All for Al Fresco

BY KEANE STRAUB PHOTOS BY DONG KIM

Summer is back, and rumour has it this one will be another scorcher for Alberta. That means that anything that can be done outdoors will be done outdoors, and this includes entertaining and, of course, eating!

We asked three Alberta brewery chefs to give us their best recipes for just that: eating al fresco, and they did not disappoint. With a bit of planning and preparation these dishes come together effortlessly, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the weather and your company, with a cool drink of choice in hand.

For Executive Chef Hans Pinto of Edmonton’s Campio Brewing, food is all about exploring. “Travel has a huge influence on my cooking and what inspires me. I love to explore traditional ethnic cuisines from around the world and look to find a way to develop our menu at Campio or when I’m cooking at home.”

Campio’s menu boasts everything from the Quinoa Falafel Bowl (one of Chef’s Hans’ faves) to a range of Chicagostyle deep dish pizzas. The Pulled Pork Tacos, another of Chef’s favourites, are a great choice for eating al fresco: “This is a perfect dish for sharing, fun and interactive to serve and does not take too much effort to put together for a larger group.”

Preparation is key. “Plan ahead and organize yourself at least one day in advance - you will thank yourself later,” adds Chef Hans. The pork, veggies, and salsa can all be prepared a day in advance, and don’t stress about finding all the right spices – there are substitutes for everything. “All the changes can be made on personal preference, that is the magic with Tacos. Everyone has their own favourite combinations.”

Executive Chef Hans Pinto

Campio Brewing Chipotle Pulled Pork Tacos

Serves 4-5

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbs (30 mL) lime juice (about 1 lime)

1 Tbs (15 mL) vegetable oil

1 tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp cumin

1-2 individual chipotle peppers, from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1 Tbs (15 mL) adobo sauce, from a can of chipotles in adobo

650-900 g skinless boneless pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed

2 Tbs (30 mL) orange juice (about ½ orange)

½ cup (120 mL) chicken broth

1 bay leaf

Corn tortillas

Your Choice of Toppings:

¼ head cabbage, shredded Pickled jalapeños, sliced

2 ripe avocados, scooped and sliced into wedges

½ cup yellow onion, diced ½ cup ripe pineapple, diced Pickled onions, sliced Chipotle aioli or mayonnaise

Fire roasted tomato salsa or salsa verde –from your local Latin grocery store

Latino hot sauce of your choice (chef chooses Valentina’s)

Fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Place garlic, lime juice, oil, salt, black pepper, oregano, onion powder, cumin, peppers, and adobo sauce in a small food processor. Pulse until well combined, and a paste is formed.

2. Rub the pork shoulder with the chipotle paste, rubbing it thoroughly on all sides. If time allows, let the pork marinate for 30 minutes up to overnight. If not, go to the next step.

3. Place orange juice, chicken broth, bay leaves, and seasoned pork shoulder into a slow cooker. Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, until internal temperature reaches 145° F on a food thermometer. The pork should be so tender that meat falls apart easily.

4. Remove pork from the slow cooker and shred the meat using two forks, removing excess fat. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

5. Heat oven to broil. Line one baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil.

6. Place carnitas onto a baking sheet with a cup or so of the juices and broil until the pork looks golden, crisp, and crusted about 4 minutes. Remove from oven.

7. While pork is browning, place a large sauté pan or skillet on medium high heat. Begin to warm tortillas double stacked until they begin to puff and slightly brown and blister. Flip after 30-45 seconds and allow to brown on the other side. Place warmed tortillas on a plate covered with a clean folded kitchen towel and hold until pork is ready.

8. Arrange your table with your choice of toppings, warm tortillas and hot pork. Begin to build your tacos and enjoy!

Inspiration comes from several different sources for Executive Chef Walter Malowany at Calgary’s Bitter Sisters. “My influences are other restaurants that I admire, that are food focused and creative, (using) local and seasonal ingredients, as well as magazines and books.”

Executive Chef Walter Malowany

Dishes like the Meta Mezze platter and the Nashville Chicken Sandwich are Chef Walter’s top choices from the menu, but when it comes to entertaining at home, he enjoys a classic like this Ribeye Steak with Warm Mushroom Salad.

“Steak was always a popular meal at my mother’s farm. My mother was rather health conscious, not big on brand name products and I became somewhat obsessed with recreating store-bought condiments at work and at home.”

“Prep as much as possible so you can enjoy the evening chatting with those you’re cooking for. Local Alberta beef is always preferred, and make sure you let your steaks rest for at least 8 minutes before slicing,” says Chef Walter. “Seasoning is extremely important. Add just the right amount of salt and get a good sear on the mushrooms.”

