Barque Smokehouse

Good morning foodies.  I feel so distant from you all... are you still there?  I've been super busy lately and I can't say I am liking it all that much as it has been leaving me little time to blog.  I am now a certified yoga teacher which may come as a surprise to many of you seeing as I frequently post my food indulgences on this blog - but yes it is in fact true - I am a yogi, and I have decided to go vegan and only post you recipes for apples and hay salads.

............... pause for reaction...............


HA!  As if I could ever go vegetarian let alone vegan. The yoga part was true though.  So if any of your are seeking out private lessons to work off all the delish food you make from my blog, or to meditate away the binge guilt - i'm your gal!   And by today's post you will be reassured that I will still have delicious goodness coming your way.

Barque Smokehouse is the topic of the day.  An AMAZING southern style smokehouse on roncy (i have no idea how to spell the full word for this street).  Originally discovering this spot as a brunch place, hubs and I ventured out for lunch one day and have fallen in love all over again.... not with each other... but with the beautiful creation that is brisket.  Specifically, the brisket sammy.

As I watch the cold and hideous snow pile up outside my window I have a strong urge for a little hilton head action... since this isn't happening for another few months - Barque is a fantastic substitute.  Super comfortable, unpretentious, wicked ribs, sandwiches, salads, baked potatoes, brisket eggs benny, bacon rimmed caesars...... its almost too much.  Oh - and they give you a bucket of southern spice popcorn as soon as you sit down.

Highly recommended people.

xo Chef Natty

beef wellington at it's finest

Goooooood Morning foodies.  I am aware I have disappeared off the blogmap for about a month.  I have been drowning in yoga teacher training, weddings and all the other day-to-day nonsense that's been taking up my time.  To make up for my absence I am going to be sharing a realllll treat today.  An amazing winter/holiday/anytime dish that just about everyone loves - beef wellington.  Though it may seem a tad intimidating - it is actually alot easier to make than most would think.  While it's not exactly a whip-up-quick weekday meal - it's makes for a nice little Sunday night feast.  Or even ladies... a great option if you have decided to make your special someone a romantic valentines dinner next week.  The soft pastry crust with just the right amount of crisp, wrapped over a delicious piece of tenderloin in between layers of mushroom duxelles and prosciutto. A-MAZ-ING.

Ingredients: (6-8 servings)

For the Mushroom Duxelles:

1 1/2 pounds white button mushrooms
3 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Beef:
1 (3-pound) center cut beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 thin slices prosciutto
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Flour, for rolling out puff pastry
1 pound puff pastry, thawed if using frozen
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt


Note** best served with some roasted potatoes and a delicious peppercorn sauce!

To make the Duxelles: Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (if you do not have a food processor - use a blender on "chop" for the same job). Add butter and olive oil to a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushroom mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool. 

To prepare the beef: Tie the tenderloin in 4 places with butcher string (found at your local grocery store) so it holds its cylindrical shape while cooking. Drizzle with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper and sear all over, including the ends, in a hot, heavy-based skillet lightly coated with olive oil - about 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile set out your prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap (plastic needs to be about a foot and a half in length so you can wrap and tie the roast up in it) on top of your cutting board. Layer the edges of the prosciutto so it forms a rectangle that is big enough to encompass the entire filet of beef. Using a rubber spatula cover evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Season the surface of the duxelles with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. When the beef is seared, remove from heat, cut off twine and smear lightly all over with Dijon mustard. Allow to cool slightly, then roll up in the duxelles covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to tie it up nice and tight. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Roll it up tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal it completely and hold it in a nice log shape. Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.


On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Depending on the size of your sheets you may have to overlap 2 sheets and press them together. Remove beef from refrigerator and cut off plastic. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over the longer sides, brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends if necessary then brush with egg wash and fold over to completely seal the beef (make sure your beef is covered in the egg wash to prevent cracking). Top with coarse sea salt. Place the beef SEAM SIDE DOWN on a baking sheet.


Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then make a couple of slits in the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife - this creates vents that will allow the steam to escape when cooking. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 125 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer (I use the thermometer just to be sure). Remove from oven and rest before cutting into thick slices.

Serve & Enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

my new years resolution? eat more fried chicken.

While many of us decide on new years resolutions along the lines of losing weight, quitting smoking, maybe taking up a new hobby etc... I've decided to expand on the generic list and encourage all of you to add this recipe to your list of resolutions.  The resolution being to make this recipe as your go-to comfort food dish as many times as possible throughout the year.  Yes it may sound contrary to the "lose 10 lbs" resolution that seems to be more common - but why not step out of the typical resolution box and do something different? something you can REALLY be proud of?  the vow to Eat. More. Fried. Chicken. 

