Quebecois Authentique

     As I made my way around Montreal I inquired of the local citizenry regarding the best place to find an authentic Quebec meal.  And almost to a person the answer was the same, "Go to La Binerie" was the overwhelming response.



    It was a short ride on public transportation to the Plateau Mont-Royal section of the city where La Binerie (The Beanery) is located.  Made famous in pop culture history as the setting for the novel Le Matou, the classic down-home diner served its first meal in 1938.  I walked in the door and looked around at the quaint, old fashioned eatery that serves 3 meals a day to the blue collar patrons that frequent the place and wondered what to order.  The menu was printed in both French and English and as I looked down the long list of items I found at the bottom of the page something about Quebecois Authentique.  So of course that was my choice!


    


La Binerie's signature baked beans "feves au lard" are featured in the meal both as a starter in the soup and as a side with the entree.  I have to say after sampling both, they were nothing exceptional, although flavoring them with some maple syrup did help improve their character.  But the meal was as advertised:  hearty, filling and authentic.  The serving plate was heaped with a generous wedge of meat pie, meatballs covered in a dark rich gravy, two ice cream scoops of mashed potatoes and some thick cut boiled vegetables.  All that with the side of more baked beans did fill me up, almost to the point that I was unable to sample their dessert, pouding chomeur.



    As I finished my meal it was readily apparent that diners there came not for the ambiance nor the conviviality of the staff, but for the abundance of the food at an economical price.  And for the locals that is what it is all about.



Market Day

     In the Little Italy District of Montreal is one of the oldest markets in the city.  Originally called the Marche du Nord, the Jean Talon Market first opened its doors in May of 1933.  It was given that new name in honor of the first Intendent of New France as the region was formerly known.

     It was a short ride there from Mile End by public bus and was easily identifiable by the bi-lingual street signs directing me.  Jean Talon claims to be one of the largest public markets in North America and I would not dispute that after walking around and inspecting the numerous fruit and vegetable vendors and the cultural diversity of the shop keepers..  It is open year-round and in the summer months additional stalls are occupied around the exterior perimeter of the building.

 

     The market was a profusion of color with flowers, spices, cheese, meats, fish and baked goods all on display.  And best of all...free samples!

 



Depuis 1928

     Having studied the French language for 2 years twice (it's a long story) I was able to translate most of the signs and menus in Montreal.  And with most things also written in English I did fairly well as I made my way around the city.  Some things were easier to understand than others...

     But as I walked up St. Laurent Boulevard I didn't need a translator for the Charcuterie Hebraique de Montreal known by simply one name, Schwartz's.  After all, it's been around depuis (since) 1928.  They have been smoking brisket literally by the ton for nearly 90 years.  Their smoked meat (viande fume) sandwich is the headliner on the menu, served with fries and a enormous Jewish dill pickle.  So of course I had to give it a try.  

 

     There's nothing fancy about the deli.  Just a bunch of long tables and a counter to serve customers the likes of Celine Dion, Hank Aaron, Burt Lancaster and Jerry Lewis, and Vinny Garette.  I received a friendly reception from the all male wait staff and we exchanged some good natured humor as I asked about what made them an institution in the city.  Speaking easily in French and English I learned that they smoke the meat for 10 days and that right over my head on the second floor was 10 tons of brisket aging and waiting to be served to customers from near and far.  On an average day they serve up 2,000 pounds of that legendary smoked meat in mouth watering white rye sandwiches slathered in yellow mustard.



     It was juicy and flavorful and sweet, balanced by the sharp tang of the dill pickle.  And my drink of choice?  Why, Canada Dry of course!



A World Apart

     As I have previously mentioned, Montreal is truly a cosmopolitan community.  Poutine, bagels and tomato sauce are all demonstrative of that fact.  But during the walking food tour I found yet more evidence of the wide range of food items available in this bi-lingual island city.  Actually with more than a hundred languages spoken there it is in reality a multi-lingual and multi-cultural community.

     At the Panthere Verte (Green Panther) Restaurant I was introduced to the Middle East version of fast food.  On the menu there was a vegan organic falafel sandwich.  While the deep fried ball of ground chick peas is native to countries of Arabic ancestry it has also become very popular in Israel and is considered by many their national food.  And in that region the McDonald's franchise offered their version, a "McFalafel."



