My third and final trip during winterbites was to Absinthe Cafe on Wellington. I was told that I absolutely had to have their Steak-Frites, and lucky for me that was what they were serving up along with a mushroom soup and mini creme brulée. Miss winterbites?? Not a problem, the soup and dessert are paired with a rotating main for only $19 as part of Absinthe’s regular lunch menu as well.

The Steak-Frites did not disappoint. The most succulent marinated drop filet served medium rare, served with house cut fries, garlic aioli for dipping and a light salad were to die for. Every bite had me making some little noise of pleasure! It’s on the regular lunch menu as well for $15 and well worth the price.

The soup that day was a mushroom that was so creamy and delish that I had no desire to know how much cream and butter were in it… would have just ruined the wonderful experience.  The mini creme brulée was indeed mini – two or three bites and it was finished, but it was the perfect sweet cap on a very lovely meal.  I’m a sucker for a good creme brulée.

Dress is trendy casual – be comfy but look nice… that should be an every day rule.

The restaurant itself is trendy and hip with a very modern sense of style. The afternoon we visited was bright and chilly and the floor to ceiling windows at the front made for some really great people watching. The wait staff is friendly and as attentive as can be, but it can be hard to flag them down when you are looking for something.

The food is wonderful, and proudly local, seasonal and sustainable. Farms the restaurant uses include Mariposa Farm, Rodney’s Organic Garden, Rideau View Farm, Acorn Creek Garden Farm. They are a member of Savour Ottawa, the Endangered Fish Alliance, and all coffee is organic and fair trade. I just love a socially and environmentally responsible restaurant, don’t you?

4 out of 5 stars

Kind of looks like sickly ginger root…

This went about 100 times better than the karela incident. In that we actually really liked the finished product and would eat it again… and again. The funniest part was actually how surprised hubs was that he enjoyed it. The conversation went like this:

Hubs: So what have we got here?

Me: Sunchokes – it’s for my bucket list, another new ingredient.

Like that bitter melon thing?? (You can hear the fear in his voice)

Possibly. That’s the fun!

Yes. Fun. *Takes a bite* Actually this is good. *Another bite* Really good! Way to try to freak me out.

That is always my intention.

He’s right to doubt me…

I decided to keep it simple so I just cleaned and sliced the sunchokes into 1/4 inch pieces then coated them with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Then I roasted them at 400 until I could stab them with a fork. So easy. So good. Maybe next time Hubs wont be as frightened… though he probably should be.

This Friday I lost someone dear to me. One of my fondest memories of my Nana included a week every summer spent with her and my Grandfather in their Bayside apartment. Movies, scratch tickets, Pepsi and trips to the store were always on the agenda. And for a country kid without cable, it was awesome.

One of the other things I remember was begging her to make me scalloped potatoes. In August. During a heat wave. Did I mention the apartment did not have air conditioning? I finally won out with the reasoning that it couldn’t possibly get any hotter.

So, we sat on the balcony while the potatoes cooked away. And as always – they were the best scalloped potatoes ever. This recipe can’t possibly compare to the memory of those potatoes, but to be honest, nothing ever will. These are pretty damn good though.

Ingredients
6 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
1 small onion, finely chopped
Another great addition is some left over ham or bacon if you have any

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted.

Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.

Gradually stir in milk, 1/2 cup at a time. Heat to boiling. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Arrange potatoes in greased 2 quart casserole in 3 layers, topping each layer with part of the chopped onions and 1/3 of the sauce. Layer in the meat as well if you are using it.

Dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, broken into little pieces.

Cover and bake until potatoes are tender, about 60-70 minutes. Let stand 5 to 10 minute before serving.

You always think there will be time for more photos… guess this one from a few years ago will have to do.

Last weekend I was invited to an event hosted by Dishcrawl Ottawa. Typically, these events hop from restaurant to restaurant eating a different course of the meal at a different location. This time however, we were treated to a large family style meal at Pressed – Urban Gourmet Sandwich Bar. It was so good, I came back the next night with my mother and husband so they could try it too!

