Some pretty epic offerings...

It's fair to say that we have a wicked BOH at Epic. Sadly, not all are present here.

(L-R) Myself, Anthony (Pastry), Alex, Neil, Connie

Atlantic Lobster, Braised Baby Leek
Rooftop Honey glazed Heirloom Beets
Spiced Apple Cider Beurre Blanc


The plate presentation was unfinished here, but it showcases the major components.

Tuna/Fois Gras Carpaccio
Charred Corn, Frisee Salad
Ontario Rhubarb Vinaigrette

The best form of flattery is imitation. In cooking, no idea is original. In this case, I designed the dish because "La Bernadin" in NY pairs Fois and Tuna really well. This came out great.

This is not my dish, this belongs to Connie.

Being a passionate Italian, she produced this classic (Southern?) Pasta Fagioli for another cook when he came to dine in.

It was stunning.

Olive Oil Poached Wild Salmon
De Puy Lentils
Preserved Lemon Creme Fraiche
Purdy Fisheries Caviar

Special Thanks to Alex for producing fantastic Lentils here. (Awesome brunoise of D.S. Bacon)

Duck Confit, Sous-Vide Fingerlings, Braised Cabbage, Macerated Grapes, Verjus Gastrique

Mark's Contribution

Black Sesame Macaroon,Gianduja Diplomat Cream, Blood Orange Sorbet

All Anthony, ...and he was concerned his plate presentation wouldn't live up to the rest of the dishes...

Note to self; pay more attention when the Pastry Chef's are quiet and focused, they are most likely doing something I could learn from...

-Jerek

Niagara Gold Souffle (and the varying emotions behind it).

" The Souffle's out! QUICK, take a picture!!!"

Niagara Gold Souffle

Rooftop Honey

Fig Brulee

Do you want to impress someone? Actually, more indulgent to our own self-worth in the kitchen, do you want to impress yourself?

Make a Souffle.

It's truly satisfying to watch a well made order come out of the oven. You know whoever made it is feeling awesome about themselves at that moment, because what you always hear at that moment in the professional kitchen is "JUST LOOK AT IT! LOOK HOW TALL THIS IS!" followed quickly by "PICK-UP SOUFFLE! NOW!! RUNNERS!!! Ca'MON, LET'S GO...!!!!".

A perfectly made souffle piping hot from the oven is very much grounds for even the most friendly of cooks (think June Cleaver personality) to turn their face to a shade of dusty rose red (think Angry Elmer Fudd), for a waiter, runner, manager, ANYBODY, to run that souffle out WIGHT NOW.

This recipe is a wonder, usually, you can categorize Souffles as Savory, Sweet, and Frozen. This one is treated in the savory method, but is sweetened with the condiments.

Niagara Gold Souffle

Yield; 6 Lg. Ramekins

Ingredients;

45gr. Butter

A.P. Flour (enough to make a Blonde Roux with the Butter)

Skim Milk (Enough to make a very thick Bechamel)

1 Cup Shredded Niagara Gold Cheese (Or any sharp cheese)

Kosher Salt (tt)

Nutmeg - Pinch

3 Egg Yolks

5 Egg Whites

Method;

1) Melt the butter in a pot, add the flour and make a blonde roux.

2) Add the milk, stirring in thoroughly to blend, cook on low heat.

Add milk as needed to maintain a constant thick, spreadable consistency.

3) When the sauce have ceased thickening, add the cheese, stirring to incorporate fully. The mixture should look and act like raw choux paste. Remove the pot from the heat, let rest for 2 minutes.

4) While the mixture is resting, take this time to coat the ramekins with Butter and Sugar. Set aside. Turn the oven on (convection if you are cool) to 375f.

5) Fold the Egg Yolks into the cheese mixture one at a time. Add the Salt and Nutmeg as needed. Set Aside.

6) In a separate bowl, whip the Egg Whites to stiff peaks.

7) In thirds, fold the Meringue in the Cheese mixture (I always violently incorporate the first third to really loosen up the mixture). Do this quickly, and gently (the latter two/thirds that is...). The final batter should be quite light, somewhat comparable to Sabayon.

8) PIPE each ramekin with the mixture three quarters high, leaving the edges clean, or it won't rise properly, and you will become dourly and self pitying.

9) Put in the oven, on an open rack. Make sure everyone in the entire restaurant knows not to open that oven for the next 15 minutes. Stand in front of it just in case.

Serve with a side sauce boat of Heated Honey and Fig Brulee (Cut the Fig in half, cover flesh with sugar, torch it).

-Become slightly more egotistical for a job well done.

-Jerek

Why are the best things in life always Bivalves?

Riesling Steamed Mussels, Chobai Sausage, Apricots

I have decided to end the October edition of BOHK with a nice easy going dish. In the next couple weeks, I will be posting some serious dishes that require a lot of focus, skill and time. Not today.

Today, I share my love of Bivalves, and more specifically, mussels. It's almost mandatory as a professional cook to have a sub-conscience border-line infatuation with mussels. I think Anthony Bourdain said it best when he wrote that he could never accept mussels from a stranger. They are best consumed fresh and amongst friends.

They are not on our menu. Rather, I will make an amuse bouche out of them and fight off the other cooks from snatching the whole lot. To cooks, mussels are irresistible. My theory is because they know when they are fresh, they are rustic, cheap, humorlessly simple to make (even properly), slightly off the beaten path, and go well with beer.

This recipe is a big favourite of mine. Usually, on a day off with proper company, it's either Curried Mussels with Stella Beer, or this recipe. ....Or if the season is right, Malpaques with Kressi Vinegar Mignonette (Malpaque Oysters - a good reason to be a proud Canadian).

Riesling Steamed Mussels, Chobai Sausage, Apricots

Yield; 1 Pound of addictive Mussels

Ingredients;

1 Tbs. Butter

1 Shallot - Brunoise

1 Crushed Clove of Garlic

1 Chobai Sausage - Brunoise

1 Pound Mussels (rinsed, alive)

7 Sprigs of Thyme Chopped (No Stems Slacker!)

350ml. Riesling (If you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it)

2 Apricots - Concasse

Salt/Pepper (EASY ON THE SALT, TASTE FIRST!)

Method;

1) Bring a saute pan to Med/High.heat, add the butter and bring to a bubble. Sweat the Shallots, Garlic, and Sausage for 1 minute.

2) Add the mussels and again, sweat for 1 minute until the first of the shells start to open up. Add the Wine, Thyme, and Apricots, use a second equal sized pan to form a cover for 2 minutes to fully cook the mussels.

3) When most are open, taste and check for awesomeness (It's all over the dish).

4) Enjoy with a Baguette, the rest of the bottle of Riesling, and good company (cooks).

-Jerek

Wagyu and Me

Potato-Truffle Soup, Smoked Wagyu Beef Belly


Initial product, Wagyu Beef Belly.
Aside from removing the obvious pockets of fat and silverskin, it's pointless to remove all of it. The combined cooking methods break it down.


Day 1, Brine.
A mixture of Water, Vinegar, Salt, Peppercorns, Rosemary.
-Bring it to a boil, chill completely, add the Wagyu, let rest for 24 hours.

Day 2. Confit Au Sous Vide

Remove the Wagyu from the brine, rinse away any residue.

Cryovac with Duck Fat, Glace de Viande, and a sachet of Thyme, Garlic, Parsley Stems, Bay Leaf.

Set for 160F @ 24 hours.


Day 3. Awesome smelling smoking day.

Ice-Bath the cryovac bag until chilled, remove product.

Create a glaze, in this case, Molasses-Peppercorn.

Using a po-boys smoker, cold smoke with Spruce Tips and Mesquite for 1 hour. Regulate the temperature, it's easier to have too much heat here than not enough.


About that Po-Boys Smoker...

Essentially, the Spruce Tips and active charred Mesquite are put on the bottom of the hotel pan, a perforated smaller hotel pan with the wagyu rests over it and sealed with tinfoil. The whole thing sits on a slightly hot surface to encourage smouldering.

The final product.

At this point, you must become really aggressive to ward of fellow cooks from sampling without proper consent. A good trick is to temporarily loose sanity and grow eyes on the back of your head.


Notes on Wagyu.

Wagyu, the American Kobe, is a wonderful beef. If you ever get the chance to try a Wagyu or Kobe Strip, insist on having it seared in Clarified Butter with Fleur De Sel and Black Pepper. Serve as is.

This product in particular worked out well, it's part of an idea for the winter menu, which is to do a Classic French Onion Soup with Artisan Cheese and shredded Wagyu.

...Definitely looking forward to the colder weather...

-Jerek