     Commonly served in a pocket flatbread known as a pita the falafel itself is topped with salad greens, pickled vegetables, spices like coriander, cumin and cilantro, and drizzled with tahini sauce made from ground, hulled sesame seeds.  Hot sauce is another option.

     At the Green Panther ours was also served with a Jewish pickle and enjoyed by all of our group.



La Salsa della Nonna

     Montreal is truly a cosmopolitan city!  In the space of just a few blocks our guided tour went from tasting bagels made by a Jewish immigrant from Poland to sampling gnocchi simmered in Calabrian tomato sauce.



     The Drogheria Fine is a one-man operation on Fairmont Avenue West in the Mile End section of the city.  In a space barely large enough to contain our small group Franco Gattuso proudly served up some of the best potato flour gnocchi that I have ever tasted in my life.  And he attributes that superior flavor to the tomato sauce he makes himself from scratch in small batches right on the back of his tiny store.  He rigorously follows his Sicilian grandmother's recipe that he described to us as "from hot to cold" using unprocessed olive oil that he imports himself from Olivedo in the Calabria region of Italy.  



     He spoke fluently and fervently in English, French and Italian as he detailed the process.  And all of us hung on his every word, in between bites of the tomato drenched puffs of dough that were garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Splendido!

Ethnic Montreal Specialty

     Having satiated my initial desire for poutine, at least temporarily, I decided to explore the city to uncover what other Montreal specialties the residents enjoy.  And what better way to do that than to enlist the assistance of a professional?  I met with 7 other people for The Mile End Montreal Food Tour as we learned from our guide about some unique and locally made food items.  We concentrated our walking to the Mile End section of Montreal, a primarily Jewish neighborhood originally a garment district surrounding the Mile End Inn located there, named for an East London suburb.

     What could be more distinctly Jewish than the bagel?  Created by a grateful Jewish baker in Austria it was a gift given to the king of Poland for protecting his compatriots from the invading Turks.  It was made in the shape of a stirrup, or beugel in Austrian German and pleasantly reminded the king, who loved riding, of his favorite pastime.  Jewish immigrants to Montreal brought with them the recipe and the desire to keep alive the tradition of hand baking the bagels for friends and neighbors.  One of those immigrants was Meyer Lewkowicz, a Holocaust survivor, who in 1957 opened St.Viateur Bagels on a street of the same name.

     If you think you know what they're like because you've had a New York bagel, you're wrong.  Montreal bagels are smaller, sweeter, and denser with a larger hole.  They are distinctive in that they are always handmade and baked in a wood fired oven after being boiled in honey water.  And they do not contain any salt, unlike the New York style bagel.



     At St. Viateur Bagel they work around the clock to provide their customers, both commercial and retail, with the freshest product in the city.  And of that fact I can speak with authority because I enjoyed one right in the front window with the rest of our tour group (with Philly cream cheese!).



Factoid: On a typical Montreal bagel from St. Viateur's there are 1,500 sesame seeds.

Banq On It!

     There was no poutine when French explorer Jacques Cartier first stepped foot on the island in 1535.  He did find, however, a large community of Iroquois "first people" living around the base of the highest prominence which Cartier named Mont Royale that eventually became the name for the entire island we now call Montreal.


     No one exactly knows who really came up with the idea of combining fries, cheese curds and gravy into a single dish.  There are several claims to the invention, all originating in the Quebec Providence.  And while the restaurant La Banquise did not create poutine they did revolutionize it.

     Open 24 hours a day La Banquise was founded in 1968 by firefighter Pierre Barsalou as an ice cream shop.  He expanded his menu sometime later to include hot dogs and fries.  But it was not until the 80s that he began to serve poutine, and then only two varieties, Original and Italian.  Now with 30 different options to consider on the menu it is without doubt the premier poutine palace in the city, if not the entire nation.

 

     Acclaimed by the likes of Travel Channel's Anthony Bourdain of No Reservations, the Montreal Mirror newspaper has also bestowed the dual honors of "Best Late Night Eat" and "Best Poutine" to La Banquise.