Ribeye Steak with Warm Mushroom Salad and A1 Red Ale Sauce

Serves 2-4

7-10 baby potatoes, halved

2 Tbs (30mL) olive oil

3 slices bacon, diced

2 cups of mushrooms (shitake, cremini, oyster or a mix), rough chop

2 Tbs butter

2 handfuls arugula

1 bunch of spinach

2 Tbs (30 mL) of your favourite light-coloured beer

¼ cup butter

¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil

1 Tbs (15 mL) balsamic vinegar,

1 Tbs (15 mL) apple cider vinegar

½ tsp (2.5 mL) Dijon mustard

410 g ribeye steak

1. Toss potatoes in 2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil, and salt and pepper, and cook in oven at 375º F for 20 minutes.

2. Fry bacon until crisp.

3. Add butter to a hot cast iron pan, add left over bacon fat and place mushrooms in pan well spaced out, sear for 3-4 minutes, season with salt and pepper.

4. Toss in 2 handfuls of arugula and a bunch of spinach, deglaze with beer (chef likes Uncle Philsner Pilsner here) and pull pan off heat. Let greens wilt, add bacon and roasted potatoes.

5. Melt butter in a small frying pan over high heat, once it begins to foam stir it and watch it carefully, it will brown in about 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add canola oil and let cool.

6. In a bowl whisk balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard. While whisking slowly drizzle in the brown butter oil mixture until dressing becomes creamy.

7. Toss everything together and serve warm.

A1 Red Ale Sauce

1 Tbs (15 mL) Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs (15 mL) light soy sauce

½ cup (120 mL) ketchup

Splash orange juice

To taste salt and pepper

1 Tbs (15 mL) of your favourite red ale

Mix together Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, orange juice, pinch of salt and pepper, and red ale (Bitter Sisters like Clifford the Big Red Ale).

BBQ the ribeye until medium rare, make sure to let rest, serve with A1 Red Ale Sauce and the warm mushroom salad.

Dan Kozluk, Chef de Cuisine at Calgary’s Best of Kin Social

Keeping current is what inspires Dan Kozluk, Chef de Cuisine at Calgary’s Best of Kin Social, and he finds the best way to do that is hitting up local spots on his days off to see what other menus have to offer.

“I think it's important as a chef to visit other neighbourhood restaurants, not only to support local businesses but also to keep up with current food trends.”

But when it comes to the menu at Best of Kin, the corndogs, paired with Dad Beer mustard and pickled veg, take centre stage: “I think a corn dog brings back happy food memories and is a nostalgic dish. I love watching corn dogs bring a smile to every table at our restaurant,” says Chef Kozluk.

But if you’re looking for a star at your next backyard affair, the Smoked Korean Barbecue Chicken Sandwich creates feelings of ‘best summer ever’. As Chef Kozluk says: “It brings me back to having summer barbeques with friends and family when I was a kid.” Again, much of the prep work can be done before hand, and the smoking process of the chicken gives you a few hours to enjoy a cold one with those gathered with you.

Best of Kin Social Smoked Korean BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Serves 4

Marinade

8 boneless skin-on chicken thighs

1 cup (240 mL) soy sauce

1 cup (240 mL) honey

¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil

½ cup (120 mL) sesame oil

¼ cup (60 mL) rice wine vinegar

½ cup (120 mL) gochujang

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup (60 mL) ginger, finely chopped

Pickled Jalapeno

2 cups (500 mL) white vinegar

1 cup sugar

½ cup (120 mL) water

2 bay leaves

1 tsp peppercorns

2 cloves garlic, smashed

6 jalapeno peppers

Kimchi Slaw

2 cups (500 mL) kimchi, sliced 1 cup shredded carrots, shredded 2 cups white cabbage, shaved 2 cups red cabbage, shaved 2 green onions, sliced 1/3 cup (80 mL) kimchi liquid 1/3 cup (80 mL) kewpie mayo

To taste salt

1. Whisk soy sauce, honey, olive oil, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and gochujang in a large mixing bowl and add chopped garlic and ginger.

2. Pour half of the marinade (you will need the other half for glazing) over the chicken thighs and let sit for a minimum of 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

3. For the pickled jalapenos, add vinegar, sugar, water, bay leaves, peppercorns and garlic cloves to a pot and bring to a boil. While the pickling liquid is heating, slice the jalapenos into thin rounds and put them into a jar. Once the pickling liquid comes to a boil turn off the heat and pour over the jalapenos. Let them cool on the counter and then keep in the fridge.

4. Smoke thighs at 225º F for 2 hours total, be sure to brush on the saved marinade every 30 minutes to create a glaze on the chicken.

5. While the chicken is smoking, start the kimchi slaw. Add kimchi, carrots, white and red cabbage, to a large mixing bowl.

6. Add sliced green onions, kimchi liquid and kewpie mayo. Mix until combined, season with salt to taste.

7. Once everything is ready you can start making sandwiches! Toast sourdough bread (or your favourite bun), pile on the kimchi slaw, add 2 thighs for each sandwich and drizzle with kewpie mayo. Slice sandwiches in half and enjoy with a nice cold patio beer.