My in-laws are in our South Carolina home right now for a few weeks which is what inspired me to tackle on fried chicken for the first time.  Hubs and I were having the winter blues, dreaming of Hilton Head Southern cuisine - so I decided to bring the South to us. 

Warning - it's magically delicious and you will become immediately addicted

Tip: It tastes even better cold the next day - for real.

Funky Fried Chicken

Ingredients
3 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup Franks Buffalo Hot Sauce
2 cups Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pepper
Special Seasoning Mix (make a bunch and save for next time!)
            1 cup salt
            1/4 cup black pepper
            1/4 cup garlic powder
4-6 chicken drumsticks with skin
4-6 chicken thighs with skin
Peanut Oil for frying

In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add Frank's sauce (the mixture will be bright orange).

In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper. Season the chicken with the special seasoning generously. Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg, and then coat well in the flour mixture and set aside on a plate.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep pot (use a cooking thermometer). Do not fill the pot more than 1/2 full with oil.

Fry the chicken in the oil until brown and crisp (you will need to do a couple batches). Depending on the sizes of your chicken pieces it should take about 12-15 minutes.

Remove from the oil and set on a plate lined with paper towel.

Serve and Enjoy!!!

Tip: Serve with mashed potatoes, corn, collard greens or any other classic southern fixing for the total experience!

Stay tuned this week for an amazing cottage mashed potato recipe - the perfect compliment for any fried chicken.

xo
Chef Natty

Grand Electric - why are you not there right now?

One of mine and hubs new years resolutions is to start trying out new restaurants on a regular basis.  Towards the end of 2011 we started playing favorites and we found ourselves hitting up our top 3 go-to Toronto eateries on repeat.  This year, in an effort to expand our culinary horizons, we started the year off right with an amazing spot on Queen West - highly recommended to us by one of our cheesemonger customers.  I can honestly say after one visit, this restaurant his jumped its way to the top of my list.  It is A-MAZ-ING and I will be personally offended if every one of you don't take your tushies there as soon as possible. 

With a line up down the street at 5:55 when they only open at 6:00, I highly recommend either getting there early, or planning a drink down the street while you wait for your table.  The atmosphere was just as good as the food.  Dim lighting, amazing music, the whole menu written on a large chalkboard with a total of less than 15 items and only about 8 tables in the whole place.  Very cozy, trendy and most importantly, the mexican inspired food is to die for.  The tacos are the best I have ever had - hands down - the guacamole is authentic and even better with their house made tortilla chips and every bite I had was better than the next.  We had a nice little taco trio (pork belly, baja fish and beef cheek), the chicken frito, the tuna ceviche and the best part of all? I have a newly discovered favorite drink - The Michelada.  A beer with a caesar rim and flavorings and fresh cilantro garnishes to give the most amazing aroma with each sip.  Genius. We ordered about 3/4th of the entire menu and our bill was 86 dollars - bonus.

An absolute must try.

A few visuals for your mouthwatering pleasure...

 

Baja Fish Tacos

 

Beef Cheek Taco

 

Shrimp Tostada

 

Chicken Fritto

 

Key Lime Pie in a Cup

 

Michelada

 

Menu

Xo Chef Natty

Duck Proscuitto, Caramelized Onion Chutney & Cheddar Grilled Cheese

Its the mostttt wonderful timeee of the yearrrr!

I don't know about all of you but I am SO EXCITED for Christmas.  Anyone that knows me would tell you what an insane Christmas nutcase I am.  My tree is up as soon as socially acceptable (some time very soon after Halloween), my Christmas shopping has been done for weeks, and 98.1 Christmas station has been playing in my car since mid November.  As Christmas morning lurks around the corner, I am finding myself already dreaming about hubs and my traditional xmas morning breakfast.  A little lemon ricotta pancakes with strawberries, whipped cream and syrup.  The best part? I get to sit and play with my new presents like a toddler while hubs makes this merry morning feast.  Since I still have a few more days to go, I decided to share another hubby special recipe that he whipped up for me one not-so-jolly aka hungover Sunday morning.  This savoury, sweet, melty, indulgent, gourmet treat is an absolute must try. It's simply sinful.  yum. yum. yum.