 

      So without doubt that had to be my first dinner destination on Monday.  Located in the Mile End section of Montreal it was a brief taxi ride to the quirky and comfortable location.  With so many options on the menu which also included burgers and breakfasts, I had a difficult time making my choice.  But I finally ordered the B.O. M. which is an acronym for Bacon, Onions and Merguez, a spicy sausage.  And then I had another decision to make.  Should I order the regular or the large size?  Since I probably would not be back to try both I decided to live large and ordered the one that came in a bowl instead of a mere plate.

 

     It was amazing!  At the same time it was crisp, savory, squeaky and gooey.  The flavors all distinct yet melding into a unique gastronomic experience.  It was Christmas, Thanksgiving and the 4th of July (for Americans at least) all rolled up into one holiday in my mouth.  I confessed to my young waitress that it was my first time.  She just smiled.

Oh Canada!

     In my never ending hunger (and thirst) for knowledge I traveled north of the border last week in search of authentic Canadian cuisine.

     My travels took me to Montreal, the largest city in Quebec province, an island in the St. Lawrence River.  There like in Quebec, French is the primary language followed by English and over a hundred other native tongues.  My accommodations were located in Vieux Montreal, that is, Old City, at the Auberge Bonaparte where I was treated like a member of the royal family by the amiable and efficient staff.  And it was from there that I began my quest to learn about a Quebecois creation, Poutine.



     Poutine (pronounced Poo-tin) in its basic form is made from only 3 ingredients: fries, brown gravy and cheese curds.  



     But that is only the beginning, a foundation of sorts, to which to create endless possibilities with some likely and unlikely additions.  There are many variations in the poutine recipe book, just as there are definitions to the name itself.  Poutine can be translated as a hodgepodge, a pudding or bad stew according to different sources.  But it is at the same time a mess and very tasty!  Typically served in what has been termed "greasy spoon" eateries, it also appears on the menu in some rather high-end restaurants around town.



     I had 4 days to learn about this Canadian contribution to the lexicon of gastronomic delights.  In the next few days I will reveal my findings, along with some other interesting local specialties.

Parlez-vous?

     Next week I will be conducting more culinary research.  And while I will remain on the North American continent, I will not be speaking the King's English even though I will be on an island in the British Commonwealth.



Celebracion!

     Today, April 9th, is National Empanada Day!  For those of you who might not be familiar with this food enjoyed in much of the Spanish speaking world, it is a stuffed bread or pastry that has been either baked or fried.  Similar to the Italian calzone, it is a hand held meal that is eaten as an appetizer, an entree or a dessert, depending on the filling.



     Spain takes claim to its origin, dating back to medieval Iberia.  The recipe appears in a 1520 cookbook that mentions empanadas being stuffed with seafood.  The term is from the Spanish word, empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.



     But while the word empanada is used in a general sense there are many different varieties.  In El Salvador they are stuffed with plantains and served as a dessert while in Columbia they are made with cornmeal and deep fried.  Argentinians bake them.

     There are a wide range of fillings used to stuff an empanada.  Cheese, onions, vegetables, beans & rice are but a few.  Others are more savory with meats like chicken, beef, pork or spicy chorizo inside.  Sweet empanadas can contain strawberries and cream, guava & cheese, or bananas and Nutella.  More creative empanadas have ingredients like hard boiled eggs, olives, salsa, sweet corn, jalapenos, sweet potatoes or roasted pumpkin or any combination of two or more.  And they can be seasoned with spices such as chipotles, cumin, paprika, saffron and cinnamon.

     So declare today a holiday and celebrate with an empanada of your own choosing!



You Are What You Eat

    We have all heard that old maxim that "You are what you eat."  That continues to be true as scientists and nutritionists around the world study the effects of food on health and longevity.  The early studies of Ancel Keys (VinnyPost "Monsieur Cholesterol" April 1st) introduced us to some major factors that contribute to living well and living long.  Recently the TODAY show began a series of segments with a question, "Could a simple, inexpensive and easy-to-make soup help you to live longer?"

     The hearty soup is eaten every day at lunch by the Melises family of Sardinia, claimed to be"the world's longest lived family."  The recipe is a transitional one, based on whatever is currently growing in their garden, but it always contains lots of beans and also fregula, a toasted pebble-size semolina pasta.  But if you cannot find that at your local mega-mart, Israeli couscous is a worthy substitute.  The soup is full of protein from the beans and flavored with lots of vegetables and herbs.  So it's as satisfying as it is healthy with less sodium and more fiber.  And the longer the cooking time the better the flavors can meld together.

