This year’s best-loved dishes at Indulgence, a Canadian epic of food and wine.
Every year Edmontonians gather to enjoy a celebration of local food at Indulgence, a Canadian epic of food and wine. Every year a restaurant creates a dish in partnership with a local rancher, farmer or producer and pairs it with a Canadian wine, Alberta brew or spirit. And, every year we publish the recipes for the best-loved dishes. This year they range from a toothsome biscuit and gravy by Kitchen by Brad to a honey cake from Ernest’s at NAIT. The money raised benefits The Junior League of Edmonton and the Slow Food Indulgence Bursary for NAIT Culinary Arts students.
Indulge!
Buttermilk Biscuits with Ukrainian Gravy
Kitchen by Brad, Mo-Na Food, Red Rooster Winery
Buttermilk Biscuit
| 3½ c | flour |
| 1 T | baking powder |
| 2 t | kosher salt |
| ¾ c | unsalted butter, cut into cubes |
| 1¼ c | buttermilk |
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
In the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment mix all dry ingredients together. Add the cubes of butter and mix until the butter cubes break down to the size of coarse cornmeal. Add buttermilk and mix only until just incorporated. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until an inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Place on a baking sheet, brush the tops with butter and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Makes 12 biscuits.
Wild Mushroom Ukrainian Gravy
| 2 T | butter |
| ½ c | onion, finely diced |
| 1 c | fresh mushrooms, sliced |
| 2 c | dried wild mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water |
| 1 T | fresh garlic, crushed |
| ¼ c | white wine |
| 2 c | heavy cream |
| kosher salt and pepper to taste |
Heat a large pan. Melt butter, add onion and cook until the onions are soft. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook until they release their water. Add garlic and season.
Squeeze excess water out of the reconstituted mushrooms. Lightly chop, so pieces are medium-sized. Add to pan. Deglaze with white wine, add heavy cream and simmer until a light sauce consistency has been reached. Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 3-4 cups sauce.
To serve, spoon a generous portion of gravy over the biscuit.
Vegetable Terrine with Cashew Ricotta
The Cave Paleo Beastro, Doef’s Greenhouses, Summerhill Pyramid Winery
| ¾ c | extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling |
| juice of lemon | |
| 1-2 sprigs | thyme |
| 2 | yellow bell peppers |
| 2 | red bell peppers |
| 4 | Roma tomatoes |
| 16-20 leaves | basil |
| 2 | yellow zucchinis, cut lengthways into ½-cm slices |
| 2 | green zucchinis, cut lengthways into ½-cm slices |
| 1 sm | eggplant, cut lengthways into 1-cm slices |
| 1 c | vegetable stock |
| 2 t | gelatin powder |
| salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| micro greens and smoked sea salt to finish |
Take a large baking dish and add half the oil, lemon juice, thyme and season well with salt and pepper. Blacken the bell peppers directly over a gas flame and place in a plastic bag to sweat. Peel the bell peppers, discard the seeds and cut the flesh into large sheets. Transfer to the baking dish. Season well with salt and pepper. Slice the tomatoes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly salt.
Preheat oven to 250°F, cook tomatoes for approximately 45-60 minutes. You are looking to dehydrate the tomato to bring out the rich sweet flavours. You may require more time in the oven, just be sure to check on them periodically. Transfer the tomatoes and basil to the baking dish and toss to coat in the oil and lemon, then separate them into separate piles.
Heat your oven to 375°F. Toss the zucchini and eggplant in the remaining oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes until tender, then transfer to the baking dish along with the tomatoes and bell peppers, turning to coat in the oil and lemon as well.
Sprinkle half of the stock with the gelatin and allow to stand for five minutes. Heat the remaining stock in a small saucepan and add the combined stock and gelatin, stirring until all the gelatin has dissolved. Drizzle the stock and gelatin mixture all over the vegetables and toss to coat. Line a terrine mold (or loaf pan) with cling film and add the vegetables in individual layers. There is no right or wrong way to do this!
Place a weight on top and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or overnight for best results). Remove from the mold.
