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Classic Toutiere

Tuesday, February 5

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Feeds: 3-4 people
Fills: 1X 9inch pie shell, or 12-15 mini pie shells

Filling:
1 lb. venison, caribou, elk, or even bison, use a lesser cut, like tri-tip or chuck
2 tbsp. shallots, minced
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
2 tbsp. canola oil
½ cup red wine
2 cups veal or beef stock
1 cup demiglace or beef gravy
1 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary
1 tsp. fresh chopped thyme
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground mace
TT salt and pepper
1 tbsp. red currant jelly

1 cup mashed potatoes (you can even use your leftover mashed potatoes from last night’s dinner!)

9inch pie dough, with top

Use your favorite recipe, pick it up at grocery store, or head to my Facebook page at facebook.com/ChefShufelt where I share my mom’s secret dough recipe!

  • If you are preparing your own pie dough, do that now, so that it has time to rest before rolling
  • If you have some leftover mashed potatoes great! If not, prepare 1 cup worth of your best mashed potatoes
  • Meanwhile, using a knife, mince the game meat by hand, alternatively you can use ground meat
  • Heat a large saute pan to high heat, add the cooking oil, followed by the meat
  • Saute on high heat until lightly browned, then add onions and garlic, continue to saute
  • Deglaze the pan with the red wine, allow to reduce
  • Add the stock to the pan and bring to a simmer
  • Add the spices and seasoning, simmer slowly until the stock is all but reduced
  • Now add a rich beef gravy, or better still, if you can get it, demiglace, and the red currant jelly
  • Stir all ingredients to combine and cook down until fairly thick and hearty, you do not want this runny for when you are placing it in the pie shells.
  • Set aside and cool, you do not want the filling to be hot when placing it in the dough

1 pc. egg
2 tbsp. milk

Now it is time to put the pie together!

  • Preheat the oven to 350F
  • Using a spoon spread the mashed potatoes thinly, about half an inch thick, over the bottom of the pie shell, this will help to ensure that your pie shell from getting soggy
  • Top the potatoes generously with the meat filling, followed by the top layer of dough, pinching the dough together to seal it
  • Using a paring knife, slit a small cross or star in the top of the dough to allow the steam to escape, preventing the dough from getting soggy
  • Combine the egg and milk, whisking together
  • Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie, this will help to provide a nice sheen to the finished dough
  • Place the pie on a baking sheet and place in the oven, bake until the dough is golden brown and flaky, 20-25 minutes

Slice a piece of the meat pie and serve with mashed potatoes and gravy! Head to my Facebook page at facebook.com/ChefShufelt where I will share my mom’s pie dough recipe to really take this dish to the next level!

Beet Chips

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes

Special tools: mandolin or V-slicer, deep fryer with temperature control, or deep fryer thermometer

4 ea. large beets (again, try some different varieties to really showcase the diversity and color)
10 cups vegetable oil
TT sea salt

  • Either in a pot or in your deep fryer, heat your oil up to 350F

*Always use extreme caution when cooking with a pot of oil, never fill the pot over half full and never over crowd the pot with too much at once. Most importantly, do not add water or any volume of liquids to hot oil as it will boil over*

  • Don’t peel the beets, rather, using a paring knife, cut the bottom off the beet to allow you to start with evenly round chips
  • Using a mandolin, thinly slice the beets into round coins, go as thin as you can, while maintaining the integrity of the coins, about 1/8” thick
  • Line a pan or bowl with paper towel
  • Once the oil is hot place the chips into the oil a few dozen pieces at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pot, as this will cause your chips to cook unevenly
  • Stir the chips as they cook with a slotted spoon or a mesh sieve to prevent them from sticking together
  • Once most of the bubbling has subsided scoop out the chips and shake off excess fat, then place on paper towel to absorb remainder of excess fat, season quickly
  • Repeat until all of the chips are cooked