Melises Sardinian Minestrone Soup
 

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried peeled fava beans

1/2 cup dried cranberry beans

1/3 cup dried chickpeas

7 Tbsp EVOO

1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (about 2/3 cup)

2 medium celery stalks, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

2 tsp minced garlic

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 cups chopped fennel

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves

2/3 cup of Sardinian fregula, Israeli couscous, or acini di pepe pasta

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup finely grated pecorino Romano (about 2 oz)

1. Soak the fava beans , cranberry beans and chickpeas in a large bowl of water for at least 8 hours or up to 16 hours (overnight). Drain in a colander set in the sink.  Rinse well.

2. Warm 3 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, potatoes, fennel, parsley, and basil, as well as the drained beans and chickpeas.  Add enough water (6 to 8 cups) so that everything is submerged by 1 inch.

4. Raise the heat to high and bring to a full boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly, uncovered, until the beans are tender, adding more water as necessary if the mixture gets too thick, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Stir in the pasta, salt, and pepper.  Add up to 2 cups water if the soup seems too dry.  Continue simmering, uncovered, until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.

6. Pour 1 Tbsp of olive oil into each of four serving bowls.  Divide the soup among them and top each with 1 Tbsp of the grated cheese.

Tip: You can vary the beans in the minestrone: pinto beans make a good substitute for cranberry beans; great northern or cannellini beans, for the favas.

Home Grown Greens

     Writing for Gardner's Supply Company Aimee Diehl says, "Big on nutrition and flavor, microgreens can be expensive to purchase.  But they can also be brown cost-effectively at home, in a tiny space and with simple supplies.  If you have a sunny windowsill, a shallow container, some potting soil and suitable seeds, you've got all the essentials for growing your own microgreens."

     Also known as " vegetable confetti" edible immature greens can be harvested with success in less than a month after germination, when they are less than 3" tall.  There are any number of plants that work well: salad greens, leafy vegetables, herbs and even edible flowers.  The author recommends starting with something easy to grow, like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage mustard, chia (yes, remember those chia pets?), sunflower and buckwheat.

     Here are six simple steps to follow:

1. Read the seed packet to see if there are any special instructions.

2. Cover the bottom of a container (an old aluminum pie pan works well) with an inch or two of moistened pitting soil or mix.  Flatten and level it with your hand or a small piece of cardboard, taking care not to over-compress the soil.

3. Scatter seeds evenly on top of the soil.  Press gently into the soil using your hand or the cardboard.

4. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.  Dampen the surface with a mister.  If you prefer, you can skip this step and instead cover the container with a clear lid or plastic wrap until the seeds have sprouted.

5. While waiting for sprouts to appear, usually within 3 to 7 days, use the mister once or twice daily to keep the soil moist but not wet.

6. Once the seeds have sprouted, remove the cover (if you've used one) and continue to mist once or twice a day.

Microgreens need about 4 hours of direct sunlight daily. Harvesting depends on the variety of seeds have been planted but generally you can begin cutting with a pair of scissors in 2-3 weeks, when the first sign of true leaves appear.



Going Green

 

     As I surveyed my property recently I noticed that things are "greening up."  It's that time of the year when growing plants begin to regain their color after a long, cold winter of dormancy.  That beautiful green color is also appearing on our plates, too.

     Greens are grown and sold in upscale markets for use in garnishing salads, soups, on plates and in sandwiches.  First appearing on chefs' menus as far back as the 80s in haute cuisine places like San Francisco, edible young greens and grains are produced from various kinds of vegetables, herbs and similar plants.  Smaller than baby greens and harvested later than sprouts, microgreens are used both as a visual and flavor component to enhance the beauty, taste, and freshness of food, adding a delicate texture and distinctive flavor.  They range in size from 1" to 3" including the stem and leaves.  A microgreen has a single central stem that is cut just above the soil line at harvest, a mere 10-14 days from planting.