Cashew Ricotta
| 1½ c | raw cashews |
| ½ c | water |
| 1-2 T | nutritional yeast, optional (adds a cheesy flavour) |
| 1 clove | garlic |
| juice of 1 large lemon or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. | |
| dash | onion powder |
| Himalayan sea salt and cracked pepper to taste |
Soak the cashews for at least 2 hours (overnight is preferred) in a bowl of filtered water, covering the cashews in about 2-3 inches of water as they will swell up. Drain the cashews and place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Process until creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides every few minutes. Season to taste. Add salt if you prefer a saltier ricotta. You can also add more juice or vinegar if you like it tangier. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for an hour or two. This will stiffen the mixture a bit. If it becomes too thick, add a tad of water and mix well. Ricotta can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To serve: Slice the terrine into ½-inch slices. Add a healthy spoonful of ricotta and place on top of the terrine. Finish with micro greens and a pinch of smoked sea salt if you like.
Serves 6-8.
Halibut Haskap Pastrami
Ernest’s at NAIT, North 49 Fruit, Eau Claire Distillery
part A
| ¼ c | kosher salt |
| ¼ c | granulated sugar |
| 1 lg | shallot, finely chopped |
| sm bunch | parsley, finely chopped |
| ½ c | frozen or fresh Haskap berries, crushed |
| 500g | skinless halibut fillet |
Part B
| 1½ T | coriander seed |
| 1 T | cracked black pepper |
| 1 t | ground paprika |
| ½ t | chili flakes |
| 2 T | molasses |
In a food processor, combine part A and mix until smooth, rub onto the halibut and wrap tightly. Place in the fridge for 12 hours, flip and cure for another 12 hours. Remove fish and pat dry.
Mix part B in a bowl (warm the molasses slightly to make it easier to work with).
Brush over halibut until it is well-coated, pressing spices into the fish.
Refrigerate uncovered for 18 hours.
Slice thinly to serve. Serves 8.
Irvings Farm Pork Sausage by The Glass Monkey
The Glass Monkey, Irvings Farm Fresh, Dirty Laundry Vineyard
| 3 lbs | Irvings Farm pork shoulder (ground) |
| ½ lb | pork fat or bacon (ground) |
| 4 cloves | finely minced fresh garlic |
| 4 t | kosher salt |
| 2 T | fennel seed, toasted and finely ground |
| 1 T | finely ground black pepper |
| ½ t | finely ground star anise |
| 1 t | dried oregano |
| ½ c | Dirty Laundry ‘Kay-Syrah’ red wine |
| ¾ c | wild blueberries |
Thoroughly mix/knead all of the ingredients by hand until well combined.
Form into 4-oz patties, or stuff into sausage casing. Cook patties in a pan or on the grill to an internal temperature of 145⁰F.
Beer-Braised Pulled Pork
Cilantro and Chive (Lacombe), Greener Pastures Ranching, Bent Stick Brewing Co.
Sous chef Julie Reitze served the pulled pork with pickled carrots and red onion on spent grain pretzel baguettes, using the spent grain from Bent Stick.
| 2 lbs | pork shoulder |
| 1 | yellow onion |
| 2 | carrots |
| 2 stocks | celery |
| 1 | jalapeño |
| ½ c | dijon mustard |
| ¼ c | smoked paprika |
| ¼ c | brown sugar |
| 1 | Imperial stout Bent Stick beer |
| ½ c | cornstarch |
| ½ c | water |
Preheat oven to 250ºF. Place the pork shoulder in a roasting pan.
Cut the onion, celery and carrot into large dices, cut jalapeño and deseed. Put the vegetables into the roasting pan with the pork. Generously cover the pork in mustard. Mix the smoked paprika and brown sugar together, then rub onto the pork. Pour beer over top of the pork and vegetables. Cover with tinfoil, place in oven and roast for approximately 4 hours or until the pork is over 167ºF and very tender.
When the pork is done, remove from the pan and set the juices aside. When cool, pull the pork into small pieces, this should be very easy if the pork is done and tender. Strain the vegetables from the roasting pan and pour the remaining liquid into a sauce pan and heat. Mix corn starch and water together to make a slurry, when the juices start to simmer, pour in slurry to make a gravy. When thick, pour over the pulled pork.
