Simply Sustainable

BY KEANE STRAUB PHOTOS BY DONG KIM

These days, sustainable cooking is less a trend and more habit, thanks to how easy it is to source local ingredients. A trip to the farmer’s market (or to the producers themselves) often supplements, or even completely replaces, trips to big box grocery stores. In short, we’re getting good at loving local in Alberta.

There’s lots of other sustainable cooking practices that you can adopt too. Planning your meals, eating seasonally, using all parts of a food item, and eating together, all fall under the category, and chances are you practice at least one of these. This month we have four Alberta chefs who all practice sustainable cooking. So, plan a meal with your loved ones and use the recipes here, all created with local ingredients and an eco-conscious mindset.

Chef Gyanendra Sharma – ‘Chef G’ –of Cochrane’s Aama Nepalese Cuisine says that cooking always reminds him of his mother. “I remember her as the soul of our family. She nourished us with her food, kept us bonded as a family, and gave us direction in life.” Bringing families and communities together in love and celebration is his main goal when cooking.

It's a challenge to pick a favourite dish off the menu. “For a chef, every dish is like your child,” Chef G explains. The menu offers dishes from the different regions of Nepal and offers diners a chance to experience a variety of flavours. “I enjoy more savoury and balanced flavours,” he says. “Shyakpa (Yak Stew) from the Himalayan region of Nepal is a must try. It’s nourishing and wholesome.”

“Sustainability is key to the success of every business, small and large,” Chef G explains. While researching options for a unique selling point for the restaurant, they discovered a yak ranch,

West Gimlet Farms in Rimbey, Alberta. “What a stroke of luck! It’s local, ethically sourced, sustainable, and a novelty experience.”

Shyakpa – (Himalayan Meat Stew)

Serves 4-6

500 g yak stew meat, diced

To taste salt and pepper

1 cup (250 mL) canola or any cooking oil

150 g white onions, small dice

70 g each – carrot, and celery, small diced

30 g ginger garlic paste

2 Tbs cumin powder

2 Tbs garam masala

3 Tbs (45 mL) tomato paste

1 cup (250 mL) red wine

2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock

2 bay leaves

50 g potato, diced

1. Make sure the diced yak meat is dry, pat dry if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a heavy bottom pot, add the oil and heat. Brown the yak stew meat on all sides. Do this in small batches, reserving seared yak meat off to the side.

3. Add diced onions, carrot, and celery and cook over a low heat until soft, add ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, garam masala and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes. Add red wine and deglaze the pot, scraping in the bits stuck to the pan.

5. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add, bay leaves. Add all seared yak meat and cook over lowest heat for 2½ hours.

6. Add diced potato – about 15 minutes before pulling out the stew.

7. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Behind the sharable dishes at Calgary’s One 18 Empire is Chef Sean Cutler, whose influence is broad and adventurous. “I like to use flavours and techniques from all over the map, and I really enjoy learning about new cuisines and look at ways to put a fun spin on them.”

Enter his favourite dish, the roasted bone marrow. Decadent and flavourful, Chef Cutler is partial to the playful luge finish. “I really love to eat so I try to create dishes that are fun and interesting.”

He emphasizes that Alberta is home to several great producers, and we have access to them in a lot of different ways. “A little bit of exploring and searching online can put you in touch with a lot of great products and local producers.”

“Growing up in Calgary has always put a spotlight on beef and it’s important to me to represent all the province has to offer,” he explains. He shares with us his recipe for Alberta Beef Tartare, adding it’s the best way to experience the true flavour of the beef. Make sure your beef is fresh, your knife is sharp, and don’t skimp on the seasoning. “Using kosher salt or sea salt over iodized salt is a big difference maker. This will help bring flavours out rather than make the dish salty.”

Alberta Beef Tartare

with pickled Saskatoon berries, Dijon mustard, cold pressed canola, aged Gouda and grilled sourdough bread

Serves 4

For the Beef

Grass fed or grain fed depending on preference, you can use a variety of cuts of meat as you like. For the recipe chef has gone with classic beef tenderloin.

335 g Alberta beef tenderloin

2 Tbs (30 mL) cold pressed canola oil

1 tsp (5 mL) grainy Dijon mustard

Pinch salt

Pinch coarse black pepper

1. Cut the beef into thin slices and then into thin strips.

2. From the strips, finely slice the beef into small cubes.

3. When the beef has been cut, in a small bowl mix the mustard, oil, and salt and pepper into the beef.

4. Cover the beef with cling wrap, pressing right on to the meat to keep any air out.

5. Keep in fridge until ready to serve.

Pickled Saskatoon Berries

1 cup saskatoon berries (frozen are more widely available)

½ cup (120 mL) red wine vinegar

½ cup (120 mL) water

½ cup sugar

Mix the water, sugar and vinegar together and bring to a boil. Pour on top of the berries and let cool. When the berries have cooled slightly, place in the fridge until cool completely. Reserve for plating.

To Finish

Sliced sourdough bread (your favourite local bakery)

56 g aged Gouda cheese

28 g butter, cold pressed canola oil, or beef fat

Fresh herbs

1. Slice your sourdough into 2.5 cm slices, using the fat of your choice (chef likes to use beef fat or rendered bone marrow), spread it on the bread.

2. In a cast iron pan toast the bread until golden brown on both sides (you can add extra fat to the pan as desired to really crisp up the bread).

3. When the bread has been toasted, slice in half and place on a plate with the halves put together. Divide the beef evenly and spread onto the bread. This can be rustic and doesn’t need to be smooth all over.

4. Drop a few small dollops of Dijon on top followed by a drizzle of the cold pressed canola.

5. Using a fine grater, or microplane, grate the Gouda cheese on top of the dish. It should be enough to cover the dish in a thin layer allowing some of the beef to peek through.

