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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I had a lot of fun chatting with Elizabeth May, Leader of the Federal Green Party.    One of my questions was about her experience with the Dalai Lama.

She said what struck her most was his ability to love his enemies in spite of what he’d gone through and the destruction he’d witnessed.

I asked Ms May if she loved Stephen Harper to which she replied ” I have love for Stephen Harper, I just don’t think he should be Prime Minister.”    It’s quotes like that which make my task easy!

In a reflective moment I asked why she chose to run against such a popular Conservative as Peter MacKay?  She said that he’d not run as strongly in the last election and that it was her home riding.    I have to give her credit for taking on such a popular encumbent and certainly could understand her wish to run where she lives.

She said that in the next election she most likely will not be running again in that riding though as the Party really needs to have their leader in The House of Commons.

I asked her about the challenge of creating the Brand of the Green Party and getting people to give their vote to her.   She explained that the misconceptions about the party and policies had been a challenge that they felt they were slowly winning; that the Green Party wasn’t all about “hugging trees” and that they weren’t a “one issue” political party.

More to come from the Elizabeth May interview, but in the meantime here are a couple more reciepes from Local Green Candidate David Rawnsley and his campaign manager Lorna Foreman.

Lorna likes to shop at the Farmer’s Market and eat as local as possible.  In these hot steamy days of summer her recipe for GAZPACHO sounds like a complete winner.

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Chef Shawn Kretz’s column isn’t available this month as he’s getting married!  Congrats to Shawn and his lovely bride to be. So what we’re doing for you recipe craving folks is bringing in some guest cooks with their secret and yummy recipes.

Today’s is from Federal Green Party Leader Elizabeth May who we interviewed last week and of which you’ll see a few stories about from the interview as we finish them.

Elizabeth May’s East Coast Sea Food Chowder

Ms May isn’t quoting amounts as you can slide the quantities to suit how much you wish to make.  She said that you have to cook this in two parts to make the magic of it work.

MELT Butter, chopped Onions, chopped Celery, peppers.

The Broth

Add water, dice up potatoes and cook until soft.   Add fish.  She likes to use Scallops, Halibut, Lobster, Mussels, and Newfoundland Montaigne Shrimp.

Simmer

In a separate pot warm up some milk.   This mixed with the starch from the potatoes will thicken the broth.

When simmering add to the Broth, season with Salt, Black & Cayenne Pepper, Worcestshire sauce, and Elizabeth likes to add a little Tabasco.

Elizabeth stresses that you should use local and organic vegetables and renewable and as local as possible seafood choices.

Enjoy and if you wish to reach Ms May in response to this you can do so via us at info@cornwallfreenews.com

More recipes from our guest chefs coming up soon!

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