Braised Lamb with Mac & Cheese Croquette with a Red Currant Berry Chutney
Royal Glenora Club, Sylvan Star Cheese, Blindman Brewing
Exec chef Steve Buzak served this dish with a charcoal smoke garlic aioli and crispy kale.
Braised Lamb
| 2 lb | lamb neck |
| 1 sm | carrot, medium dice |
| 1 rib | celery, medium dice |
| ¼ | yellow onion, medium dice |
| 4-5 cloves | garlic |
| ½ c | red wine |
| ¾ c | canned San Marzano tomatoes |
| ¼ c | tomato paste |
| 1 c | chicken stock |
| 2 sprigs | thyme |
| 2 sprig | rosemary |
| bay leaf | |
| peppercorn | |
| kosher salt and black pepper |
Season lamb neck with salt and pepper. Take a pan, add oil and sear the lamb on both sides over high heat. Remove the lamb neck and reserve. Add carrot, celery, onion and garlic and cook over medium heat, until lightly browned. Add the red wine, then add tomatoes, chicken stock and herbs. Add the lamb back to the pan with the liquid. Cover it with parchment paper and foil. Cook it in the oven at 350ºF for about 2 hours until the meat falls off the bone.
Mac & Cheese Croquette
| ¼ c | beer |
| ¼ c | heavy cream (36 per cent) |
| 7 g | sodium citrate |
| 200 g | grated aged gouda cheese |
| 50 g | grated aged white cheddar cheese |
| 100 g | dry macaroni pasta |
| flour | |
| egg, whisked | |
| bread crumb | |
| salt | |
| oil |
Bring the beer to a boil in a pot. Whisk in the sodium citrate, then gradually add the grated cheeses. Stir. Reduce the heat to a light simmer. Finish with a hand blender to a get smooth and velvety texture.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Boil the pasta until al dente. Drain, but do not rinse the pasta. Fold in the warm cheese sauce. Season to taste.
Shape the mac and cheese mixture into croquette shapes. Freeze for a few minutes to firm up. To bread: have the flour, egg and bread crumbs in three separate bowls. Dip the croquette into the flour first, then dip in the egg mixture and then into the bread crumbs. Place each croquette on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat until all the mac and cheese mixture is used up. Reserve.
Red Currant Berry Chutney
| 1 T | oil |
| 2 med | red onion, chopped |
| 1 stick | cinnamon |
| 1 pc | star anise |
| 1 | red chili pepper (seeded and chopped fine) |
| 120 g | sugar |
| 200 g | red wine vinegar |
| 200 g | frozen red currant |
| 1 t | cumin powder |
Sauté the onion until light brown, then add the cinnamon stick, star anise, chili pepper, sugar and red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil then simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add red currant and cumin and cook until the liquid becomes thick.
Honey Cake with Honey Croquant and Honey Cremux
Ernest’s at NAIT, North 49 Fruit, Eau Claire Distillery
Sheet Cake
| 500 g | flour |
| 100 g | eggs |
| 200 g | brown sugar |
| 80 g | butter |
| 15 g | honey |
| 12 g | baking powder |
Heat eggs and sugar in a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Add honey, butter, baking powder and heat to 55ºC. Remove from heat and mix in flour, cool until 30ºC. Divide into 3 equal parts. Roll the dough out 3mm thick between two silicon mats. Bake 200ºC for 7 minutes, until golden brown. Once cool, shave down so it fits into a cake frame.
Honey Croquant
| 141 g | butter |
| 99 g | light brown sugar |
| 114 g | honey |
| 60 g | flour |
| 252 g | chopped almonds |
Mix all of the ingredients on low speed. Using a silicon mat and a cake frame, flatten out to fill the frame. Bake at 160ºC for 15 minutes, until caramelized.
Honey Cremux
| 22 g | powdered gelatin |
| 650 g | cream |
| 85 g | honey |
| 208 g | egg yolks/td> |
Bloom gelatin in cold water. Boil cream and honey. Temper into eggs.
Heat to 82ºC stirring constantly. Add gelatin. Divide into 4 bowls and cool to 40ºC.
Assembly: Spread a thin layer of cremux over croquant. Place cake sheet on top. Layer and repeat until done.