Episode four of our series “Cooking with Kretz”

The 100 Mile Cuisine of SD&SG  County in Ontario Canada was full of challenges for Chef Shawn Kretz.

He brined his organic local Pork in some Beau’s Brew Beer which is bottled in Vankleek Hill Ontario.

The dish also had a corn meal polenta, roasted local root vegetables, and an scratch made local apple sauce with ground mustard.

Tom Manley of Homestead Organics was the guest  and shared about some of the products he deals with locally.

If you have any questions for our Red Seal Chef you can email them to Shawn care of our website.

Email questions to info@cornwallfreenews.com

Stay tuned for the last two episodes coming up and to see earlier episodes click here.

Here are some of the recipes Chef Shawn used for this episode.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8418vMCIoo

Pork Loin Chop

Brine:
4 pork loin chops
1 litre cider or beer (Beaus in our case)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sea salt

Combine in a bowl, stir to dissolve and then add the chops.Keep in marinade up to 3 days.

Apple Sauce

3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped.
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp grainy dijon.

Combine in a can and cook until thickened, then cool.

Polenta

1 litre milk, seasoned to taste
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 tbsp butter

Bring the milk to a simmer, add the cornmeal, and whisk until the polenta is cooked and all of the milk is absorbed.  Add butter and taste for seasoning. Cheese or other ingredients can be added to the polenta to make it more interesting.

Glazed Carrots
3 carrots
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
seasoning to taste

Cube/ cut the carrots in even sized pieces, place in a frying pan, top with water and bring to a vigorous boil until all the water is evaporated and the carrots begin to saute in the butter. Add the thyme and saute until lightly coloured. You will notice that these carrots are wonderfully sweet.

Roasted Beets
3 medium beets
2 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper
olive oil or cold pressed oil

Place the whole beets in an aluminum foil “package” with the garlic, thyme, oil and seasoning. Roast in a 350 degree oven until tender when pierced with a paring knife (1 hour or so). Let cool slightly and rub the beet peels off. You can then cut the beets into wedges and serve cold or warm.

Please visit more of our amazing series sponsors

The Cornwall Downtown (DBIA) Business Association

&

Schnitzels European Flavours

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If you haven’t checked out the first episodes of Cooking with Kretz click this LINK.

Chef Shawn Kretz has created quite the menu from foods harvested within 100 Miles of SD&G.

In our first episode shot locally as Schnitzels, we featured Bison & Goat Cheese Pizza using a Beau’s Brew dough; Bison pepperoni from Island View Farms in Summerstown and some local Goat cheese; local mushrooms, and Red Russian Organic Garlic from Stan Lalonde in Ormstown Quebec.

Here’s the recipe for the pizza dough.

You can come up with your own toppings and flavours:

Cornwall Ontario

Pizza Dough
1 pkg active dry yeast (2.5 tsp)
1.5 cups luke warm beer
1 tbsp sugar
(let bloom for 5 minutes)
Add:
3.5-3.75 cups of flour
2 tbsp cold pressed oil
1 tbsp salt

Knead until the gluten strands do not tear. let double in bulk in an oiled, covered bowl.

Divide into even sized balls and roll into pizzas. You can then use any sauce and toppings you desire.

Cooking time for a thin crust pizza is approximately 5 minutes at 450-500 degrees.

There are some amazing local food products available.

You may have to look a bit harder for them, but you can also ask your local grocer to stock them too or buy direct from some sources like Island View Farms.

Beau’s Brew has many other uses besides pizza dough too.    You can find them at Schnitzels here in Cornwall.

Episode two featured a Roasted Butternut Squash Soup!

Butternut Squash Soup

1 Butternut Squash
1 medium onion
5 cloves garlic

1 tbsp pumpkin spice (nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon)
seasoning to taste (salt and pepper)

Cut up the Squash, onion and garlic and roast them in a 325 degree oven until they start to colour.

Put them in a pot, cover with water or vegetable stock, and boil until the squash is soft.

Puree in a blender until smooth.

This is classically served with brown (slightly burnt butter) and some fresh sage.

To contact Shawn you can email him at info@cornwallfreenews.com

We also would wish to thank our other amazing sponsors for these episodes and the series.

Schnitzels European Flavors

The Cornwall Downtown Business Improvement Association

And Homestead Organics

We’d also like to thank Island View Farms, Levac Apiaries, Stan’s Best Maple Products & Organics, and all those who helped make this show come together.

Stay tuned for the next episodes of Cooking with Kretz which will be appearing exclusively here on The Cornwall Free News.

