by Chef Blair Lebsack and Caitlin Fulton
High-quality products shave the workload
Blair Lebsack and Caitlin Fulton, partners in Edmonton’s iconic RGE RD, have created a menu that is not only delicious, but extremely doable in a home kitchen. What’s the secret? Be smart about buying high-quality comestibles to shave the workload.
“At RGE RD we cook items that celebrate the foods and flavours of Alberta. Having guidelines or limitations on ingredients allows us to know where to look for inspiration, how to create and where to push the boundaries. That’s at the restaurant. At home, we know cooking and entertaining is, actually, quite a bit of work. Why not let some amazing artisan products do the work for you? People love to gather over a board and what a great place to add some really beautiful ingredients from further away. The menu starts with a passed appetizer and a tinned seafood platter, followed by a lamb roast with two vegetables, and finishes with a cheese and dessert platter.” –chef Blair Lebsack
Menu by Blair, drinks by Caitlyn. Serves 6-8 people generously.
Foie Gras Toast with Apple Compote and Shaved Walnuts
| 2 x 90 g | tin/jar foie gras paté or mousse |
| ½ | baguette, sliced and toasted for crostini |
| 1 | apple compote (recipe follows) |
| ½ c | walnut halves |
Apple Compote
| 1 | apple, ambrosia or pink lady |
| ¼ c | apple juice |
| 1 T | champagne vinegar |
| 2 T | water |
| 1 T + 1 t | maple syrup |
| ¼ sprig | fresh thyme |
| 1 | lemon, zested and juiced |
Peel and cut the apple into a small dice. Place in water with a teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix the apple juice, vinegar, water, maple syrup and remaining lemon juice in a pot. Drain the apples, add to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-8 minutes until apples are soft.
Separate the apples from the liquid and reduce liquid until it’s a syrupy consistency. Pour syrup over the apples and stir in minced lemon zest and chopped thyme.
To assemble, spread a generous amount of foie gras on each crostini, top with apple compote. Finish by shaving walnuts with a microplane over the top of each piece.
Tinned Seafood Platter
High quality tinned seafood is impressive and allows you time to enjoy your own party. This is not a recipe, more a how to guide to build a good looking and tasty platter.
Tinned Seafood
sardines in hot olive oil
chipirones en su tinta (squid in ink)
smoked mussels
Sides
Perelló Spanish green olives, gherkins,
pickled onions, green beans or asparagus, sliced cucumber
lemon mayonnaise
assorted crackers or crostini
Arrange attractively on a large platter for guests to help themselves.
Wine Pairing
Blue Mountain Gold Label Brut (Okanagan Falls, British Columbia)
This brut sparkling wine is full of ripe apple and pear fruit, toasty pastry crust, subtle spice with zesty lemony acidity. Made in the traditional method (like Champagne) the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in this cuveé are hand harvested and aged sur lie for two to three years before disgorgement. It’s always great quality and value. The vineyard is still under the careful stewardship of the Mavety family, now in its second generation. We have endeavoured to have this wine on our list since we opened in 2013.
Non-Alcoholic Alternative
Benjamin Bridge Nova Zero (Nova Scotia)
This is a great inclusive complement to an array of appetizers; made from Muscat grapes and finished with sea salt.
Roast Leg of Lamb with Pan Jus
| 1 | leg of lamb (have the butcher de-bone and tie lamb leg) |
| 3 cloves | garlic |
| 1 | carrot, rough chop |
| ½ | onion, rough chop |
| ¼ c | red wine |
| ½ c | beef or chicken stock |
| salt and pepper to taste | |
| ¼ c | canola oil |
| a couple leaves of sage |
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Use the tip of a knife and make a tiny pocket in the lamb leg, push in 1 whole clove of garlic. Do this in 3 separate places. Rub with oil and season the outside of the lamb.
Place the carrot and onion on the bottom of the roasting pan and place the lamb on top.
Cook in a 400ºF oven for 30 minutes, then turn down to 350ºF.
Continue to roast for another 35-40 minutes (medium, 133-135ºF, carry-over cooking it will finish at 140ºF). Remove from the oven, take out of the roasting pan and allow to rest for 20-25 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, deglaze the pan with red wine and stock, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all the tasty bits off the bottom. Simmer for a few minutes over a burner, then strain into small pot, add fresh sage and put back on the heat to reduce a bit; thicken if needed.
