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RECIPES
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SHE’LL BE COOKING ’ROUND THE MOUNTAIN After years at the peak of kitchens in the Rockies’ luxury lodges, Katie Mitzel has the recipes that will help you present the Canadian backcountry on a plate. Recipes
EXPECTING SNOW – and shrinking in horror as it arrives – is fundamentally ingrained in the Canadian DNA. But in the right circumstances, in the snug setting of a wooden cabin with a fi re softly crackling in the background (and plenty of plaid), even the most winter-fearing Canuck could be convinced that there’s something kind of magical about the backcountry.
Katie Mitzel started her career as a lodge assistant, but realized that if she wanted to keep doing what she loved she would have to upgrade her skill set. So she put on her oven mitts and started work in the hectic world of backcountry kitchens. Over the years, Mitzel would go on to work as a lodge chef at some of Canada’s most prestigious outdoor
playgrounds, including Skoki Lodge, Battle Abbey, Mistaya, Assiniboine and Shadow Lake Lodge. She shares the catalogue of mouthwatering recipes she built, inspired by the rugged natural beauty outside her kitchen window, in her latest cookbook, Rocky Mountain Cooking: Recipes to Bring Canada's Backcountry Home ($29.70, amazon.ca). While Mitzel’s dishes – which range from hearty soups to ambitious desserts – often had to be adjusted for factors like altitude and lack of water or electricity, the recipes in her cookbook are just as accessible for less adventurous cooks. And if Rocky Mountain Cooking is the closest you get to outdoorsy this winter, we’re confi dent that the rustic fl avours you rustle up for family and friends will indulge all your backcountry fantasies from the comfort of your kitchen. f
FOODISM RECIPES, IN ASSOCIATION WITH LOS CARDOS
Doña Paula has been making premium Argentinian wines from Mendoza's best wine growing regions since 1997. Across its 800 hectares of vineyards, the estate winery harvests high-quality grapes from its location 1,000 metres above sea level at the foot of the Andes. Its optimal growing conditions – the result of a winning combination of soil and climate together with a certifi ed sustainable vinegrowing – ensures the clearest expression of each terroir. The winery has scored 90+ points at the world's most prestigious wine awards. Their wines, from the super smooth Doña Paula Los Cardos Malbec to their zesty Sauvignon Blanc, are gluten-free and vegan-friendly.
FOLLOW FOODISMTO
Katie Mitzel’s BEET HUMMUS Roasted beets give hummus, a perennial favourite with healthy snackers, an attractive pink hue that will make you feel like a chef in your own home.
INGREDIENTS ◆ 2 small beets ◆ 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling ◆ 1 bulb garlic ◆ 1 ½ cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed ◆ 2 Tbsp tahini ◆ 3 Tbsp lemon juice ◆ 3–4 Tbsp cold water ◆ ½ tsp ground cumin ◆ ½ tsp ground coriander ◆ Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Method 1 Preheat the oven to 375 F. 2 Place the beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with a bit of oil. Peel the outer layers of skin from the garlic bulb and cut ¼ inch off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Place the garlic bulb on the foil with the beets, drizzle with a bit more oil, and close up the foil package. 3 Place the foil package in a small baking dish and roast for 40 to 60 minutes, until the beets are fork-tender. 4 Once cool, discard the skin of the beets and chop the beets into bite-size pieces. Place the beets in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute. Squeeze out four to five cloves of the roasted garlic and add them to the food processor, along with the chickpeas and tahini. Turn the food processor on, and while it’s running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. 5 Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get the desired consistency. 6 Hummus will keep in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days. f
PAIR THIS Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc Channel lodge life with a pre-dinner combo of hummus and wine. The zesty acidity takes the beets in its stride. LCBO #11943
Katie Mitzel’s HASSELBACK POTATOES
This preparation elevates baked potatoes – both by heightening the flavour and by adding a "company's coming over" look.
PAIR THIS Los Cardos Malbec The pepper and rich Gruyère cheese topping makes this well-balanced red wine the perfect accomplice for this hearty side. LCBO #11942
INGREDIENTS
◆ ½ cup salted butter ◆ 5 whole garlic cloves, peeled ◆ 4 Yukon gold potatoes ◆ 3–4 rosemary sprigs, tied together by the stems ◆ Kosher salt and ground black pepper ◆ 4 thyme sprigs ◆ 1–1 ½ cups grated Gruyère cheese
Method 1 In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the garlic cloves in it. Let sit for 1 to 2 hours, warming the butter gently if it starts to solidify. 2 Preheat the oven to 375 F. 3 Scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt. Pat dry. Using an extremely sharp paring knife, cut equal slits along the length of the potato, going about three-quarters of the way through and keeping the potato intact. Your slices should be about ¼-inch apart, giving you 12 to 13 slits in each potato. 4 Place the potatoes in a 9 x 13-inch, lightly oiled baking dish. Dip the rosemary sprigs into the garlic butter and brush the potatoes generously. 5 Sprinkle the potatoes liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake, uncovered, for approximately half an hour.
