cups milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp salt


STEP 1: BATTER

In one bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
In another bowl, combine butter and sugar, mixing together with an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment until smooth.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time (be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula frequently).
Add flour mixture and milk, alternating between the two, beating on very low speed just for a few seconds at each addition (ideally, add about ¼ of the mixture at each addition). In the last addition, add the vanilla. [This process will yield a smoother and moister batter.]
Scrape the sides of the bowl and set the batter aside.

PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 375F

STEP 2: SAUCE

In a sauce pan, place the maple syrup over high heat and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer rapidly for about 10 minutes [This step is crucial in getting the perfect thick sauce. If you like it even thicker, add a tbsp of corn syrup.]
Remove from the heat and slowly pour in the cream, whisking briskly. Return to the heat and bring just to a boil, and pour into a large ceramic or iron casserole or baking dish.
Using a large serving spoon, or an ice cream scoop with a soup spoon, scoop large mounds of the batter into the sauce. [Don’t worry if it looks messy or if the mounds stick together, that’s how it’s supposed to look.]
Bake for 45-50 minutes uncovered. Let stand 2-3 minutes covered.

STEP 3: TO SERVE

Scoop up a piece of the cake and smother it in an extra large spoonful of sauce. Best served hot next to a scoop of real vanilla ice cream.

The best uses for Beets!

With beet season in full-swing, I'm getting so many from Bryson Farms that the creativity with this under-rated vegetable is booming in my kitchen as of late. Growing up I only ever tasted pickled beets, which I still love, but they have limited usefulness and most often wind up as a side to a savoury dish to add a bit of acidity. But I've been reading all kinds of crazy dishes (even desserts!) that you can use beets in (just google it).

One of my all-time favourites is the maple-beet glazed pork tenderloin (a recipe from Ricardo Larivée). This is truly the best-tasting pork dish you will ever taste in your life!! Even if you're a not a fan of pork, you will make this regularly if you try it once, so I invite you to check out his website: www.ricardocuisine.com.

A bit of important info about pork: Any of my European readers will know that North American factory pork does not taste like pork... it doesn't taste like anything really. But if you can track down the right supplier who raises free-range hogs, you've hit the jackpot. The second problem with pork, and probably people's number 1 reason for not liking it, is that so many people tend to overcook it. Contrary to popular belief, pork (especially tenderloin) is supposed to be enjoyed medium-rare to medium. Beyond this it turns to leather - and anyone who grew up with "pork chop night" in the 90s knows what I'm talking about. But a word of caution, I wouldn't trust standard factory pork producers enough to cook their product to medium rare, so if springing the extra cash for free-range pork is not in the budget (it costs about 4 X that of factory), then it doesn't get on the menu.

But I digress, I'm here to talk about beets. One thing to be ready for is the mess if you're working with a standard red beet. I highly recommend having vinyl gloves on-hand (ah, a pun!). But if you're lucky enough to find heirloom beets you needn't worry, they don't stain your hands.

Of course you can grate raw beets for slaws and salads or put it in Borscht, but I recommend a beet salad like that pictured above, which is made by trimming and washing heirloom (or any) beets and boiling them for about 45 minutes. Let them cool and then the peel will slide off. Slice them and you have salad-ready beets. I like to serve them with autumn greens and a maple-balsamic vinaigrette. This is made by mixing 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar with Kosher salt and pepper, and 1/4 cup amber (late season) maple syrup. Then slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of grapeseed oil. This will keep for about a week in the fridge.

The Best of Beef

Normally I post pics of finished meals, but I just had to show my readers the amazing quality meat I'm working with. This is supplied by Elevage Cataraqui farm, just 15 minutes north of my house, which supplies seasonal orders of free-range lamb, beef and goat. Raised with such care, you can truly taste this in the meat, and you know as soon as you open it up and smell the raw meat that it's unlike anything you'll ever find in a grocery store. Hormone-free, and organic-fed, these animals are bred for a normal period and you can truly see, taste and smell the difference.

The stewing beef is one of my favourite cuts. And wherever you get your beef, a little side note: when paying for more expensive cuts of beef, you're not paying for greater quality - you're paying for ease of cooking (and thus higher popularity). In truth, the cuts of meat that cost the least very often have the most flavour, as long as they're given proper love and care. With stewing beef, which is often the product of the shoulder, a little care the night before, and slow cooking are truly the secret ingredients to the best beef stew ever.

BRAD'S RED WINE BEEF STEW

(For 4)

500g stewing beef; 3-4 carrots (preferably heirloom if you can find them) sliced 1/2 inch; 2-3 medium white or red potatoes cubed 1 inch; handful of thyme sprigs; 3 tbsp butter; one medium white onion peeled, trimmed and cut into 6-8 wedges; 1/2 cup rich red wine (ideally a Cabernet Sauvignon or Carmenere - I recommend Bontera Cabernet Sauvignon from California or Arbolleda Carmenere from Chile, but whatever you like); water; Kosher salt; fresh pepper; 2 bay leaves; 2 tbsp flour

DAY BEFORE: Pat dry the meat and season generously with Kosher salt. Be sure to massage meat gently with the salt. Lay out on a dish evenly and spread thyme sprigs over the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Don't discard thyme sprigs,.)

With a heavy roasting skillet or slow cooker pot set over stove-top at medium-high, melt 1/2 the butter to a light smoke and add 1/2 the meat. Stir frequently, really browning the meat on all sides. Remove from the pan, add the rest of the butter and repeat with the rest of the meat. Toss the onions in flour and add to the pan, stirring constantly (add more butter or oil if it looks too dry) until nicely browned. Then deglaze with the wine. Simmer for a minute and remove from the heat. Add the rest of the ingredients including the meat and thyme sprigs and pour water into the pan until it almost covers everything, and place in the slow cooker on low or if you're using a roasting skillet, cover and place in the oven pre-heated at 275. Cook for 6 hours, stirring every other hour. Season to taste. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.

Autumn Comfort 5

While most of us in Canada are certainly getting off easy this autumn with the mild weather, one could say those frosty days are overdue, and I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get those comfort food cravings again.

So at the peak of root vegetable season, soups, chowders and stews are finding their way on my table, and you'll see some of them here in the coming weeks. To start off, here's a simple one that's quick and perfect for a weeknight.

BRAD'S WHITE FISH CHOWDER

(For 4)

400g (or two large fillets) of your favourite firm white fish such as cod, halibut or haddock, cubed into bite-size pieces (TIP: look for sustainably-caught fish where you can); 4 cups chicken or fish stock (homemade is always best, but otherwise try and go for a low-sodium organic); 1/2 cup milk; 3 tbsp butter; one medium-large white onion finely diced; 1/2 bunch of dill frawns roughly chopped; 1 large or 2 medium white potatoes cubed (about an inch); 2-3 large or 3-4 medium carrots sliced (about 1/4 inch); 3-4 cobs of corn (raw, kernels shaved off; or if not available about 1 cup of frozen corn); 1 tbsp flour; sea salt; fresh black pepper

In a small pot or large sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter until almost to a light smoke and add onions, sauté until translucent (TIP: when sautéing onions, immediately season with coarse or sea salt to bring out the best texture.) Then add carrots and potatoes and sauté, stirring until nicely browned. Add the flour and stir, then deglaze the pot with a splash of the chicken stock, stirring to loosen any brown bits off the pan. Pour in the rest of the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer a let cook for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are quite tender. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the fish and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes and then add the milk, corn and dill and simmer 2 minutes more. Season to taste. Like most chowders and stews, this is even better left-over if you make it a day ahead.