This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Rising star of culinary creation in Quebec, Lindsay Brun has had a series of projects since winning the competition Wall of Chefs on the Food Network Canada channel in 2020. At the head of her small cake, dessert and jam business Sucre Brun, the self-taught cook of Haitian origin has carved out a place for herself on two Télé-Québec shows. It launches in a few days Byenvini at Lindsay, a book of recipes as colorful and generous as her person. Something to warm our hearts and our taste buds at the height of winter.
As Lindsay Brun says from the outset in her book: “I am a culinary creator, an entrepreneur, an entertainer, a daughter, a sister, a cousin and a friend. » The gourmet world of the cook is indeed built on her roots, her family, her travels and her encounters. Her mother, Mardelle, who guided her towards the kitchen, is also very present throughout the pages of Byenvini at Lindsay. There you can find sunny versions of meatloaf, ham with pineapple or banana bread.
“When I was a child, my mother treated us to delicious meals three times a day, and she prepared me a cake for each of my birthdays,” confides the designer. So, even though I wasn’t in the kitchen with her — I preferred to go and have fun — I think she unconsciously passed on her passion to me. Besides, she always cooked while speaking out loud, so I undoubtedly remembered bits and pieces of it! »
From cakes to complete meals
Lindsay Brun took her first culinary steps as an adult, making cakes and desserts for her friends. Until they pushed her to make this hobby a more serious project, because they thought she had talent. From there was born the idea of his small business Sucre Brun, specializing in desserts, then that of simmering all kinds of savory dishes.
“From that moment on, I started writing and standardizing recipes. I already wanted to share a part of my energy, my culture and my family stories with people, to invite myself and my cuisine into their homes” indicates the designer. Lindsay Brun has since taken up residence at Télé-Québec and can’t wait to see her first book arrive in bookstores.
Cultural and culinary mix
Since Lindsay Brun is of Haitian origin, but grew up in Quebec and loves to travel, her cuisine is tinged with several influences. “My bases are truly Caribbean,” she explains. I incorporate spices, ti-malis (a spicy sauce made with peppers and fresh herbs), pikliz (the Haitian equivalent of Korean kimchi) in many dishes. I provide a recipe for diri blan (white rice) tasty, and which will, I’m sure, change people’s lives, ha ha! But I also have favorite Quebec products like maple syrup, lobster, shrimp or beets. And I draw inspiration from certain specialties from the South of the United States or elsewhere. »
This melting pot results in dishes that are colorful, comforting and quite easy to make — there are a number of steps to prepare, but they are generally simple to follow. Chicken, plantains, pâtés, hearty cakes, salads and cold drinks; we find in Byenvini at Lindsay all the flavor of Creole cuisine, right down to the French heritage of this part of the world with a croissant casserole recipe. But we also come across recipes for blueberry grills, Basque cake, corn pancakes, ramen, meatballs, and even crostini. Fireworks in the mouth guaranteed.
“I seek to create luminous recipes, fun and festive,” confirms Lindsay Brun, who offers them in her book for all occasions, from aperitifs to brunch, and from weekday meals to weekend receptions.
Suggestions from the designer
This all sounds pretty tempting, so where can we start? “As it is cold at the moment, I would recommend what in Haiti they call Corn for the Good Wife,” our interlocutor replies. It’s a kind of shepherd’s pie, but without corn or potatoes. It is usually prepared as a layer of meat and polenta. It’s very good and filling. »
Still in the Caribbean spirit, the designer suggests we discover the chayote (also called christophine in homage to Christopher Columbus, who revealed it when he arrived in the New World), a cucurbit that is popular in the Caribbean. His particuliarity ? It is eaten whole, both raw and cooked. Lindsay Brun offers us a gratin version in her book.
“But to be closer to our North American news, I advise you to try for the Super Bowl my recipes for chicken wings and pikliz fries, as well as my popcorn with butter.cobs (spicy, in Creole). You will give me the news ! »
Byenvini at Lindsay
Lindsay Brun, Saint-Jean Éditeur, Laval, 2024, 200 pages. In bookstores February 7.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.