Roasted Beets with Maple-Bourbon Butter

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

2 lbs. beets (again, head to the farmer’s market)
4 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. bourbon
TT salt & pepper

I like to boil my beets to peel them and to soften them up slightly before I roast them. Never peel your beets before they go into the water because you will lose all of that good colour

  • Place the beets in a medium pot and cover with water, bring to a simmer and cook the beets until fork tender, but not soft, 12-15 minutes
  • Immediately remove the beets from the water and place in an ice bath to cool
  • Once cool, gently peel the beets, this can be done by hand or with a paring knife, but the skin just about slide right off

*You can do this prior to serving the salad and then simply finish the beets when you are ready for them, it really speeds up the cooking time at dinner*

  • Preheat the oven to 400F
  • Line a small roasting pan with parchment paper
  • Place the beets on the pan, seasoning them generously, leaving some room between each of them, place in the oven for 10 minutes
  • Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, melt the butter, add the bourbon carefully, as it may flame, then add the maple syrup
  • Bring to a simmer
  • Remove the beets from the oven and using a pastry brush, glaze the beets generously, return the beets to the oven another 2-3 minutes
  • Repeat this process 2-3 times to nicely coat the beets evenly
  • Remove the beets from the oven and serve

Pickled Beets

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Requires: 5 half litre mason jars

5 lbs. baby beets (head to the Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market and visit Peas on Earth, they still have gold and candy cane beets!)
2 cups white sugar
1 lt. white vinegar
1 tbsp. pickling salt
20 pc. whole cloves
2 tbsp. mustard seed
2 tsp. coriander

  • Place beets in a medium pot, cover with water, bring to a simmer and cook until tender, about 15 minutes, if using a variety of beets boil separately and jar separately to preserve the colors
  • Drain, reserving 2 cups of the beet water, cool and peel
  • Sterilize the mason jars and lids by immersing in a pot of boiling water for at least 10 minutes
  • Remove the jars from the water, then divide the beets up evenly amongst the jars
  • Carefully divide the cloves amongst the jars
  • In a pot combine the sugar, beet water, vinegar and pickling salt, bring to a boil
  • Pour the hot brine over the beets in the jars and seal the lids
  • Place a rack in the bottom of a large pot and fill halfway with water
  • Using a jar holder carefully lower the jar into the water, if necessary pour more water in to ensure the jars are immersed completely
  • Bring the pot to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes
  • Remove, set aside and store in a cool place

These will take as little as two weeks or up to two months to fully pickle, depending on how large your beets are. For the sake of the salad, if you are in a rush you can use some beets you have already pickled, or if you have to, pick up some pickled beets, I won’t tell!

Pork Medallions in Mushroom Cream Sauce

Feeds: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
½ lt. chicken stock
½ cup white wine
½ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. minced shallots
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1.5 lbs. pork loin or tenderloin medallions, ½ inch thick
4 tbsp. canola oil

  • In a medium thick bottomed sauce pot melt the butter
  • Quickly add the flour and stir in the flour with a whisk
  • Continue to cook over medium heat, while stirring, until the flour and butter is well combined and begins to lightly brown, you have now made a roux, the thickening agent for our sauce
  • Quickly add the chicken stock and whisk vigorously as you bring it to a simmer
  • Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly as the sauce begins to thicken
  • As your sauce is thickening, it’s time to prepare the pork
  • Heat a large deep sauce pan to high heat, using 2 tbsp. canola oil, season and saute the pork medallions, browning one side, then flipping and browning the other side, then remove and set aside, be sure not to overcrowd the pan, as this will cause the meat to steam rather than sear
  • Now, using the other 2 tbsp. of canola oil, saute the shallots and garlic, then quickly add the mushrooms and saute until lightly browned
  • Deglaze the pan with the white wine, lightly scraping the bottom of the pan to extract all of the great caramelized flavours
  • Once the white wine has reduced by half, add your sauce that you have prepared into the mushrooms and bring to a simmer
  • Add the cream and fresh chopped thyme to the pan and stir to combine
  • Return the pork to the pan and heat through
  • Adjust the seasoning of the sauce and then serve over your favourite starch

Coconut Cream Pie

Prepares: One 9 inch pie
Feeds: 6-8 people

Coconut Pastry Cream
1 cup milk
1 cup canned, unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
2 ea. large eggs
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp. flour
4 tbsp. butter, room temperature
1 ea. 9 inch pie shell (there is a great coconut pie shell recipe in the book if you dare be adventurous)

Whipped Cream Topping
2.5 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste

Garnish
½ cup large shred coconut
4-6 oz. white chocolate

  • Blind bake the pie shell and cool
  • Combine milk, coconut milk, shredded coconut, and vanilla bean paste in medium sauce pan
  • Place over medium high heat and stir until the mixture comes to a near boil
  • In a bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour until combined
  • Temper the eggs by pouring a small amount of the milk mixture into the eggs, then add the warmed egg mixture to the saucepan
  • Whisk the mixture well over medium high heat until the pastry cream thickens and bubbles
  • Keep whisking until the mixture is very thick, 4-5 minutes or more
  • Remove from the heat and add the butter, whisk until it is melted
  • Place the pastry cream in a bowl in an ice bath and cool, then cover directly with plastic wrap
  • When the pastry cream is cool place in the pie shell and smooth out evenly
  • Using a mixer, whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until it reaches stiff peaks
  • For nice presentation, place in a piping bag and pipe over the pastry cream, but if you’re not too worried, smear it over the pie evenly, trust me, it won’t change the taste!
  • For the garnish, preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the coconut chips on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 7-8 minutes, watching carefully and stirring regularly, remove and allow to cool
  • Place on the pie once cooled
  • To finish it off, use a vegetable peeler to scrape the white chocolate into long curls over the pie

Enjoy this delectable dessert from one of North America’s greatest chefs, with a few subtle tweaks to make it my own.

Braised Back Ribs

Feeds: 2 for appetizer or 1 for meal, doubles easily
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 3 hours

1 side Baby back Ribs
2 lt. Chicken Stock
1 ea. large onion, peeled, chopped into large dice
2 stalks celery, chopped into large dice, leaves removed
4 ea medium carrots, peeled, chopped into large dice
1 tbsp. black peppercorns
2 ea. bay leaves
1 cup red wine

Sake Soy Glaze
5 tbsp. Water
4 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. Sake rice wine

  • Preheat the oven to 350F
  • In a large roasting pan place the chicken stock, onions, celery, carrots, peppercorns, bay leaves, and red wine, then place the ribs on top
  • Cover with aluminum foil and braise in oven until fork tender, but not falling apart, about 2.5 hours
  • Remove from the oven and cool
  • In a small pot combine all Sake Soy glaze ingredients and bring to a simmer
  • Cut ribs into single bones and place the ribs in the glaze
  • Reduce the sauce until it reaches a syrupy consistency
  • Pile the ribs on a plate and serve!

Great White Northern Bean & Bacon Soup

Makes: 4 litres
Soaking Time: minimum 1 hour, but overnight will do
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45-60 minutes

500 gr. Great White Northern beans (you can substitute navy beans if necessary)
½ ea. large onion, julienned
1 tbsp. minced garlic
4 slices Irving’s Farm Fresh smoked bacon, chopped
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 ea. bay leaves
3 lt. chicken stock (or ham stock if you can find it)
½ lt. heavy cream
TT S&P
TT white truffle oil