Ingredients: Makes 1 Sammy
1-2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 slices French Bread (sliced 1 inch thick)
100g Keens Cheddar (a la village cheesemonger) shaved/crumbled pieces
70g thinly sliced duck prosciutto (a la village cheesemonger)
1 tbsp Killer Condiments Caramelized Onion Chutney (a la village cheesemonger)
Special Kitchen Gadget: Panini Press

Butter both sides of both pieces of bread.  Layer the caramelized onion chutney on first.  Add the cheddar, then the duck prosciutto and add the second slice of buttered bread.

Using a panini press set at 350, heat the sammy until golden brown on the outside and melty cheesy on the inside!

Optional:  Grate some extra cheese on top and bake in the oven for another couple minutes until top cheese melts for an extra cheesy time.

Serve & Enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

The Perfect Veal Parm in a Pan

Happy 12 days before Christmas to my lovely bloggie readers!  As I am sure most of you are getting ready for the holidays with an abundance of gift wrapping, shortbread making, credit card maxing fun - I wanted to share another fantastic recipe to take into the holidays.  I have blogged a baked version of veal parmesan in the past, so this is another variation on a fun filled favorite of mine.  This one is particularly flavorful, juicy and tender - getting tomato sauce into every nook and cranny of each piece of veal and melting the cheese oh so perfectly that it's almost too beautiful to eat..... almost.

Ingredients (serves 4 IF served with a side of pasta - if not - serves 2)
4 veal cutlets (pounded down to 1/8 inch)
Salt
Pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
EVOO
1 cup chopped spanish onion
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 28oz can san marzano tomatoes
1 cup tomato puree
2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp fresh oregano
2 cups grated mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan

Lightly season the veal on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl or plate and place the breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl.   Beat the eggs and milk together in another shallow bowl.

Dredge the flattened veal chops in the flour and shake off excess. Dip in the egg mixture and then coat both sides with the breadcrumbs. Set aside.

Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of the EVOO in a heavy large, skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the veal until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.

 

Add 1 tablespoon of EVOO and the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, and cook, stirring to deglaze the pan with a wooden spoon over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the puree, the basil, parsley and oregano. Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Arrange the cooked veal cutlets on top of the sauce, spooning sauce over each one. Top  each with a sprinkling of parmesan and mozzarella. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the veal is tender and the cheese melts, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately.

 xo Chef Natty

Chicken with Mushrooms and White Wine

Tuesday Bluesday.  Is it just me or does it feel like night time 24/7 these days?  This grey sky hasn't moved in what seems like weeks and weeks and I am not a fan.

The only positive this weather does bring out, is the urge to create some comfort food favorites in the kitchen.  Coming out of yet another weekend of way too much eating, this chicken recipe is the perfect combo of vitamins, flavor and booze - all in one dish.  Mushrooms, chicken and white wine are my new favorite combo.  Pair it up with a simple herbed rice or a side salad and you've got a perfect weeknight meal.

Ingredients:(serves 4)
4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
EVOO
3 heaping handfuls of sliced cremini mushrooms
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 shallots (minced)
2 garlic cloved (chopped)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp unsalted butter

Place your chicken breasts in between two large sheets of saran wrap and then - using a meat tenderizer- pound them down until they are about 1 inch thick.

On a plate, combine your flour with a generous amount of salt and pepper.  Coat the chicken breasts in the flour mixture and set aside.

In a large pan, heat up 1/4 cup of EVOO over medium heat and then add your chicken breasts.  Cook until both sides are slightly golden and the meat is white and juicy.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

In a separate medium pan, heat up 2 tbsp's of your butter and add the mushrooms (try not to crowd the mushrooms or else they will not brown).  Cook them until they are golden brown.  Salt and pepper them at the end and then set aside.

In the same pan you used for the chicken, add another tbsp of EVOO along with the shallots and garlic.  Cook for 1 minute until fragrant and then add your white wine to deglaze the pan.  Scraping up all the bits with a wooden spoon.  Bring the heat up to medium high and reduce by half, add your chicken stock and reduce again by another third.  Add your final tbsp of butter and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.  If the sauce is still too thin you can lightly sift in 1-2 tsps of flour to thicken.

Add your mushrooms and chicken back to the pan and warm on low for 2 minutes.

Serve immediately & enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

Seafood Linguine with Oven Roasted Tomatoes & Spinach

Almost 5:00 on a Thursday.  I suspect many of you are at work, starring at the digital clock on your computers, waiting for the day to end.  Allow me to provide you with a little culinary snack (a reading snack of course - until they discover how to transport pasta via computers) to get your through the rest of the day - and maybe even inspire a weekend dish.