That alone should tell you all you need to know about Pressed. It’s so good, I went back the very next night… and to be honest I considered buying several sandwiches for the road. During the dishcrawl I was able to sample the pulled pork and brisket sandwiches. Each were smoky, tender and absolutely rave-worthy. The next night I was able to try the black bean, roasted vegetable and boar sandwiches. All were amazing. So much so that I’m pressed (ha ha pun intended) to pick a favorite. It’s not just the intense and layered flavours of these sandwiches that I adore, but also the fantastical textures. Pressing the sandwiches creates a delightful crunch on the bread while heating the fillings through making them tender and creamy.

Don’t lick your computer screen… I know… it’s hard not to.

You would think that a pressed sandwich shop would be all about the meat, and trust me – it does it right! But I was delighted to find the multiple vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. All of which are done with just as much love and care as the meat dishes.

So how does pressed achieve such amazing flavour… well their giant kick arse smoker doesn’t hurt!

Beyond amazing flavours of the sandwiches themselves, they also have an array of side dishes to choose from including a stellar mac and cheese, soups, chili and collard greens. They also have a sweet potato chip that makes me smile.

There isn’t much around Pressed, but the venue itself is a very hip and casual hang out spot – especially after they get their liquor license this March. The decor is a comfortable homage to the neighbourhood it comes from, with pews from a local church and beams reclaimed from a home a couple blocks over that was doing a renovation. With local art on the walls and a stage area that features local artists for weekly Sunday afternoon open mic sessions – this will become a go to spot for anyone in the neighbour hood looking for good food at a good price.

The Mac and Cheese is really something special

Speaking of price all sandwiches range between $8-$11. Incredibly reasonable for one of the best sandwiches you will ever have.

If you haven’t been yet, I strongly recommend you hit up Pressed. You can thank me later with some of those wicked sweet potato chips.

5 out of 5 stars. I’m impressed with Pressed. Sorry. I had to.

I have never made a Sheppard’s pie before. Mostly because I hate them. I have always hated them, ever since I was little. I hated them so much that even the childhood cure all of covering it with ketchup couldn’t make it edible for me. The Kid and Hubs enjoy them, so really the only time they had them is when I would purchase frozen ones and let them eat it while I was away.

But now, that has all changed. Thanks to Chef Andree of C’est Bon Cooking - I now have a Sheppard’s pie I can actually enjoy. I was picking her brain the other day about a one pot dinner that I could bring over to my in-laws. Long story short, I invited them for dinner but then sold my dining room table shortly there after with no replacement, so we ate at their house. She suggested a take on a recipe by Dorie Greenspan. A bit of tweaking to bring it down to my level, and BOOM – the best I’ve ever known.

This is a multi-step recipe, which takes a little time and is pretty un-common for me. But each of the steps is super easy so I’m sure you can see why I was still able to come through on it!

It tastes about a million times better than this photo would lead you to believe.

Ingredients
1 beef roast of your choosing
4 cups of broth
2 medium red onions, sliced
Bay leaf
Pepper
Salt
1 TBSP dried Thyme
1 TBSP tomato paste
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup frozen peas
6 medium washed potatoes
1 lemon
1 nob of butter
splash of milk
1/2 cup  grated old cheddar cheese
1/4 mayo or sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 TBSP garlic powder

A day or two before you plan to make your Sheppard pie… or really early that day, add the roast, broth and onions to a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-6 hours until the meat falls apart. Allow to cool to the touch and shred by hand. Do not throw away the broth! When meat is shredded, add to the bottom of a 13×9 casserole dish.

On medium heat add the broth that the roast cooked in with the onions to a small sauce pot. Add bay leaf, thyme, tomato paste, mushrooms and red wine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to come to a simmer and reduce down to the consistency of gravy. When finished reducing, pour over meat. Followed by the cup of frozen peas.

In a large microwaveable dish add half the potatoes and half a lemon. Cover with cling wrap – two layers, so that it is totally covered. Microwave for 10 minutes until potatoes are very tender. Discard lemon and any juice on the bottom of the bowl and transfer cooked potatoes to another large bowl. Repeat with remaining potatoes and lemon.

To the potatoes add butter, milk, cheese, mayo and garlic powder. Mash together. Spread over the top of the meat mixture.

Now bake the whole concoction at 400 degrees until the gravy is bubbling and the potatoes have a golden brown crust on top, or until heated through if you just can’t wait that long! Serve with a nice green salad.

