A simple glaze of either honey and orange or blueberry and maple accents this cedar plank-baked salmon.
Salmon Filet
1 lb (500 g) wild salmon fillet 1 Tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped cilantro 1 Tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped thyme Juice of 1 organic lemon 1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil Sea salt and pepper to taste
To prepare cedar plank, visit your local hardware store and buy a 14-inch (36-cm) length of 1-inch-by-4-inch (2.5-cm-by-10-cm) untreated red cedar. Soak overnight in water and discard after using.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine cilantro, thyme, lemon, and olive oil and rub into salmon. Season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on prepared cedar plank and place in oven for 15 minutes or until salmon shows white on the top. Do not overcook.
Wild Rice Fritters
1/4 cup (65 mL) wild rice 3/4 cup (175 mL) basmati rice 4 free-range eggs 3 Tbsp (45 mL) cornstarch 2 green onions, chopped 3 Tbsp (45 mL) fresh dill, chopped 3 Tbsp (45 mL) fresh oregano, chopped Salt and pepper to taste 3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil (or hazelnut oil for additional flavour)
Cook wild and basmati rice separately according to package directions and combine after cooking. Add remaining ingredients, except olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in medium fry pan over medium-high heat. Scoop batter into pan in batches and flatten fritters with spatula until they resemble 4-inch (10-cm) pancakes. Cook 3 minutes on each side. Keep warm in oven in separate pan from salmon.
Salmon Glaze
1/2 cup (125 mL) honey or maple syrup 1/2 cup (125 mL) orange segments or whole blueberries
Warm honey or maple syrup in fry pan; then add oranges or blueberries. To serve, place 1 or 2 wild rice fritters on plate and top with salmon fillet. Drizzle with glaze or a squeeze of grilled lemon.
Tourtière is, for me, the dish that best represents Québec. It can be traced back to the 1600s, and there’s no master recipe; every family has their own twist. Originally, it was made with game birds or game meat, like rabbit, pheasant, or moose; that’s one of the reasons why I prefer it with venison instead of beef or pork. Variation: If you prefer to make single servings, follow our lead at the restaurant, where we make individual tourtières in the form of a dome (pithivier) and fill them with 5 ounces (160 g) of the ground venison mixture. Variation: You can also use a food processor to make the dough. Place the flour, salt, and butter in the food processor and pulse about ten times, until the butter is incorporated—don’t overmix. It should look like wet sand, and a few little pieces of butter here and there is okay. With the motor running, through the feed tube, slowly add ice water until the dough forms a ball—again don’t overmix. Wrap, chill, and roll out as directed above.
My love of artichokes continues with this classic recipe, one of the best ways to eat this interesting, underrated, and strange vegetable. Frozen artichoke hearts are a time-saving substitute, though the flavour and texture of fresh artichokes are, by far, much superior and definitely preferred.
Cervelle de canut is basically the Boursin of France, an herbed fresh farmer’s cheese spread that’s a speciality of Lyon. The name is kind of weird, as it literally means “silk worker’s brain,” named after nineteenth-century Lyonnaise silk workers, who were called canuts. Sadly, the name reflects the low opinion of the people towards these workers. Happily for us, though, it’s delicious—creamy, fragrant, and fresh at the same time. Cervelle de canut is one of my family’s favourite dishes. It’s a great make-ahead appetizer that you can pop out of the fridge once your guests arrive. Use a full-fat cream cheese for the dish, or it will be too runny and less delicious.