Vancouver Island Sgambato Prosciutto - A First!

The concepts around farm to plate eating just keep getting more interesting. Especially with creative minds like Andrew Moyer.

As co-owner of Ottavio, purveyor of all things cheese, salumi, breads and higher-end food stuffs - especially of the Italian variety - he is constantly sourcing top quality ingredients. One of his artisan sausage suppliers is Vancouver's John van der Leick of Oyama Sausage Company.

A 5th generation sausage and ham maker - and also a creative thinker - is renowned for his innovative combinations such as truffle bratwurst and wild boar prosciutto.

Oyama stocks the deli case with many items at Ottavio, and the kitchens of Vancouver's discerning chefs and foodies. Sausages, pates, hams and terrines are all handmade from only family farm raised meats with no preservatives and include many seasonal B.C. ingredients such as Okanagan fruits, as well as East Indian and Chinese spices.

From a solid business relationship to a friendship, Moyer realized they had the same work ethic and same sense of foodie adventure. Moyer also got a real sense of what goes into making Oyama products by spending time grinding spices in the commissary. "It was like an Olympic event in there," he recalls.

It was van der Leick who first suggested the Vancouver Island ham. The two joined forces to create a Vancouver Island cured ham exclusively for Ottavio, giving it an Italian name - sgambato - referring to the leg being deboned.

Moyer sourced heirloom Berkshire pigs from Metchosin farmer Tom Henry, ordering 30 legs, along with Island rosemary and lavender.

The legs were sea-salted at Oyama for one week to set, then an application of black pepper, rosemary and lavender, followed by further time to set (one month) with exacting humidity and temperature control.

Over the next four months the legs are air-dried where the salt and aromatic herbs can further penetrate the luscious leg and work their magic. They'll also spend some time stacked on top of each other to press the area where the bone was removed together.

The end result is a sweet salty balance of flavour, an aromatic bouquet and a two-tone colour with lovely marbling.

The pinker side is closer to the fat. And what delicious fat it is! The smell is heavenly. It instantly reminds me of ripe cantaloupe, and the taste is a perfect balance of salty and sweet.

The darker side, slightly drier, is reminiscent of a speck (a smoked prosciutto). Both sides retain the right amount of moistness. According to Moyer, the curing process will reach its peak in another two months. I can only imagine how the flavours might mellow or soften and look forward to another round of tasting.
The 6 kg leg in the great outdoors. Hello, freedom!
This Vancouver Island delicacy is best enjoyed straight-up, thinly sliced, maybe with a juicy Asian pear for contrast, some arugula for bite, and a baguette. Moyer also suggests a topping of shaved parmesan (use a potato peeler to achieve nice ribbony pieces).

Hands down, this is the best prosciutto I've ever eaten. Pricewise - at $4.95 per 100 grams - it's lower than top quality Italian prosciutto and Spanish Jamon Serrano.

It's now slowly making its way into the hands of our city's discerning chefs, most notably Sean Brennan of Brasserie L'ecole, and Cory Pelan of La Piola.

Great minds think alike.

Mole Amarillo - Not the one with chocolate!

Fall and winter are perfect seasons to make moles. These renowned labour-intensive stews of Mexico, especially Oaxaca state, are slow-cooked, healing dishes infused with earthy chilies and herbs. While mole poblano - the one with the chocolate - gets bandied about ad nauseum where I live - other moles from the family are passed over. And that's a shame.

Mole amarillo, or yellow mole, finds herbs, tomatillos, chilie guajillos and broth as a base over stewed meat - I find pork or chicken the best - along with potatoes, green beans and chayote (vegetable pear). Deep bowls of this delicious stew are served topped with lightly pickled roasted green chilies and onions, and lots of hot corn tortillas.

The process of making moles can be daunting, but this is one of the easiest for first timers.

Roasting and toasting - even charring - of ingredients is a major feature of moles and usually starts with roasting garlic and onions.
Rajas (or strips) of roasted green chilies is the name of the dish consisting of pickled chilies and onion used to top this particular mole. I use anaheims chilies. (If you're somewhere where you can buy chile de agua use those, although they're ripping hot).

Blister the chilies evenly via a comal or this cast iron flatsie I found in an East Indian market. Once blistered, transfer to a plastic bag or bowl to sweat a bit and cool down enough to handle.
Peel, then sliced down the middle, remove the seeds and inner membrane, and slice into lengthwise pieces.

Add thinly sliced white onion to match the amount of sliced chilies, add freshly squeezed lime juice, salt and a hit of Mexican oregano. Cover and let meld together in the fridge. This usually takes at least four hours.

Keep going.

This recipe from Diana Kennedy's The Art of Mexican Cooking requires 12 chilie guajillos. Other recipes request other varieties mixed with the guajillos, but these are most likely the easiest to procure. Look for chilies with smooth skin, evenly coloured and still pliable. The texture is like fruit leather.

Remove the stems, seeds and inner membranes and get ready to toast. I find it easier to toast the pieces when they are cut into halves, but you must find your own way.