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Here is episode two of our webshow -- Cooking with Kretz, with our resident Red Seal Chef, Shawn Kretz.

Season One is all about the 100 Mile Cuisine of SD&G counties in Ontario, Canada

This episode features Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

Chef Shawn also explores other root vegetables that are indigenous to our area.

to contact Chef Shawn you can email us at info@cornwallfreenews.com

We hope you enjoy this episode of “Cooking With Kretz” and invite you to visit our webpage where we’ll be adding recipes, photos, and more from the shooting of our series.    You can also email us to reserve your seat for the next shooting day in February.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vd16T19h-E

please visit our fine sponsors of this episode of Cooking with Kretz:

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We are proud to bring you the first Webisode of “Cooking with Kretz” with our very own Red Seal Chef and Cooking Columnist Chef Shawn Kretz.

The first Episode features local Bison as Chef Shawn creates a Bison Sausage & Goat Cheese Pizza using a Beau’s Brew Pizza dough!

Enjoy these web shows.  Each episode is between 3.5-8 minutes.   This first season features foods from within 100 miles of Cornwall Ontario and SD&G.

We’d like to thank all of our amazing sponsors for this part of the first season including The Cornwall Downtown Business Improvement Associations, Schnitzel’s European Flavors, Homestead Organics, Beau’s Brew, Stan’s Best, Levac Apiaries, and of course the provide of the bison for this episode from Archie & Jocelyn of Island View Farms.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvrMRLPUIqg

To see all of the episodes as they roll out and learn more about the recipes and cuisine of our area check out the Cooking with Kretz Web Page.  You also can email Chef Shawn at info@cornwallfreenews.com

please take a moment to enjoy and savor the many flavors of the sponsors for this series:

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Boy did we have fun Sunday at Schnitzels.   Shooting any show can have its challenges and we had ours including our camerman coming down with H1N1 and needing a last minute replacement, but everyone came together and our Star Red Seal Chef Shawn Kretz created some amazing dishes.

We’re busy editing, but you’ll get to see some Bison & Goat Cheese organic pizza that included some of Beau’s Brew in the dough.   Pork Chops with an Apple Mustard compote served with Polenta and garden vegetables.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Blinis with Maple frozen Yogurt with Maple drizzle, Bison Tartar and a whole lot more.   Chef Shawn will be writing a column shortly with recipes and you’ll be able to see Episode 1 in December.

(photos courtesy of Clifford Stork)

All of Season One is based on foods produced and/or grown within 100 miles of SD&SG!

Shooting of the rest of the season will be taking place soon and we will have audience seating so if you want to have some amazing food and a great time email us at info@cornwallfreenews.com

Thanks again to all of our Sponsors; Beau’s Brewery of Vankleek Hill, Homestead Organics of Berwick, Schnitzel’s European Flavours; Levac Apiaries,  Stan’s Best Maple Syrup & Organic Garlic; & Island View Farms.

please visit all of our fine family of sponsors for the Cooking with Kretz show!

We’ll have a special page up just for the show soon!

Have a Cold Beau’s in Cornwall at Schnitzel’s European Flavors on Pitt Street in Downtown Cornwall Ontario!

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The Cornwall Free News is proud to announce that shooting of our first Web Show, “Cooking with Kretz” will be taking place on location at Schnitzel’s 158 Pitt Street in Cornwall.   Shooting will take place near the end of November.

Shawn is a Red Seal Stratford trained chef who has appeared on The Cooking Network.

Season One is going to features the 100 Mile Cuisine with goodies from area farmer’s and producers.  It’s not too late if you want your food or beverage to be part of the show.   We also will be having special “guest stars” on most of the episodes.

Stay tuned and for more info you can reach us at info@cornwallfreenews.com or 613.361.1755

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The next time you hear from me I will be speaking to you through a different medium.   Coming in November we’ll be seen here in Video!

The Cornwall Free News is excited to be teaming up with food, beer and wine producers  and other sponsors within 100 miles of S, D &G. We will be producing 8 video segments  discussing local produce and a variety of easy to make fall recipes.
First off we intend to tell you a little more about your local producers of meat, vegetables (& other organics) and also alcoholic beverages that one would enjoy with such items.
We will discuss how to properly prepare various meats to enjoy them at their best, as well as a few fall vegetable sides that pair well. In addition there will be segments involving fall appetizers and desserts.

Finally there will be a very special local lunch item that I am sure everyone will love.
Stay Tuned!

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Congrats to Chef Shawn and his new bride!  Being a Chef has its perks and in today’s column Shawn discusses catering a wedding on a budget and uses his own as an example.  To reach Chef Shawn email us at info@cornwallfreenews.com   And if you’re getting married he might just be able to help.

