What are we eating ? | Sweet and braised to counter the onset of cold weather

Just before the weekend, all the readers who cook ask themselves this endless question: what are we going to eat? In order to inspire you, Press suggests some suggestions for seasonal recipes that will make your mouth water.

Quickly done well: roast chicken, with sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts

What could be more comforting than roast chicken? A classic that appeals to the whole family. As for those who say they don’t like Brussels sprouts, they’ve never tasted caramelized Brussels sprouts!

4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Brussels sprouts, halved
• 1-2 sweet potatoes, cubed
• 4 French shallots, halved
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tbsp. tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tbsp. tablespoon of honey
• 8 sprigs of thyme
• 6 sprigs of rosemary
• 2 tbsp. tablespoon of butter
• 4 large pieces of chicken with the skin on (e.g. thigh or breast), or 6-8 smaller pieces (e.g. thighs)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preperation

• 1. Preheat the oven to 240 ° C (475 ° F).
• 2. In a bowl, combine the Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, shallots, garlic cloves, olive oil and 1 tbsp. of honey. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• 3. Place all the vegetables on the baking sheet, in a single layer. Cover them with five sprigs of thyme and five sprigs of rosemary.
• 4. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, season well with salt and pepper. Place them directly on the vegetables.
• 5. Melt the butter. Mix with 1 tbsp. honey, remaining thyme (three sprigs, about 2 tsp) and rosemary (one sprig, about 1 tbsp), chopped. Salt and pepper. Brush the chicken pieces with the herb butter.
• 6. Bake 40 minutes in the middle of the oven, and turn the baking sheet once, halfway through cooking. Mix the vegetables with the cooking juices before serving.

Posted on lapresse.ca on November 29, 2018.

Small hollow: blueberry, banana and chocolate pancakes

I recently discovered dried blueberries. They make a change from cranberries and grapes and kids love them. I added some to my banana and chocolate patties and the result is awesome. They are as soft as you want and they freeze very well (if they do not disappear beforehand!).

Yield: 24 patties

Dry ingredients

• 1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1/2 cup large oatmeal
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup of wheat germ
• 1 C. baking powder (baking powder)
• 1/3 cup of dried blueberries
• 1/3 cup unsweetened (or semi-sweet) chocolate chips

Wet ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1 C. vanilla extract

Preperation

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 ° F (180 ° C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• 2. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. To book.
• 3. In a second bowl, vigorously combine all the wet ingredients until a smooth texture is obtained. Add the dry ingredients and mix gently until the flour disappears completely.
• 4. Form 24 patties and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for about fifteen minutes, then let cool.

Posted on The Press + October 25, 2018.

Call me chef! : comforting beef, braised with triple cream

From the book Well living ! by Marc Hervieux

“It’s my favorite recipe for Sundays at the chalet, late in the fall. I prepare the recipe and put it in the oven, while the whole family is on duty outside. You have to rake the leaves, string the wood and prepare the ground for the winter. My greatest happiness is to hear the loud voices of my daughters entering the chalet when we are greeted by the aroma of stewed beef. “

8 servings

Ingredients for the braised beef

• 1.5 kg (3 lb) cubed stewing beef
• 125 ml (½ cup) flour
• 2 tbsp. tablespoons and more butter
• 2 tbsp. and more olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 500 ml (2 cups) light red wine
• 500 ml (2 cups) beef broth
• 1 C. tablespoon of thyme
• 2 bay leaves

Ingredients for the garnish

• 2 tbsp. oil soup
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 8 oz (227 g) packages sliced ​​white mushrooms
• 170 g (6 oz) cubed pancetta
• 500 ml (2 cups) bells in half
• 120 g (4 oz.) Triple cream Camembert without the rind, in small pieces
• 125 ml (½ cup) chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper

Braised Beef Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180 ° C (350 ° F). In a bowl, put the meat and sprinkle with half the flour to coat the cubes well. Divide the meat into 2 or 3 parts to sear it. In a Dutch oven, over high heat, heat the butter and oil, and evenly sear some of the cubes. Repeat with the rest of the meat, adding more butter and oil as needed. Book. In the same pot, over medium heat, brown the onion until translucent, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Sprinkle with remaining flour, stirring with a wooden spoon. Deglaze with the wine, scraping the bottom and the edge to collect the juices. Pour in the broth and mix well. Add the meat, thyme and bay leaf. Add salt and pepper. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Garnish instructions

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are caramelized. Reserve in a bowl. In the same pan, brown the pancetta and transfer with the reserved vegetables. In the fat of the pancetta, add the half bells and brown them, stirring regularly. Transfer to the bowl and mix the filling well. When the meat has cooked for 1 hour 15 minutes, stir in the garnish. Add broth or water, if necessary. Return to the oven. After 1 hour 15 minutes, turn off the oven and let the simmer rest for 20 minutes. Just before serving, scatter the pieces of cheese and parsley. Mix and adjust the seasoning.