Toast each side until they become tobacco-coloured. See how the skin colour is changing? Look!

Rinse quickly under cold water to stop the cooking, and soak all the toasted chilie pieces in hot water for about 20 minutes. This softens the guajillo's tough skin, making it easier to blend smoothly.
Take a look at your mise en place.

Cumin, allspice, cloves and Mexican oregano are the herbs. The chilies are soaking. The roasted onion and garlic sit ready. Chayote, potatoes and beans are ready to be prepped.

Whether you use pork ribs (country-style) or chicken, partially cook them by poaching in water - just enough to cover - onion and garlic. Reserve the stock for your mole sauce.
The herbs, chilies, chile soaking water (poured through a sieve), tomatillos, garlic and onion are blended to a smooth puree in the blender. Not the food processor!

The mix is then fried in either lard (muy autentico!) or olive oil, while you scrap and stir the bottom of the pan, making sure it does not burn. ( You will most likely have to wash down the kitchen walls and yourself, too. If this is your first mole, I call it the baptism of fire).
Broth is added, simmered. A blend of masa harina and broth is added to thicken. Par-boiled quartered potatoes, peeled and sliced chayote and green beans are added along with the pork.
Simmer and adjust the salt. Holy Mole!

Serve topped with rajas. You are now very popular.
Note on chayote: It's generally smooth skinned but there is another variety with prickly-like hairs sticking out all over it. Don't be alarmed, you have to peel it anyway. And the seed is edible. Just slice through.

Tomatillos with your Cornflakes

Breadcrumbs are versatile but can be substituted in many dishes with crushed cracker crumbs or that breakfast staple, cornflakes. Think breaded and fried oysters whose briny goodness pairs well with salty crackers or crispy cornflakes, like the ones featured on Ferris' Upstairs menu.

One of my favourite Mexi-flavoured dishes uses both cornflakes and tomatillos. The latter, freshly harvested from my garden. The dish is from Rick Bayless' cookbook, Mexico One Plate at a Time. The flakes are crusted on fish filets and sit pretty on a sauce of roasted tomatillos with roasted corn.

Roasted tomatillos and a couple of serranos, cooled and then blended to a smooth puree, are simmered together with onions and garlic that have become soft and golden.
I absolutely love roasting and toasting ingredients.
Cornflakes are crushed to easily adhere to the fish filets that have been first dusted with flour and dipped into an egg wash. The corn is roasted, the cilantro must be chopped.
Fried on both sides.
And plated.
* Note: During a flash of shopping-to-be-healthy, I purchased organic cornflakes. Just don't do it. Your regular ole' generic cornflakes work much better in this recipe. The healthy brand was too thick and had an underlying sweetness that conflicted with the dish.

Bread. The Staff of Life

For centuries, cooks from around the globe have cobbled together delicious meals with minimal ingredients.

Bread is a prime example, and no matter what variety you enjoy, it remains one of our most economical foods.

Tortillas, a staple in Mexico, are delicious fresh right off a hot comal. But savvy cooks use leftover and dried tortillas in chilaquiles, a frugal but hearty dish of tomato or tomatillo-based sauce with pieces of dried tortilla thrown in to sop up the sauce and fill us up.

Pita bread, ubiquitous to the Middle East is used in its day-old state for fattoush, basically a bread salad tossed with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta and olives, or in hot savoury casseroles known as fatta.

French toast is best when using day-old brioche, and slices of stale bread are given new life in Spain smeared with a fresh tomato half and a sprinkling of salt. 

In Italy, stale slices of bread appear as bruschetta, topped with anything from humble olive oil and a thin shaving of cheese to figs and prosciutto. And we've all heard of croutons and bread pudding.

Beyond the loaf, there is the crumb, and when toasted and/or mixed with a myriad of ingredients from sweet to savoury, the home cook has another flavour tool to add to his or her arsenal.

Crumbs can be added to soup as a thickener, to meatballs to bind and as a topping for a crust.

For a crust, try adding chopped lemon zest for an aromatic citrus hit. Sugar added to toasted and chopped hazelnuts and crumbs gives you another option, and don't forget that lovely duo of garlic and parsley, or even thyme, that brings life to a baked tomato, macaroni and cheese or other pasta dishes. 

Plain crumbs used along with a flour and egg wash produce a crispy crust for veal, eggplant parmigiano, a piece of fish or chicken.

My point is to think before you throw food away.

The tomato.

Before. A sliced tomato topped with chopped garlic, parsley, salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of bread crumbs. 

Bake at 350 until done and crispy and brown on top.

At most bakeries, you can buy day old bread to make your own crumbs and even some will have ready-made crumbs. To DIY-it, dry out pieces of bread in a 200 degree oven until dry. A food processor will make quick work of the dry bread, or for those less fortunate, put the bread in a bag and use the smash and roll method with a trusted rolling pin. Depending on the bread shape you could also try grating it.