  • Place the beans in a large tub and generously immerse in water, keeping mind the beans will absorb a great deal of water, set aside minimum 1 hour, but this can be done overnight
  • In a pot on medium high heat, add the cooking oil, chopped bacon, onions, and minced garlic, saute until the bacon is cooked, but not crispy, 4-5 minutes
  • Drain the excess water from the beans and quickly add them to the pot, followed by the chicken stock
  • Bring to a simmer and then add the bay leaves, thyme sprigs
  • Simmer until the beans are soft and tender, 40 minutes or so
  • Add the heavy cream and bring it back to a simmer
  • Remove from the heat, pull out the bay leaves and thyme sprigs
  • Using a hand mixer or blender, carefully puree the soup, keeping in mind that the soup is very hot and can burn you easily!
  • Strain the soup through a fine strainer
  • Pour the soup into a bowl and drizzle generously with white truffle oil

This is the perfect hearty bowl of soup that will warm the soul on even the coldest of winter days.

Mom’s Pancit Recipe

Feeds: 4-6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

2 ea. boneless skinless chicken breast
1 cup onions, minced
1 cup carrots, julienned
2 cups cabbage, shredded*
1 bag fresh chow mein noodles**
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup chicken stock
2 tbsp. canola oil (for cooking)
3 tbsp. soy sauce (for cooking)
2 stalks green onions, chopped, for garnish

  • Thinly slice and marinate the chicken breasts with 2 tbsp. each canola oil and soy sauce
  • Prepare your vegetables
  • Bring a medium pot of water to a boil
  • Place the noodles in a bowl
  • Pour the boiling water over the noodles and let stand until the noodles are tender, 3-5 minutes ( read the cooking instructions on your package for best coking times!)
  • Drain the water and rinse thoroughly with cold water, then drain thoroughly
  • Heat a wok to medium high heat, add cooking oil
  • Place the chicken in the wok and saute until cooked through, 2-3 minutes, depending on the size
  • Remove the chicken from the wok with slotted spoon, leaving behind the excess oil, set aside
  • Add the onions and garlic to the wok, sautéing until translucent
  • Add the carrots and cabbage, saute, then add the chicken stock and cook until the vegetables are tender and the stock has virtually cooked away
  • Return the chicken to the wok and combine, add the soy, and adjust the seasoning to your liking
  • Add the noodles to the wok and stir everything to combine, adjust the seasoning and serve

This dish is very versatile. The term Pancit actually translates to the word noodle, referring more to the fact that it is a noodle dish, rather than the dish itself. There are almost endless variations, featuring various vegetables and/or meats. Once you have the hang of the basics, take this basic dish and explore.

*feel free to use suey choy or napa cabbage*
**now, traditionally this dish would be prepared with rice noodles, but again, this is passed down from person to person and the origins of the dish has changed to suit our family’s needs, choose your family’s favourite noodle and create your own tradition**

Pumpkin Stew

Feeds: 4-6 people
Active Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes

2 pc. medium carrots, peeled, chopped into rounds
½ pc. butternut squash, peeled, large diced
1 ea. sugar pumpkin, or 2 cups chopped standard pumpkin
3 cloves. garlic
1 tbsp. minced ginger
4 tbsp. canola oil
1 ea. red and yellow pepper, seeded, large diced
3 tbsp. red curry paste, I used the Patak
1 can coconut milk
1 lt. vegetable stock
½ ea. red onion, peeled, large dice
1 can chick peas, 540 ml., drained and rinsed

  • Preheat a large saucepot to medium heat
  • Add cooking oil, ginger and garlic, quickly saute
  • Add the peppers and continue to saute
  • Quickly add the carrots, squash and pumpkin, and saute
  • Add the curry paste and stir to combine, then deglaze with stock
  • Bring to a simmer, cover and allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes
  • Remove the lid, stir gently, add the red onions and chick peas
  • Continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender, another 10 minutes or so
  • Adjust the seasoning and prepare to serve

This is a fantastic dish all on it`s on and will go a long way to fill the body and feed the soul on a cold winter`s day. If you want to though, you can easily take this recipe to the next level by throwing in some shredded jerk chicken or sautéed prawns. Or serve it with some sticky rice or roasted potatoes to make it into a meal.