What are we eating ? | Cooking for your lover

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

Guilty pleasure: maple and spice cake, chestnuts and cranberries

At Ratafia, a dessert bar located in Little Italy in Montreal, pastry chef Alix Marquis-Gobeille is doing high flying. The menu of 10 desserts, developed by her and her predecessor Valentin Rouyé, is designed to amaze the eyes and the taste buds.

Creations with complex techniques that often require several trials and errors. “We are looking a lot, we can do endless tests, if it is not to our taste. Really, the meticulousness of the desserts is what I was looking for and what I found here”, explains Alix Marquis-Gobeille.

Wishing to offer an accessible recipe, she created a dessert especially for us: a spiced, cranberry and chestnut cake which, if included in the Ratafia menu, would be in a more elaborate version. And as in the restaurant, it is served on the plate.

For 6 persons

Ingredients for the maple and spice cake

• 1 egg
• 1 cup maple sugar
• 3 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla essence
• 100ml milk
• 1/3 cup ground almonds
• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 C. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 C. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Ingredients for the chestnut cream and rum

• 1/2 cup sweetened vanilla chestnut purée
• 1/3 cup softened semi-salted butter
• 1 C. rum

Ingredients for the cranberry compote

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Ingredients for the candied cranberries

• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, halved
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup of water

Ingredients for the finish

• Steamed chestnuts (on sale in delicatessens)
• Marigold shoots or other (optional)

Preparation of the maple and spice cake

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 14 cm by 27 cm rectangular loaf pan and place parchment paper at the bottom to facilitate unmolding of the cake.
• 2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg, maple sugar and maple syrup until frothy.
• 3. Add melted butter and vanilla.
• 4. In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
• 5. Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk to the cake mix using a whisk.
• 6. Put the mixture in the mold. Also expand.
• 7. Bake for about 30 minutes. Use a toothpick or the tip of a knife to check for doneness.
• 8. Leave to cool, then cut it into 6 beautiful strips for presentation on a plate. To book.

Note: The cake can be made the day before and tempered for serving.

Preparation of the chestnut and rum cream

• 1. Using an electric mixer, beat all the ingredients together on medium speed for 1 minute. To book.

Preparing the cranberry compote

• 1. Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan.
• 2. Cook until the cranberries burst and stew. Let cool.

Preparation of candied cranberries

• 1. In a small saucepan, boil the sugar and water.
• 2. Add the cranberries and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Dressage

• 1. Place a strip of cake on each plate.
• 2. For each cake, first spread the cranberry compote.
• 3. Put the chestnut cream and rum in a pastry bag or in a small resealable bag and decorate the cake.
• 4. Top with a few candied cranberries, to taste.
• 5. Using a mandolin, cut the steamed chestnuts into very thin slices. Place them on the cake.
• 6. Add a few marigold shoots for decoration.

Published on lapresse.ca on December 16, 2019.

Peckish: Pudina Chutney (mint chutney)

The mint chutney is a recipe proposed by Kieran, a boy from Lachine whose father is Indian and mother, Quebecer. This dish, which comes from Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India, is presented in a nice collection of recipes, The world in my lunch box. Created by families attending the Center multi-ressources de Lachine, this book was produced in collaboration with author and illustrator Talhí Briones.

For 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 500 ml (2 cups) fresh mint
• 250 ml (1 cup) fresh cilantro
• Small hot green peppers (optional, to taste)
• 1 C. tablespoons fresh ginger, cut into small pieces
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) lemon juice
• 1 C. tablespoon fresh grated coconut
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 C. sugar
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water

Preperation

• 1. In the jar of the electric mixer, add all the ingredients and mix until smooth.
• 2. Scrape edges as needed and blend until smooth. Add a little water if needed.
• 3. Adjust the seasoning and serve on buttered naan bread topped with cucumber slices or simply as a dip with papadums (legume flour patties).

Variation: For a protein spread, add 250 ml (1 cup) of plain yogurt to preparation or serving.

Source: The world in my lunch boxrecipes reviewed by Marianne Lefebvre, nutritionist at Integration Nutrition, illustrations by Talhí Briones, from Talhí Design, Center multi-ressources de Lachine, 2019.

Published on lapresse.ca on September 14, 2019.

Quickly done well done: golden croissants by Samuel Joubert

Servings: 4 croissants

Preparation: 5 mins

Cooking: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 4 fresh croissants
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup of milk
• A cork of dark rum
• 1 C. butter
• Maple syrup

Preperation

• 1. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk and rum, then whisk to combine.
• 2. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
• 3. Dip the croissants in the mixture and crush them lightly to release the air. Hold under the liquid to let it absorb slightly.
• 4. Place the croissants in the hot pan and add a small ladle of mixture on top of each. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then flip. Add another small ladle and continue cooking until golden brown.
• 5. Serve with a generous amount of your favorite syrup and cover with fresh fruit.

Note: for a non-alcoholic version, the rum can be replaced by vanilla essence.

Source: Samuel Joubert, taken from Coup de Grace

Published on lapresse.ca on December 29, 2019.

Call me boss! : walleye rillettes, asparagus salad and ravigote sauce

Recipe by Simon Leblanc, chef at Joséphine

Ingredients for the rillettes

• 200 g walleye fillet
• 50g cream cheese
• 50g mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. tablespoons drained and chopped capers
• 2 tbsp. tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 2 tbsp. chopped parsley
• Zest and juice of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for the salad

• 2 to 4 Quebec asparagus, preferably
• Ingredients for the ravigote sauce
• 250ml olive oil
• 1 C. old fashioned mustard
• 1 C. white wine vinegar
• 3 small chopped pickles
• 2 tbsp. chopped capers
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 tbsp. chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp. chopped chervil
• 1 C. chopped tarragon

Sauce preparation

• 1. Put the mustard and vinegar in a mixing bowl.
• 2. Add the oil in a thin stream while whisking.
• 3. Add the rest of the ingredients.
• 4. Adjust seasoning if desired.

Preparation of the rillettes

• 5. Steam the walleye.
• 6. Remove skin and bones.
• 7. In a cul-de-poule, mash the fish flesh with a fork.
• 8. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Preparation of the salad

• 9. Cut the hard part of the stem of the asparagus.
• 10. Cut the raw asparagus lengthwise using a mandolin or a vegetable peeler.
• 11. Serve the rillettes with the asparagus salad, ravigote sauce in vinaigrette and toasted bread.

Published on lapresse.ca on April 25, 2020.

Health ! : Old fashioned

Preparing a cocktail is less rocket science than it seems. Just follow the recipe… and have the right glass to serve it!

Ingredients

• 1 square of white sugar
• 2 drops of Angostura
• 2 dashes of sparkling water (Perrier)
• 2 oz bourbon
• 2 cherries

Preperation

• Crush the sugar in the glass with a pestle.
• Add the Angostura, sparkling water, then the bourbon.
• Put ice.
• Decorate with the cherries.

Published on lappresse.ca on December 3, 2017.