6 Brush the potatoes with more butter and return them to the oven for 20 more minutes. Remove them from the oven again, place a thyme sprig on top of each potato, and sprinkle the cheese overtop. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is totally melted and bubbly. 7 Serve immediately with any remaining garlic butter in a small dish alongside the potatoes. f
Katie Mitzel’s SEASONAL LAMB WITH MINT RELISH Nothing says “waiting for spring” like lamb chops and making your own mint relish adds a dash of pizzazz.
Method 1 To prepare the lamb, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, wine, soy sauce and dijon. Whisk in the fennel, caraway and mustard seeds, followed by the shallot, fresh and dried mint and rosemary. Add the sugar and garlic and whisk to combine. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag. 2 Trim any excess fat off the lamb chops and place them in the marinade, turning them over a few times to coat well. Refrigerate overnight. 3 The next day, remove the marinated lamb from the fridge at least 1 hour before you plan to cook it. 4 Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. 5 To make the mint relish, place the parsley, mint, cilantro and chives in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the vinegar and sugar and pulse to blend. Grate the ginger right into the sauce and then add the garlic, miso, oregano, red pepper flakes, a pinch or two of salt and pepper to taste. Pulse a few times to combine, drizzling in
PAIR THIS Los Cardos Malbec This deep violet, intensely spicy Argentinian red pairs perfectly with the savoury and rich notes in this seasonal lamb dish. LCBO #11942
the olive oil as you do so. Continue to pulse just until you have a chunky and wonderfully textured sauce. It should be almost pourable but not runny. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set aside. You can also prepare this relish ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. 6 Remove the lamb chops from the marinade, one at a time, allowing any excess liquid to drip off. Place them on the prepared baking tray. Cook in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. For mediumrare, the internal temperature should read about 130 F on an instant-read thermometer. It is best to remove them just shy of this temperature, because the chops will continue cooking after you remove them from the oven. 7 Plate the lamb and serve with a dollop of mint relish. 8 If you have any of this leftover relish, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for one week. You will need to remove it from the refrigerator about a half an hour before using to allow the oil to come back up to temperature after solidifying. Just give it a gentle stir before using. f
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE LAMB
◆ ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ◆ ¾ cup rice wine vinegar ◆ ¼ cup dry red wine ◆ ¼ cup soy sauce ◆ 1 Tbsp smooth dijon mustard ◆ ½ tsp fennel seeds ◆ ½ tsp caraway seeds ◆ ½ tsp mustard seeds (yellow or black) ◆ 1 medium shallot, chopped ◆ 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves ◆ 1 Tbsp dried mint ◆ 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves ◆ 4 garlic cloves, minced ◆ ½ cup packed dark brown sugar ◆ 8 –10 (each 3 oz) lamb chops, about ¾-inch thick
FOR THE MINT RELISH ◆ ½ cup roughly chopped flatleaf parsley ◆ ½ cup roughly chopped mint leaves ◆ ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro ◆ ¼ cup chopped chives ◆ ½ cup white wine vinegar ◆ 2 Tbsp granulated sugar ◆ 1-inch piece ginger, peeled ◆ 3 garlic cloves, minced ◆ 2 Tbsp white miso paste ◆ 2 Tbsp oregano leaves ◆ 1 tsp red pepper flakes ◆ Kosher salt and ground black pepper ◆ ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Katie Mitzel’s POACHED BOSC PEARS A spiced syrup gives a polished profile to the already quite elegant pear. This recipe turns a winter-fruit favourite into an impressive dessert.
Method 1 In a large saucepan over mediumhigh heat, whisk the sugar with 3 cups of water and the white wine and bring to a rolling boil. Turn the heat down to medium and add the star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger slices, whole cloves, vanilla, orange zest and juice. Bring to a simmer. 2 Peel the pears with a very sharp peeler, making sure to keep the neck and stem intact. Slice a thin section off the bottom of each pear to create a flat surface. 3 Turn down the heat to mediumlow and place the pears, upright, in the liquid. They should be fully submerged. Poach the pears, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester can easily glide into the flesh without force. You do not want an undercooked pear. However, a mushy pear will not be a pleasant eating experience either. 4 Remove the pan from the heat and let the pears cool in the poaching liquid. When they are just cool enough to touch, using rubber tongs, remove the pears from the liquid, allowing any excess to drip back into the saucepan. Place on a serving plate and put in the fridge, uncovered. 5 Meanwhile, pour the poaching liquid through a sieve and into a clean saucepan. Discard the seasonings. Add the Grand Marnier (if using). Warm the liquid over medium heat, letting it reduce by half so that you have a gorgeous, pecan-colored syrup, about 20 to 30 minutes. 6 Remove the cold pears from the fridge. Plate together or individually. Pour some of the syrup overtop – this dish is equally good served warm or at room temperature. f
PAIR THIS Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc A spiced syrup infused with Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc gives a polished profile to this elegant pear. LCBO #11943
INGREDIENTS ◆ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar ◆ 1 cup dry white wine ◆ 4 whole star anise or ¾ teaspoon star anise seeds ◆ 1 cinnamon stick ◆ 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and quartered lengthwise ◆ 4 whole cloves ◆ 2 Tbsp vanilla extract or 1 whole pod ◆ 1 orange, zested and juiced ◆ 4 Bosc pears ◆ 3 Tbsp Grand Marnier (optional)