6. Finally, add a few parsley leaves celery leaves and fresh dill on top to finish the dish.

Chef/instructor Daniel Brasileiro, of Edmonton’s Hallway Café, credits his Portuguese heritage with influencing how he cooks and views hospitality, but he finds inspiration in spaces beyond the kitchen, too. “The passion people show for a subject is infectious,” he says. “All I want to do is dive headfirst into learning as much as I can about their passion, too.”

In the middle of developing the new menus and catering packages at the Hallway, Chef Daniel hints that there may be one or two items that will remain unchanged. “The Raspberry White Chocolate Scones are amazing in the morning with an espresso.”

While he cites shopping local as a great way to cook sustainably, he also reminds us “not to waste any product. Use all of it, even the peels or trim.” Here he shares a method for salt-cured herbs.

“This is an amazing thing to have in your back pocket, especially in Alberta when it gets cold out of nowhere and you have to cut all your herbs before the frost takes them.” Be sure to wash and thoroughly dry your herbs, as moisture is counterproductive. Use different combinations, from your garden to those you can find at the farmer’s market. And then use your salt-cured herbs in everything: “From seasoning your everyday vegetables to proteins, salads, or bread.”

Salt Preserved Herbs

Makes 2 cups (500 mL)

1 cup parsley, finely chopped

1 cup thyme, finely chopped ½ cup rosemary, finely chopped ½ cup garlic scapes, finely chopped ½ cup coarse salt, (¼ cup more if needed)

1. In a large bowl add all herbs and toss together with a clean hand or whisk till they are all combined together.

2 In a mason jar layer herb mixture on bottom and sprinkle salt. Repeat this till all salt and herbs are in the mason jar.

3. Cover with mason jar lid and refrigerate for 2 weeks, drain accumulated liquid and pack herbs into a new sterilized jar. Keep refrigerated till ready to use.

Sour Dough Focaccia

600 g unbleached flour (Alberta Red Wheat preferred)

200 g sourdough starter

15 g salt

1 2/3 cups (400 mL) water, room temperature

2½ tsp (12 mL) canola oil, plus extra for tin and 2 Tbs (30 mL) for on top

1. Add all ingredients together till combined. Doesn’t have to be 100 percent incorporated.

2. Let stand at room temperature in an oiled 6 L container or a covered bowl. After 30-45 minutes stretch and fold over the dough in quarters.

3. Allow to stand for another 30-45 mins and stretch and fold one more time, then place in fridge for 12-24 hrs for cold fermentation.

4. Remove from fridge and place in oiled 228 mm square (9x9”) pan and allow to proof in a warm area covered.

5. After 20 minutes dimple the unadorned dough with wet fingers. Allow to double in size for roughly 20 minutes depending on how warm the room is.

6. Dimple once again, then drizzle 2 Tbs (30 mL) canola oil over top and sprinkle the salt preserved herbs.

7. Bake in 375º F oven for roughly 30-45 minutes until about golden brown and the dough springs back.

8. After baking, allow to sit for a few minutes then remove from pan and allow to cool.

The Kitchen at Schott’s Lake, in Sundre, is a prime example of farm-totable recipes, all carefully created by Chef Chris in his effort to elevate local ingredients for the guests at the resort. He credits his grandparents as an early influence. “There was always something different cooking at their house – they taught me there is so much diversity with foods just by changing how you cooked or spiced them. Their house always smelled awesome!”

“Fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables usually really get my wheels turning with ideas for what to cook next,” he adds. If you’re looking to get ahead on cooking sustainably, he suggests getting to know local businesses. “Everything you need is right there – you just need to look.”

Rubbing shoulders with the locals certainly paid off when it came to developing his recipe for Bison Tenderloin with Saskatoon Berry Jus. “HGB Bison Ranch, in Olds, has some of the most delicious bison meat I have tasted.” The saskatoon berries come from the Saskaberry Ranch, also in Olds, and, as Chef Chris says, the jus takes the tenderloin to a whole new level.

“I love everything about this dish,” he adds. “From sound of the sear as the meat hits the hot cast iron pan, to the smell of the thyme and garlic as you baste the steak with butter, and the slow reduction of bison stock and saskatoons! Yum!”

Bison Tenderloin with Saskatoon Berry Jus

Serves 4

4 - 200 g bison tenderloin steaks

Kosher salt and coarse black pepper

1/3 cup (80 mL) avocado oil

3 - 2.5 cm cubes cold butter

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cloves of garlic

¾ cup (180 mL) rich beef broth

3 Tbs (45 mL) balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs (30 mL) Saskatoon berry jam or redcurrant jelly

½ cup fresh or frozen saskatoon berries

1. Season steaks with salt and pepper, bring to room temperature.

2. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium low temperature, add avocado oil and swish to coat pan.

3. Place steaks in the pan with plenty of room around each one, allow to brown on one side, about 3-4 minutes. When they will release from pan, flip and add one cube of cold butter, fresh thyme and cloves of garlic, tilt pan slightly so butter pools on one side and using a spoon baste the steaks with the butter till brown the other side about another 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan when a thermometer reads no more than 130° F. Place on serving plate and let rest.

4. Drain off excess butter and remove thyme and garlic from pan and return to the heat. Add broth, vinegar, minced garlic and jam or jelly to pan, scraping brown bits from pan, and bring to a boil.

5. Add saskatoon berries, and cook stirring occasionally for about 4-6 minutes until berries soften and sauce thickens slightly.

6. Turn off heat and finish sauce with remaining cold cubes of butter, stirred into sauce until combined. Spoon sauce over bison tenderloins, serve any extra sauce on the side.