Posted on lapresse.ca on November 8, 2020.

Guilty pleasure: apple cranberry pie

A recipe by Nick Kemball, from Libertine Bakehouse

Yield: 1 tart, round or rectangular

Ingredients for the sweet dough

• 300 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 85 g icing sugar
• 80 g ground almonds
• 125 g (1/4 lb) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 of c. salt

Ingredients for the almond cream

• 30 g of sugar
• 30 g butter, at room temperature
• 30 g ground almonds
• 1/2 egg
• 1 pinch of salt

Ingredients for the applesauce and cranberries

• 1.2 kg of Cortland apples (about 8 apples)
• 1 C. lemon juice
• 150 ml (2/3 cup) maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 45 g butter, diced, at room temperature
• 2 shots (to taste) of brandy or cognac

Ingredients for the garnish

• 4 Cortland apples
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup lingonberries *
• Maple syrup

Preperation

• 1. Preheat oven to 190 ° C (375 ° F).
  Sweet dough
• 2. In a bowl or a mixer, cream (mix) the butter, sugar and ground almonds.
• 3. Add the egg yolks, one at a time. Add flour and salt. Mix and knead gently until the dough is smooth.
• 4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap. Put in the refrigerator, and let stand for at least an hour.
  Almond cream
• 5. In a bowl, cream the butter with the sugar, almonds and salt. Add the egg and mix well. Set aside, covered with plastic wrap or in a small container.
  Applesauce
• 6. No need to peel the apples. Core them and cut them into large pieces. Mix with the lemon juice, maple syrup and cinnamon, then place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the apples are tender and there is not much liquid on the baking sheet. Let cool, then mix in a food processor with the butter and brandy. Pass through a sieve if necessary.
• 7. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin on a floured work surface. Line a round or rectangular dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Lower the oven to 350 ° F.
• 8. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is a little golden. Let cool.
• 9. Garnish the pie shell with a layer of almond cream. Place in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes to cook and lightly brown the almond cream.
• 10. Mix the applesauce with 3 tablespoons of lingonberries. Add enough of this mixture to fill the pie shell to the brim. Spread using a spatula.
  Accompaniement
• 11. Core the apples. Do not peel them. Cut the apples with a knife into very thin strips, and mix with the lemon juice. Divide into two batches and cook lightly in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• 12. On a cutting board, place about 12 apple slices, overlapping them. Roll them on themselves to give them the shape of a rose and place them on the pie. Repeat. Once all the roses have been placed on the pie, brush them with maple syrup, and bake for 5 minutes. Garnish with lingonberries.
• 13. Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or custard.

* Note: Lingonberries are delicious, but rather rare. Our pastry chef says he finds some frozen at the Jean-Talon market. They can also be omitted from the recipe.

Posted on lapresse.ca on September 21, 2017.

Health ! : Hot Quebecois Toddy

No need to have a cold to prepare a Hot Toddy. This hot drink, similar to grog, is an Irish classic made with whiskey, lemon and spices. Mixologist Adaina Smyth, manager of Les Cousins ​​bar on the South Shore, has created a Quebec version of this warm and comforting drink. “You can easily replace certain ingredients and put what you have on hand,” she explains. This cocktail is very flexible. “

This is the case with apple must with ginger (sometimes difficult to find) and homemade maple syrup with ginger. If you don’t have time to prepare it, the ready-made syrup from Charlatans or Monsieur Cocktail will do the job.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Sivo rye
• 0.5 oz of Avril amaretto
• 0.5 oz of ginger maple syrup *
• 0.5 oz of verjuice
• 4 oz of Michel Jodoin apple must with ginger

Decoration: lemon slice, star anise or cinnamon stick

Glass: mug

Preperation

• 1. Heat the must until it boils.
• 2. Place the alcohols and the ginger maple syrup in a mug.
• 3. Pour the hot cider over the other ingredients.
• 4. Stir with a cinnamon stick and decorate.

* Ginger maple syrup recipe

Ingredients

• 200 g of ginger
• 375 ml maple syrup

Preperation

• 1. Peel the ginger and cut it into small pieces of half a centimeter.
• 2. Put the cubed ginger in the blender and cover with hot water.
• 3. Mash the ginger.
• 4. Pour the mash into a large saucepan with the maple syrup.
• 5. Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil.
• 6. Position the cover at an angle so that the liquid does not overflow.
• 7. Lower the heat and simmer for about two hours, stirring occasionally.
• 8. Pass the infusion through a fine Chinese and, using a ladle, squeeze out all the juice.
• 9. The syrup will keep for up to a month in the refrigerator.

Posted on lapresse.ca on December 25, 2020.