While using the crumbs straight up is handy, I like to fry the crumbs in olive oil with herbs and garlic, and add to pasta with freshly grated cheese.
The following surprise dish I'm bringing to you via chef Peter Zambri of Zambri's restaurant. 

Cauliflower is given a lift with anchovies, chilies, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and cheese and takes the vegetable out of its usual cheese sauce doldrums.  This dish appears regularly on his antipasti menu and is earthy and delicious.  Try it when you get a chance. It never looks as good as Zambri's, but looks aren't everything - especially when you're alone in the kitchen. Besides it tastes so good. Just close your eyes.

Recipe below.

Cauliflower alla Sabbia

Serves 4

1/2 large cauliflower, cut into florets

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 generous Tbsp. butter

4 small garlic cloves, roughly sliced

4 whole anchovy filets

1/2 Tbsp. crushed dried red chilies (optional)

4 medium slices jalapeno with seeds (optional)

1/3 cup fine breadcrumbs

salt and pepper

1/8 cup chopped parsley, leaves only

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan

Blanch the cauliflower in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a cloth or paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool. ( Alternatively, transfer the cauliflower to a bowl of ice water, but don't let them get too waterlogged, or the breadcrumb-anchovy mixture won't stick to the vegetables).

Heat the oil and butter in a saute pan. Add the garlic, anchovies and optional dried chilies and jalapenos. Fry on high heat until the anchovies melt and the butter starts to turn a nut-brown colour. 

Reduce the heat to medium-low, adding a pinch of salt and pepper. Once the garlic is nicely toasted, add the cauliflower and breadcrumbs, tossing together to coat and making sure to heat through.

Add the parsley and parmesan and toss again, coating thoroughly.

Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates. Should any ingredients stick to the bottom of the pan, simply scrape with a spoon and crumble over the cauliflower - pray that this happens!

This dish can be served hot or cold, but is most delicious hot.

Seen and Tasted in Passing - The Bacon Explosion

The first day of this year's annual Seattle Tiki Home Bar Tour had some tasty snacks along with Pete's Voodoo punch and appropriate tunes by DJ and tour organizer Terence Gunn. 

This inspired woven bacon masterpiece dubbed Bacon Explosion was produced by chef Palapala. Ground pork held a treasure trove interior of water chestnuts, fresh pineapple and green onions. The bacon held the whole thing together and was baked to perfection.
It was succulent with porky juiciness, tangy sweet with pineapple with a bit of crunch from the water chestnuts. And with the right amount of bacon goodness. Encore worthy!!

Here is chef Palapala grilling up another batch of Thai curry drumsticks.

This woman chef rocks!!!

Deep Cove Chalet - Paradise Found

In the late summer, early fall, Deep Cove Chalet beckons. Run by chef Pierre Koffel and his wife Bev, the Chalet serves French country cuisine. Koffel's culinary roots are in Alsace and you'll find many French classics on the menu.

We choose this particular time of year because the wedding season is usually over and we can secure a reservation on a Sunday. The front property of the chalet boasts beautiful gardens and a planting of Ortega grapes.

Travelling from the city on the backroads of Saanich to Deep Cove, we always have the sense of rediscovering this magical place anew.

We reserve outside in the circular patio. With grape vines covering the area, giving it a sense of privacy, this Shangri-la setting overlooks the cove.

Check out the cool vintage Citroens.
This reservation booked outside in front of the patio area. Much more exclusive and elegant.

And enticing.
The interior of the chalet is dark and cozy and is filled with art and artifacts. While it still provides views of the water and grounds, we prefer dining al fresco.

Unwinding in the warm sun, staring out at the water and gardens, the setting, the food, the fine china, a bottle of wine chilling and at the ready, this is truly paradise found.

First of the season chanterelles done simply in a buerre blanc with herbs.
The Chalet's signature Caesar salad.
Prawns in garlic and white wine.
A side of vegetables arrive in a casserole for the table. I like to eat my vegetables! Yes! More chanterelles.
My favourite dining companion.
Who always orders the civet of rabbit, served in a lidded copper saucepan.
Hearty and rich.

Zambri's for Lunch - Another from my Top Five Restaurants

Celebrating 10 years feeding lucky Victoria, Zambri's, owned by chef Peter Zambri and his sister Jo, continues to satisfy. The daily lunch menu of Italian-inspired fare is written on a chalkboard.

The daily antipasti is in full view, as is the kitchen. Hi Peter!
Today, a crostini is one of the things on offer layered with provolone, eggplant, fennel and Zambri's signature tomato sauce. I'm in.
But first a hearty bowl of soup with pork ribs and chickpeas. Hearty and immensely satisfying on a fall day.
A beautiful organic salad accompanies the crostini, and Peter surprised us with some super picoso chilies. Sweet, fried and served with sea salt. 

Check out that salad!
Then came a perfect chicken dish. Chicken thigh and leg, deboned and panfried - tender and succulent. Served simply with lemon alongside an organic spinach salad with celeriac slaw and house dressing.
Delicious! 

Thanks, Peter. We'll be back time and time again. Lunch and dinner.