I visited SideDoor Restaurant earlier this year and loved it! But this was my first chance to get to speak one on one with Chef Korecki. What a great guy. Not only didn’t he fake a stomach ache to get away from me and my odd line of questions, he even gave me a quick tour of his kitchen! Korecki is not only an Ottawa Celebrity chef but he is a Top Chef Canada contestant in season two which will be airing starting this March. Check out his audition video here:

Chef Korecki is so mild mannered and polite, my first question was to ask him how long until he gives that up and starts acting like a real celebrity chef? How cold must his latte be before he will throw it at his assistant. Speaking of which, when will he be getting an assistant?

(Korecki) No no! That’s the number one thing you want to stay away from. I don’t let it get to my head, because then you are ‘that asshole’. The best part of being part of all this is that I get to work with other Chefs that I might not have had the chance to work with otherwise. I can head out to where they are and cook, and I can bring them in here to see what we are all about.

Ok. That’s all well and good. I can tell that it’s really about the cooking for you. But you also have a side business – head bands. It’s one of your trademarks and you actually have a line of them for chef’s and other professionals who sweat a lot. I don’t know about you, but they kind of remind me of ninjas. Are you in fact a ninja? And would you show me some of your ninja moves?

Ha! Um … it would be more like Beverly Hills Ninja than an actual ninja.

Back to food. SideDoor will be one year old this Valentines Day weekend – how has the first year been?

It`s been a fast learning curve! But it`s so cool seeing something grow from an idea into reality. It`s been a really cool ride. We are so much farther along now then we were at this point last year. The kinks have more or less been ironed out, like the doughnuts for example. They are done to order all night. So getting the recipe right so that they come out the same at any point was challenging, but we got it down now. And more of the staff know how to complete the dishes so I have more time for fun and menu development.

Speaking of menus, you have been working with Chef Charles for Celebrity Chefs of Canada. What can you tell me about your dish?

**As if his ears are burning, it is at this moment when Chef Charles calls Korecki to talk about a last minute idea for this dish… and to tell him about how he fell down the stairs the night before**

Jeremy and I have been chatting back and forth for a couple of weeks now, but it was only yesterday that we actually hammered out the real idea for the dish. It`s going to be rabbit. Jeremy has a contact in St. John`s who can get him some really amazing local rabbits. There will be a terrine, pate with homemade pickles (which we have already started working on) and ravioli… it is going to be quite the dish.

That sounds amazing. How do you enjoy working with Chef Charles?

Jer is great. He is just so super cool. He is relaxed but focused, which I like. And as an added bonus I used to work with his Sous Chef back in the day when I was in Toronto working with Susur.

Are you looking forward to seeing Susur again?

Of course. I`m really looking forward to connecting with Susur. That guy is funny as hell.

So last year some (by which I mean most… by which I mean all) the chefs went out for a little meet and greet the night before the event. Let us just say that the 8am demos were a little groggy. Do you have any plans for that this year?

Not so much. We will save the party for after the event. Plus it doesn`t get started until noon this year, which is a big help. 8am for any chef who is still working the line is difficult.

Thanks so much to Chef Jonathan for his time. I know he is going to make a rocking dish for Celeb Chefs and is going to kick ass and take names on Top Chef!

To order your tickets for Celebrity Chefs of Canada – click the banner below. Come on out and meet chef Jonny – he’s wicked cool.

I had the great fortune the other day to have brunch at Zen Kitchen with a couple of vegan friends.  As you know from my veggie challenge, I have been struggling with vegetarian meals in the winter and even more so with vegan meals at any time of year. Zen Kitchen makes it look easy! Chef Caroline Ishii is so talented, you could take the most meat and potato guy you know, and he would still be able to enjoy a meal. Just maybe wait until he’s done eating to let him know that it was vegan. Perception is everything.

It really is. I’m pretty open minded about my food, and I was a bit nervous about the tofu scramble that hubby ordered.

The untraditional breakfast ($14) of tofu scramble, tempeh bacon, baked beans and potatoes is actually… pretty traditional. Minus the animal products.

It scared me. I’ll admit it. Tempeh bacon? What the hell is that? Delicious is what it is. Smokey and wonderful – it is everything you love about bacon without the grease. The scramble was flavourful and light and fluffy. I was jealous that some people were so gifted that when they work with tofu it turns into something edible, unlike when I attempt to use it.