I made this dish last week on a whim and ended up creating a fantastically fresh and delicious meal.  As per hubs request - he had a carb craving but didn't want to totally dive into a total indulgence - so instead he requested a "healthy pasta" for dinner.  I decided a little roasted tomato, garlic, onion, spinach, scallop, shrimp combo was just the ticket for this mid-week mini-indulgence.  Extra special because I know for many, a quickly prepared dish sometimes takes precedence over taste - luckily this baby's got both.

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
350g fresh linguine (easily found at your local grocer)
3 heaping handfuls of cherry tomatoes
1 Spanish onion
6-8 garlic cloves (minced)
4 heaping handfuls of baby spinach
2-4 large shrimp
2-4 scallops
EVOO
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt
Pepper

Preheat your oven to 350.  Put your tomatoes on a baking sheet and toss very lightly with 1 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt.  Roast in the oven until the skin starts to blister. Remove and set aside

In a large pan, cook your onions and garlic on medium heat with a couple table spoons of EVOO until soft - about 5-6 minutes.  Add your spinach.  Once the spinach is wilted, turn down the heat to low and season with salt and pepper. 

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

While the water in boiling, salt and pepper the shrimp and scallops on both sides.  Melt your butter in a small pan over medium/high heat and then add the shrimp and scallops.  Cook for a couple of minutes per side (the shrimp are done once the flesh is all pink and may be done a tad sooner than the scallops).  The scallops should be cooked for about 2-3 minutes per side.  Do not move the scallops around to allow a nice golden crust to develop.

Once the pasta is cooked, strain and add to the pan with your onion mixture. Add the tomatoes and the parsley and give everything a good toss - adding a touch more olive oil if needed.

Plate the pasta and top with your scallops and shrimp.

Serve & Enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

the "i can't believe their not fried" buffalo chicken wings

If you were entered into an eating competition - and you got to choose the food you think you could eat the most of to win - what would it be?  Hubs and I play this game sometimes and somehow I always end up back to my old faithfuls - chicken wings - or chicken nuggets.  I can pop these babies back like a champ and i truly believe i could beat hubs in a contest.  After playing the "what could you eat the most of" game not too long ago, I naturally got the craving to make some homemade chicken wings one cool fall night.  Leaf game was on - I was going to be forced to watch it anyway - may as well make it a hockey and wing night right? These crispy, juicy, saucy little bites of joy do not touch a drop of oil yet actually taste like a fried chicken wing - it's simply magical i tell you.  Don't believe me? try for yourself.

Ingredients (serves 2):
16 chicken wings
3 ounces unsalted butter
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup hot sauce (I used Franks Buffalo Wings Sauce)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Place a deep pot with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.

Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and pat dry. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F

Replace the paper towels with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.

While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small bowl along with the garlic. Pour this along with hot sauce and salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine.

Remove the wings from the oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce.

Serve warm & enjoy!

Chefs Note:  For a great dipping sauce, simply mix 1 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup blue cheese and a sprinkle of cilantro - refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving!

xo Chef Natty

Prosciutto & Arugula Flatbread

Happy Tuesday Everyone!  As i sit here watching Jamie Oliver make sausages on Live with Kelly (now sans Regis), I remembered it was probably time for another Chef Natty installment for some mid-week culinary inspiration.  For today, I will be sharing a very simple recipe that I stole off of one of my besties whom i've previously referred to on this blog as Mellag.  Mellag brought this yummy flatbread over to a girls night not too long ago and i'm pretty sure i ate over half of it myself.  It was so simple yet addictive and delish.  Perfect for an easy lunch, an easy hor'derve for a dinner party or of course, a fab addition to a wine and picky foods girls night in.

Ingredients:
1 foccacia flatbread
10-12 large slices of good quality prosciutto (preferably a la Village Cheesemonger)
2 heaping handfuls of Baby Arugula
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
12-14 fresh basil leaves
EVOO
balsamic reduction
salt

Using a mortar and pestle (if you have one), grind together the basil, about 1/4 cup of EVOO and a generous pinch of salt to make a thick basil "drizzle".  ** If you do not have a mortar and pestle, simple chop the basil up as small as possible and stir together with the EVOO and salt.

Next, we simply assemble the flatbread.  Start with your arugula, top with the prosciutto, sprinkle with goat cheese, drizzle with the basil oil and the balsamic reduction.  simple as can be.

Chef Note:  You can substitute the balsamic reduction with honey for a savory sweet combo that you are sure to love!

Slice up, Serve & Enjoy!

xo Chef Natty (complements of Chef Mellag)