DIY Wedding Meals on a Budget by Chef Shawn Kretz:

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of catering my own wedding.  Crazy perhaps?   Fun? Definitely.  Affordable? You betcha!   It certainly helps being a chef, however, anyone with a touch of culinary talent can successfully cater a wedding.

As we discussed a few columns ago; menu development is an important consideration.  One needs to tailor the menu to suit the number of guests, ones own preferences, tastes of the majority of guests and it should suit the decorum of the event.

Often ones friends are able to successfully plate or serve the meal buffet style. The key to achieving a positive outcome is to be prepared.   Have as much cooking and preparation done a day or more ahead that dishes merely require finishing, for example: reheating a soup, cooking steaks, etc.

Do not be afraid to challenge conventions.   My wedding consisted of great ingredients and dishes served in an unpretentious and austere manner. Everything went smoothly and our guests are still talking about the meal.  One should try to estimate the required amount of food. Remember, the more components to the meal there will be less required of each.

Also consider how guest friendly each component is, ie. potato salad vs. coleslaw. In my experience more people would choose the former over the latter.  An easy way to physically estimate quantities is to use a serving spoon and a plate; fill the plate with the requisite amount of food and then multiply the amount by the number of guests.

I suggest then adding 20% more to account for people having seconds, and to provide lunch for the wedding party the morning after. It is better to have too much than not enough.

Our wedding was rather informal but large with 120 guests, this prompted us to simplify the menu to help us execute it with success.   We chose to focus on one protein and local ingredients for our vegetable dishes to insure quality and freshness.  I sourced 100lbs of Bison ribs from Islandview Farms in Summerstown.

I slow cooked the ribs a few days beforehand and then made the braising liquid into barbecue sauce which was used at the wedding and we also canned it to give to all our guests.   Our other hot  component was grilled corn on the cob. We served these with 7 homemade gourmet cold salads consisting of: caesar salad, potato salad, coleslaw, shrimp and corn salad, broccaflower cheddar and bacon salad, multigrain salad, and greek village salad.

We also had veggie and cheese trays earlier in the afternoon and dessert trays to accompany the cake at night. Our extra food provided a very nice meal the next morning as well.

Overall the meal was easy to execute because most was prepared the day before. We enjoyed serving our guests in a buffet style line, this allowed us to also greet everyone we may not have had the chance to see otherwise.

I will leave you with a recipe for one of my favourite salads:
Broccaflower, Cheddar and Bacon Salad

1 head Broccoli (cut into small florets)
1 head Cauliflower (cut into small florets)
1 red onion (diced)
5 strips of cooked bacon (cut into strips)
1/4 lb cheddar cheese (cut into small cubes)
2 cloves of garlic minced
250ml sour cream
250ml mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced parsley or chives
white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste

Toss all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl then mix in the wet ingredients and serve.

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Our very own Chef Shawn Kretz will have a series of video cooking shows here on The Cornwall Free News! It’s Harvest time and he’s busy working on the recipes for season 1 while we focus on finding yummy foods within 100 miles of Cornwall for him to prepare for you.   In the meanwhile look for me or one of our reporters at area Farmer’s Markets while they’re open.   I’ll be at the Farmer’s Market in George Assaly Lane tomorrow!

Stay tuned.  Tell your friends and get ready!

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A Taste of Morocco By: C. Shawn Kretz

Recently I have been delving further into various ethnic cuisines.  While I enjoy all cuisine, I am particularly taken with a choice few; Indian, Moroccan and Thai.  Many dishes in this culture can be identified as having a blend of spices that make the dish unique. For the most part these may be described as “curries” which relates more to the finished dish than the spice combination. The curry powder we use in western cuisines is simply a catch all spice created to approximate as many elements as possible from various dishes.

However, traditionally each dish has its own spice combination, which can vary from region or village. Therefore, for authenticity one must not resort to curry powder.  While I enjoy Indian curries I am currently immersing myself in the cuisines of the Berbers.  Elements of this cultural group extend from Ethiopia to Morocco and into Spain.

I find it fascinating to see how cuisines evolve due to political and societal change, ie. When the Berbers began coming into Spain the Spanish cuisine began adopting elements from the new cultures foodways. However, this is not a surprise given how wonderful and unique Moroccan cooking can be.

Certain elements that set Moroccan (and North African) food traditions apart from the rest of the world. These include spice combinations, ingredient combinations, cooking techniques and cookware.