I went with a gluten free, Mornay sauce and crispy onions Mac and Cheese ($14). Go big or go home I say – and I feel that ordering something with cheese in the title when you know that no traditional cheese will be anywhere near it is going big. Or bigish. It was a-maze-ing.

So creamy and delicious I really enjoyed it. I would say that it isn’t the best Mac and Cheese I’ve ever had, but it it is definitely up there. And that’s really saying something. I loves my mac and cheese. I often find that the first couple bites of a mac and cheese are good, but then the flavours and textures become redundant and you lose the enthusiasm for eating it. Not with this one. The crunchy topping and layers of flavour had me finishing the dish happily. I had it with the daily soup which was a curried carrot… one of the best soups I think I have ever had.

The food rocks – the prices are reasonable ($14 for any brunch dish), lets move on to the restaurant itself.

It’s not a huge place, but it is so homey and trendy it feels like you are visiting a very cool friend. You are instantly comfortable in your surroundings and the servers are as warm and welcoming as the decor. It is a wonderful location to sit back and enjoy some wonderful food and terrific company. Laid back and relaxed, yet there is something about it – you know that you are experiencing something unique and truly special.

A wonderful meal at a wonderful restaurant. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Iiiiittttt’sss Baaaaaack! March 25, one of the BEST food events in Ottawa – The Celebrity Chefs of Canada (formerly Canadian Celebrity Chefs) is back… with a vengeance. Sorry. I had to.

First – a review of last year. Here’s a couple of my posts including an overall review of the event, and a post of things over heard during the day.

Same as last year, Ottawa’s culinary titans are going to be paired up with fantastic Chefs from all over the country. Then that chef team is given a blogger that will cover them, their dish and their contributions to the event. This year the teams are:

Jeremy Charles, Raymond’s (St. John’s), Jonathan Korecki, Side Door and Jodi Lariviere from a little blog called Simply Fresh Ottawa. Perhaps you have heard of it?

Not to mention:

Lynn Crawford, Ruby Watchco (Toronto),  Michael Blackie, National Arts Centre and Abby from Acqtaste
Susur Lee, LEE (Toronto), Matthew Carmichael, Restaurant e18hteen and Ron from the Ottawa Citizen
Vikram Vij, Vij’s (Vancouver), Cesare Santaguida, Vittoria Trattoria and Tracey from The Lemon Kitchen
Ned Bell, Four Seasons Hotel (Vancouver), Patricia Larkin, Black Cat Bistro and Lynne from the Twisted Chef
Jason Bangerter, O&B Canteen | Luma (Toronto), Jason Duffy, ARC Lounge and Kelly from The Gouda Life
Quang Dang, West Restaurant (Vancouver), Marc Lepine, Atelier and Hillary from Hillarymakes
Jason Parsons, Peller Estates Winery Restaurant (Niagara-on-the-Lake), Clifford Lyness, Brookstreet and Claire from FoodiePrints
Patrick McMurray, Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill (Toronto) and Paula Roy from Ottawa at Home

You can learn all about the chefs and their dishes by visiting the blogs listed above. OR better yet, why don’t you join us for the event??

Like last year there are two ticket options. #1 is the demo and food tasting from noon to 7pm for $135 and option #2 is the food tasting and tickets to the after party with the chefs from 6:30 to 11pm for $85 (tax and gratuity are not included).

Proceeds from the event will go to support the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust which furthers artistic education, training and mentorship for young Canadians.

What more could you ask for? Getting up close and personal with some of the country’s most talented chefs and their food while supporting charity?!?! Sign me up!

And if you’d like to sign up too (otherwise known as buying your ticket) click here to visit the NAC’s websitem.

Thanks to my friend Kelly at the Gouda Life I read this article on thestar.com where Loblaw’s head honcho Galen Westen says that Farmer’s Markets are great and all, but one day they are going to kill someone.

Excuse me?

People were quick to point out that “supermarkets sell most of the food that’s recalled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).” And “that it was Maple Leaf Foods and a Toronto meat plant — not a farmers’ market — that was at the centre of a 2008 Listeria outbreak that left 23 people dead and led to a major recall.”

I always knew this guy was a weasel. Just look at those beady eyes.