Green Beans with Onions, Hemp Seeds and Bird’s Eye Chili
| 2lb | green beans, trimmed |
| 3 cloves | garlic, very thinly sliced |
| 1 lg | onion, small dice (2 cups diced) |
| 1 T | crushed Bird’s eye chili (or more if you like more heat) |
| ½ c | cold pressed canola oil (you may need a little more as well) |
| ¼ c | hemp seeds |
| ¼ | lemon |
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. Boil beans until just tender, but still crisp and bright green. Start testing after 4 minutes or so, being careful not to overcook. When done, plunge beans into the ice water to stop cooking. Lift out when cool (about 2 minutes) then drain on towels. Prep the beans up to a day in advance and keep refrigerated, wrapped in towels.
When ready to cook, heat canola oil in a wide skillet over low heat. Add the onions and cook slowly (do not allow onions to darken) stirring for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 5-10 minutes, then the hemp seeds, chili and remaining oil, and turn the heat up to medium high. Add the beans and sauté until heated through and the onion and garlic have browned up a little. Sprinkle with salt, add a squeeze of lemon juice and put in a serving dish.
Celeriac Mashed Potatoes
I prefer steaming the celeriac and potatoes, so they don’t become waterlogged, and pull the butter out of the fridge before you start cooking. The recipe will take about 1 hour to make.
| 2 bulbs | celeriac, after peeling, quartered, about 3 cups |
| 4 lg | russet potatoes, quartered (800 grams peeled) |
| ½ c | heavy cream |
| 1/3 c | milk |
| just under 1 stick (¼ c) of butter, room temp, cubed (100 grams) | |
| 1 T + 1 t | kosher salt |
Place potatoes in the bottom of a steamer pan, with the celeriac on top. Steam for 40 minutes. Remove the celeriac, and allow potatoes to continue to steam for another 5 minutes while you purée the celeriac.
Purée celeriac with the heavy cream until smooth, using an immersion blender, food processor or blender. Reserve.
Check the potatoes by piercing with a knife, they should have no resistance. Put the steamed potatoes into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. (If doing by hand put into a bowl and use a potato masher.) Turn the mixer on low and break up the potatoes for 10 seconds, then turn up and really whip the potatoes for about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer, add the butter and salt, mix slowly to incorporate. Add celeriac purée and milk, mix on low until blended. Check consistency, add more milk if it’s too thick.
Wine Pairing
2021 Domaine Jamet Côtes du Rhône Rouge (Rhône Valley, France)
This wine is 100 per cent Syrah from the commune of Ampuis. There is so much finesse! Hand harvested, destemmed and aged without new oak. Supple red and black fruit with an iron core, meaty curing spices and fresh herbs along with the acidity it needs to be a great match to the rich flavours of the main course.
After Dinner Cheese Board
I like to have 3-5 selections of different ages, textures and flavours (goat, sheep and cows milk), about 150 g of each.
Cheeses:
| Fresh | crottin with Labrador tea leaf, fromage blanc or whipped ricotta |
| Soft | Brie Paysan, Délice de Bourgogne, La Magie de Madawaska (washed rind) |
| Unique | Morel Buttercheese, Tête de Moine, Grey Owl |
| Firm | aged Grizzly Gouda, aged Clothbound Cheddar, Comté, Manchego |
| Strong | Blue Cheese, Bleu d’Élizabeth, Shropshire Blue, Stilton |
Complements
| Jams and Jellies | Crabapple with lavender and gin, Spiced Apple and Gewürztraminer or your own jam or jelly. |
| Fruit | sliced apples and pears, add dried fruit and nuts |
| Breads | Buttermilk crackers, rustic cheddar loaf, cranberry nut bread, baguette |
More is more. Don’t forget to have cheese knives, demitasse spoons and even labels.
Wine Pairing
Feudo Montoni Passito Bianco Terre Siciliane IGT (Sicily, Italy)
Sun-dried organic Grillo and Catarratto create a concentrated wine that tows the line between honeyed sweetness and sapidity. A beautiful pairing with cheeses, with notes of toasted nuts, dried stone fruit and marmalade. Luscious.