It is important to remember that peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables (especially of the nightshade family) were originally from the Americas, and were not introduced until after Columbian times (1492). Berber traditions had already spread into Spain, Southern France and Sicily as early as the 11th century during the Islamic period, and as early as the beginning of the Roman republic in the 1st century BC.

So, Berber traditions are ancient indeed, but went through quite the transformation post-Columbus as well, along with the rest of Europe. Prior to this tomatoes, corn and our favourite tuber the potato.

While this brief survey cannot attempt to elucidate every facet of the cuisine, it will discuss a few prominent concepts.   Morocco has unique spice combinations and sauces(including condiments) for which there may be similar ideas in other cuisines.   For example, “Ras el Hanout” the most common spice mix includes chili peppers, ginger, cloves, coriander, allspice, cardamom, mace,nutmeg, peppercorns and turmeric . A hot chili-garlic sauce known as Harissa has similar concepts in other traditions, however, they are still very different than other chili sauces or pastes.

Moroccans also cook with unique ingredients not often utilized or cooked with in western cuisines. For example, dates, figs, quinces,apricots, prunes, rose hips, couscous, black cumin (seen in Indian dishes), etc, are uncommon ingredients in many cultures, especially using those fruits in hot savoury dishes.

A popular group of Moroccan and Tunisian preparations known as tajines often include these ingredients. The tajine gets its name from a specific cooking vessel, often a decorative ceramic dish with a tall conical lid. Traditionally these are placed directly on the hot embers of a fire so that they are heated from all sides evenly. The special design feature of this vessel is that the conical shape helps force the condensation from steam to collect and run back down into the food to keep it moist. A great feature to have in a fairly arid region. The height of the lid also allows a convection current to churn within the lid thus speeding up cooking time and ensuring evenness in cooking.

The other benefit of this vessel is that the lid can be removed and the dish can go directly on the table. While ceramic tajines are more traditional, many western manufacturers now offer cast iron based versions that can withstand the heat outputs of modern stovetops. This has the added benefit of allowing one to brown the meats and vegetables first. This caramelization is what causes us to salivate upon smelling.

A tajine can have a variety of ingredients in it, generally focussing on a specific proteins, either meat or legume based (chicken, goat,lamb, chickpeas) or sometimes combinations. Figs, apples, prunes, apricots, dates or raisins add an element of sweetness and sophistication, often with a few spoons of honey. Spices make up the majority of the flavour profile of a dish, often including exotic spices such as saffron added at the last minute. Sweet, sour and salty pickled items also play an important part, such as the popular preserved lemon (salt preserved lemons) or items such as olives. Citrus juice also factors heavily as a dominant acid ingredient in cold and hot preparations. Finally, grains such as rice and couscous (small pasta granules made from semolina flour) are dominant, as well as breads (flat and leavened) made from semolina or other grains or lentils. Couscous is the most common accompaniment which can be served plain or with a variety of flavours.

There are a variety of tajines, these vary from region to region, however there are a few popular varieties found in themed restaurants. Mshermel is a chicken based tajine, kefta is a lamb meatball based tajine, and Mrouzia a lamb (or goat) raisin and nut based dish.

I am going to walk you through my version of a Mrouzia. Don’t worry you can use any wide, heavy bottomed, lidded pan or pot to cook the dish.

In Cornwall goat or lamb can be had fresh at Khan asian grocer/Halal meat shop, or frozen at food basics. I recommend using bone in meat. It is more difficult to eat off the bone, but it is more flavourful on the bone.

Mrouzia Tajine

Serves:4

2-3 lbs stewing lamb or goat, bone in (1.5lbs if just meat)
1/2 spanish onion, diced
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cinammon stick
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup golden or sultana raisins
4 figs, quartered
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 tbsp salted butter
Zest of 1 lemon, or 1/2 of 1 preserved lemon preferrably
2 tbsp honey
4 tbsp Ras el Hanout spice mix (look online for recipes)
1 pinch saffron

Serve with couscous
1 cup couscous
( Follow instructions on couscous package, every company is different)

This recipe can certainly be modified to include more vegetables, etc. Red peppers and fennel make nice additions, but are not traditional. You can also use whole spices or powdered, ie. Whole cardamom, cumin, cloves, mace, chili peppers, etc.

For the best flavour, take the meat, season, and brown in a hot pan with a little oil. Then add onions, garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick and Ras el Hanout. Cook on low until sweated. Then add remaining ingredients with a cup or two of water, cover and simmer lightly for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Serve with toasted flatbread and/or couscous.

I encourage you to research other North African appetizers and desserts that may interest you, make a meal of it.

My next article will deal with wedding planning, especially meals on a budget.

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