     Growing microgreens is relatively easy and can be done by backyard farmers using only a small plastic container.  While the labor invested is low, the benefits are high.  A nutritional study conducted by the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland found that microgreens have 5 times the nutritional value than their mature vegetable counterparts.  They contain concentrations of Vitamin C, K, E, and carotenoids containing healthful ascorbic acid, beta-carotine, and tocopherois.  And among 25 different microgreens studied red cabbage, cilantro, garnet amaranth and green daikon radish were found to be the most healthful.



Tomorrow:  Growing your own Microgreens

Layers of Flavor

     After reading yesterday's recipe for Grilled Prawns with Chermoula you no doubt were asking yourself, "What kind of couscous should I use as a nesting place on the plate for the prawns?"  Well ask no more!  Here is a recipe that will provide a layer of flavor:

Couscous with Pine Nuts and Raisins

1 cup couscous

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 Tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley

In a medium bowl, combine couscous with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

In a medium saucepan, add broth, water and 2 Tbsp of olive oil.  Place on the stove over medium high heat and bring to a boil, uncovered.

When the liquid has come to a boil, carefully pour it over the couscous, mixing gently with a silicone spatula to combine. Fold in the raisins and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set aside until the couscous has absorbed the liquid and the grains are tender, about 10 minutes. Add pine nuts and parsley.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and olive oil and serve.

The notes included with the recipe from Sur la table further states:

     Not only delicious in flavor, this recipe is easy to make and versatile.  You can substitute pistachios for the pine nuts or add cranberries instead of raisins.  This recipe is a perfect accompaniment with a range of vegetables, meats, pork, chicken or fish -- or just on its own!

Yield: 4 servings

On the menu in Marrakesh

     Imagine that you are sitting at a table next to an open market in Marrakesh, Morocco looking down the menu for something authentic to eat for lunch.  You spy a familiar word there and consider ordering "Grilled Prawns with Chermoula."  Prawns are a type of large shrimp, you know that.  But what is chermoula?

     Thanks to the cooking class I participated in last weekend I can tell you that chermoula is a traditional sauce for seafood in Moroccan recipes.  It can be fried, cooked with vegetables in a tangine, or baked.  It consists of coriander, garlic, sweet and hot peppers, cumin and coarse salt and it mixed with lemon juice and olive oil.  And if you don't have the time (or the money) to travel to Marrakesh, here is the recipe so you can make it in your own kitchen:

Grilled Prawns with Chermoula

For the Sauce:

1 preserved lemon, flesh removed, skin roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves peeled and minced

1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 fat pinch saffron threads, soaked in 2 Tbsp hot water for 5 minutes

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chile flakes

1 tsp toasted cumin seeds

4 Tbsp olive oil

4 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Prawns:

1 pound large prawns, shelled and deveined

Olive oil for brushing grill pan

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce: Combine all the chermoula ingredients together in a food processor and process until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

For the prawns: Pat the prawns dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with olive oil.  Grill the prawns for 2 to 3 minutes each side, or until cooked through and no longer translucent.  Transfer prawns to a medium bowl  and add chermoula, toss to coat, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve over couscous.

 

 

 



Recipe courtesy of Sur la table.  

Healthy Mediterranean Cooking

Chef Michael Romeo

Monsieur Cholesterol

     Ancel Keys was known for 2 things: creating the K-rations used by troops in battle and the Seven Countries Study that gave rise to the Mediterranean Diet.  In his multicountry epidemiological longitudinal study he studied the relationships between lifestyle and diet to coronary heart disease and stroke.  He wondered why coronary deaths in the United States and northern Europe greatly exceeded those in southern Europe and suspected that serum cholesterol was the main cause.  And that is why the maitre d' of the small Brussels hotel that he would visit always greeted him with the moniker, "Monsieur Cholesterol."

     It was while Dr. Keys was a professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota and the director of the Laboratory of Physiological Hygiene there that he investigated the possible link between eating habits of those living along the Mediterranean coast and better health.  And while some have refuted his methodology, the facts are clear.  Places like southern Italy are home to more centenarians than anywhere else on earth.  So while Dr. Keys enjoyed living in the Twin Cities during July and August, his other residence was near Naples, Italy.  He lived to be just two months short of his 101st birthday.

     The Mediterranean Diet is low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturates and dietary fiber.  Combined with physical activity (and a daily glass of wine) following the diet can lead to a long and healthy life.    Here is the food pyramid if you would like to give the Mediterranean Diet a try: