...Duck Confit, Foie Gras and Morel Mushroom Pizza

This pizza was created for the YYC Pizza Week 2015 Blogger Challenge and it's a fantastic one at that.  It is our opinion that you can never have enough duck; enter the 'Duck Duck Deuce' pizza. This doubly decadent duck creation is the perfect way to herald in the cooler months.  It features earthy morel mushrooms, ricotta, tender duck confit and duck rillete-foie gras quenelles atop a foie gras spread.  The sweet and tangy fig-balsamic reduction and fresh pea shoots balance out the richness.  This luxurious pizza is surprisingly easy to re-create as we document below.

YYC Pizza Week is an annual fundraiser for Calgary Meals on Wheels where restaurants across the city enter into a friendly competition for best pizza in several categories.  We have submitted our "lucky" duck pizza in hopes of victory. Please visit the YYC Pizza Week website for full details and vote for us!

Ingredients (Yields approximately two 10" pizzas)
-Duck confit (see our recipe here)
-1 package duck foie gras or foie gras/rillette
-1 package duck liver pate or foie gras pate
-200 g of dried morel mushrooms
-1/2 cup ricotta cheese
-1/2 cup pea shoots
-3 tsp fig jam
-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
-Pizza dough (see our thin crust pizza recipe)
-3 tbsp melted butter
-Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Rehydrate the morels by placing them in 1 cup of lukewarm water for 45 minutes.  Once rehydrated, slice the larger mushrooms in half.  Fry the morels in 1 tbsp of butter until tender (you can add 2-3 tbsp of the liquid from rehydrating them to ease the cooking process).

2.  In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and fig jam and simmer over medium-low heat until the mixture reaches a consistency of syrup (approximately 20 minutes).  Set aside and cool to room temperature.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 425 F.

4. Roll out pizza dough on pizza peel to approximately to 10".  Dock the dough with a fork, leaving a one inch border for the crust to rise.  Brush it with melted butter and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

5.  Bake the dough until the edges are a light golden brown.  Cool the crust for 5-10 minutes.

6.  Spread the foie gras/duck live pate on the crust.  Add pieces of duck confit, ricotta cheese and morel mushrooms.  Bake in the oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese and warm the toppings.

7.  Remove the pizza from the oven and using two teaspoons make one quenelle for each slice of pizza (we made six).  Scatter on top the pea shoots and generously drizzle the fig-balsamic reduction over the entire pizza.

8.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

Let us know in the comments if you try this pizza out.  What is your favourite pizza?  Also, don't forget to vote for us on the YYC Pizza Week website and check out which restaurants are participating!

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Top 3 Fall Recipes to Try Today

We may be a little biased but we think we have a good collection of fall recipes here on the blog that we've posted over the last 4 years. In anticipation of the official start of fall, which is this Wednesday, we thought we'd share our top three fall recipe picks:

Butternut Squash, Sage & Cheddar 'Pizza'
What better way to use squash that are in season than in a 'pizza'?  The nutty butternut squash, sharp cheddar cheese and woody sage on a buttery, flakey puff pastry crust are the perfect fall combination.  Check out the recipe here.

Indian Spiced Cream of Carrot Soup
One of our favourite things to harvest from our garden are carrots.  Nothing beats the taste of an ultra sweet home grown, organic carrot.  This recipe takes advantage of the root vegetable harvest by spicing things up with garam masala, coriander, fennel and mustard seed.  Combined with the gentle hum of coconut milk in the background, you've got an extraordinary fall soup.  See the recipe here.

Apple Braised Pork Shoulder
This recipe comes from a time when we used an iPhone 4 to take photos; however it doesn't detract from the fact that this is an amazing dish that utilizes the fall harvest of orchard ripened apples.  The sweet apple paired with the melt in your mouth fennel braised pork is a warming (and winning) combination.  Check out the recipe here.

What is your favourite fall recipe?

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...Q Haute Cuisine (Calgary)

Overall - 9.5/10
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Food - 9.5/10
Service - 9.5/10
Ambiance - 9/10

Nowadays our ability to undertake 2-3 hour dining experiences is severely hindered by our baby. However this past Friday we threw caution to the wind and booked a table at Q Haute Cuisine for their Chef's tasting menu. For those who have never been to Q Haute, the evening dinner service does not have any a la carte options but only a set tasting menu dictated by the seasons and Chef Michele Aurigemma. The meal we received that summer evening ranks among the best meals we have had to date in terms of sheer deliciousness and creativity.

The additional wine pairing by Q Haute's knowledgable and approachable sommelier Josh was out of this world. The selections were quite unique, ranging from wines of the Jura region of France to a delicious digestif made right in Turner Valley, Alberta. Josh's pairings opened our eyes to how much the choice of wine can actually serve to enhance flavours of each dish.

Our trio of amuse bouche's included an olive oil ice cream with black volcanic salt and pistachio crumble, a green egg yolk and pancetta sphere over brioche and a cured trout with hibiscus jelly. The pairing was a refreshing cocktail of Lillet (A French liqueur) infused with melon.

Started dinner with ice cream!

A play on green eggs and ham

The next course was a soup of mushroom and potato served with a chicken stock espuma, made to mimic a cappuccino. The rich and earthy soup paired perfectly with a warm Japanese Bancha tea.

Following the soup, foie gras was encapsulated in a sphere and served with a whole assortment of condiments including olive oil bread, balsamic maple jam and a dark chocolate powder. The foie gras was deliciously subtle but perhaps overwhelmed by the number of different elements on the plate. In particular, the pepper jelly, juniper and peppermint 'glass' seemed not to have much flavour or add to the dish in any way.  However, the presentation was very eye catching and creative.  The wine pairing was an off-dry Riesling from Germany's Mosul region that helped cut through the richness of the foie gras and highlighted the sweet balsamic maple jam at the same time.

The following dish of lightly poached cray fish had even more subtle accompaniments including a citrus barley, cauliflower puree and sea beans which allowed the delicate cray fish to shine. An equally delicate dry chardonnay from France's Jura region accompanied.

The fish course consisted of a sous vide arctic char which was crusted with olives and served over lentil ragout and wild berries. The savoury rosé wine from Spain's Navarra region was an excellent pairing, highlighting the briny olive flavour and tying the dish together.

The next dish was a potato filled ravioli served over a bed of crunchy faro salad and sauced with an intensely flavoured, eye-catching pink tomato foam sprinkled with chive flowers.  Taken together the dish reminded us of an elevated gnocchi with marinara. Our second wine from the Jura region that night was called Arbois and had flavours of apple and aroma cheese rinds.

To transition our palates to the main course we were served a carrot sorbet with brunoise cucumber and a green apple espuma (foam). The Spring Equinox, a unique distilled spirit made from prickly pear cactus in Turner Valley, was served over ice and equally refreshing and palate cleansing.

Our main course was perhaps the most classic dish of the entire menu. It was simply two generous portions of 72-hour braised beef short rib with seasonal vegetables, sweet potato puree and a rich Medeira wine sauce. We thought it was a brilliant idea to keep the main course simple and satisfying.  The Crozes Hermitage Sirah from France had aromas of wood and pine and matched well with the earthiness of the beef.

At this point, we were brought on a mini tour of the building, and shown into the kitchen where we were given two blueberry popsicles made on the anti-griddle and dipped in dark chocolate and coated in pistachio.  This reminded me of the Purdy's chocolate dipped ice cream bars which I am particularly fond of, so this one was a winner (how can it not).  In our excitement we unfortunately did not get photographic evidence.

The final three courses were on the sweet end of the spectrum and started with a Tonka Bean cheesecake served with a blueberry sphere, lemon tuille and an orange-star anise sauce. The Tonka bean imparted a strong vanilla flavour to the cheesecake and was quite delicious. Interestingly in the United States, Tonka Beans are considered illegal by the FDA so we were lucky to have sampled them on this evening. The aromas of vanilla from the Tonka beans paired very well with the fruitiness of the Kiuchi Umeshi dessert wine which is made from distilled white ale and infused with sour plum.

Our dessert was a play on smores and consisted of a rich chocolate cake (stuffed with preserved cherry), topped with a maple marshmallow. As with the main course, we felt it was a great idea to end the meal with familiar and satisfying flavours. The dessert was served with a 15 year old Domaine Pouderoux Maury dessert wine which to us seemed like a smoother version of port.

As if the smore was not enough, we were presented with a trio of petit fours including a pickled grape truffle of mascarpone cheese, a passionfruit sphere with gin-pomegranate caviar and a frozen blood orange bonbon. An espresso cup filled with whisky and espresso vodka capped off the evening perfectly.

As a whole the tasting menu was well worth the three hour time commitment. The Chef clearly has a good grasp of modern cooking techniques in molecular gastronomy, but didn't go overboard and managed to balance contemporary with familiar themes to produce creatively satisfying food.  We left thoroughly impressed by the amazing service and meticulously crafted food.

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...Asparagus, Bacon & Ricotta Rotini

Spring has sprung and I've been inspired by the beautiful asparagus that is currently in season.  Used in this rotini dish with creamy ricotta and flavourful bacon, it is not only gorgeous to look at but delicious to eat.  On this occasion, I've used Catelli's Healthy Harvest Ancient Grains rotini and the slightly firmer texture compliments the asparagus perfectly.

Ingredients: (Yields ~6 servings)

-1 bunch asparagus spears

-1 cup ricotta cheese

-1 cup grated parmesan cheese

-6 slices of thick cut bacon 

-3 cups rotini

-Extra virgin olive oil

-Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Clean the asparagus and snap off the woody ends.  In a large pot of boiling water, cook the asparagus until tender, approximately 4 minutes.  Cut into 1" pieces and set aside.

2. Put the bacon on a foil lined sheet tray and bake for approximately 7 minutes at 350 F until golden brown.  Remove and cut into 1" pieces.

3.  Using the same pot in step 1, boil the pasta in salted water according to the instructions or until al dente.

4. In a large serving bowl, mix the ricotta, most of the grated parmesan cheese (reserve some for garnish), and 3/4 cup of the pasta water into a creamy sauce.  Adjust the amount of pasta water to your liking.

5. Toss the pasta, bacon and asparagus with the cheese sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.

6.  Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese for garnish.

Enjoy!

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...Diner Deluxe (Aspen Woods) Calgary

Overall - 7.5/10
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Food - 7/10
Service - 8/10
Ambiance - 7.5/10

I've always thought this, but I figure now I'll put it into writing. Brunch is for suckers. Having had a handful of mediocre brunch experiences and waiting over an hour to sit down at a table for what is essentially breakfast that can be made at home, boggles my mind.  Perhaps I have been spoiled by the instant gratification of hot steaming bowls of pho or Chinese dim sum which offers a wide variety of dishes. Whatever the case may be, I can't bring myself to go for brunch at one of those trendy establishments on Edmonton Trail, specifically Diner Deluxe.  When a branch of Diner Deluxe opened in Aspen we initially weren't too interested but after browsing through their dinner menu we figured we would give it a try. Having dined there on a couple of occasions I have to say dinner is the way to go. Not only is the food satisfying but the service and wait times benefit from not being associated with the ridiculousness that is brunch.

The Chef's Salad seems to embody everything that Diner Deluxe is trying to say with their food; simple flavours, great value and unpretentious presentation. This salad of mixed greens, grilled chicken, avocado, eggs, bacon, and tomatoes all topped with an herb vinaigrette was one of the best salads we've had in a while. The greens were perfectly dressed and the portion was large enough for a meal in itself.

This is what happens when you leave your iPhone camera on chrome setting

The highlight of the fish tacos definitely was the homemade hot sauce which had just the right balance of spicy, sweet and sour. The fish this evening was grilled mahi mahi which we found a tad dry and a slaw that was somewhat under seasoned.

The tomato bisque was bursting with roasted tomato flavour. The garnish of basil oil and grated grans padano cheese added a nice flair to the dish. 

The wild halibut was served with spetzle, and seasonal veggies which this evening included some roasted asparagus and brussel sprouts. The fish was moist and flakey but the dish overall was under seasoned and needed a sprinkling of the proffered table salt. 

A special offering on our first visit was a braised lamb shank served with a mustard sauce. The shank was one of the best pieces of braised meat we have ever encountered dining out. It was tender, moist and permeated with flavour. The tendons and connective tissue (sounds gross but that is what it is) melted in your mouth which is the best indicator that the meat has been braised just long enough.

Fried chicken can be pretty personal. I found the fried chicken in the "picnic plate" here to be quite good. Each piece was crusty and crisp but the coating may be a bit too hard/thick for some. The drizzle of honey was a great finishing touch to the dish.

The burger was good but was overshadowed by the amazing poutine upgrade. Not only were the fries crisp and of the perfect dimensions but the gravy was thick, rich and meaty. 

Granted there are a few misses amongst the hits when it comes to the food, we like the fact that Diner Deluxe is extremely family friendly.  That in itself will bring us back for more in the near future.

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...Eden at the Rimrock Resort Hotel (Banff)

Overall - 9.5/10
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Food - 9.5/10
Service - 9.5/10
Ambiance - 9.5/10

Over the past few years there seems to have been a trend in the Calgary dining scene towards more rustic and homestyle fair. Some of the most popular places like Model Milk, Cibo and Briggs all focus on simple flavours, generous portions and a casual atmosphere.  These are the places we gravitate to most often when we're looking for a great meal, but there comes a time every so often when you just want to get dressed up and try something different. When it comes to a complete dining experience, Eden at the Rimrock Resort Hotel is a close as it gets, being the only AMA 5 diamond restaurant in 2015.  The food is unique, exciting and inventive while the dining room is as stunning as the food.

Although you pay a premium for the food and the view, we have never walked away regretting our time at Eden. They offer both an a la carte menu as well as a chef's tasing menu. This evening we both went with the tasting menu.

The evening was started with an amuse bouche of house made bresaola (dry aged cured beef) with mustard and herbs. This little bite was savoury and really whet our appetites for the meal to come.

The bread seemed to be a course in itself and included sourdough, crusty baguette and a whole wheat loaf served with three types of luxurious butter; a goat milk butter, olive oil whipped butter with balsamic and a hay-smoked butter.

Our soup course was a rich and deeply aromatic elk consume.

Our fish courses started with a generous serving of three large freshly shucked oysters in a herbacious parsely sauce. Granted I'm not usually the biggest fan of parsely but in this dish it did compliment the briny flavour of the oysters.

Our next dish was like a deconstructed sushi roll- a half seared tuna served with a smoked tuna mousse and sweet avocado sorbet.

The foie gras course I felt was the most creative and was actually a rich and savoury soup made from the foie gras. The usual accompaniments like toasted bread and fruit where present but in the form of a spiced crouton and plum pureé.  The dish was unique but familiar at the same time.

A refreshing red currant sorbet was provided as a palate cleanser.

As we were dining just after the Christmas season, the main course for the night was an homage to the traditional holiday dinner.  Instead of the usual turkey, we were served a perfectly roasted deboned quail stuffed with a delicious dressing and served with cranberry pureé a crispy brussel sprout croquette.

The cheese course was a nice segue between the savoury and sweet courses. The Brillat Savarin if you've never had it before is a triple cream brie that is soft, runny and quite salty. Paired with the carefully prepared 'encapsulated honey' and berries it was a great match.

Our desserts started with a warm spice cake which again was a nice reminder of the recent holiday season.

The petit fours were served on the edge of a large glass bowl full of boiling dry ice in very theatrical presentation.  Included was a chocolate truffle, chocolate cake and what we believe was an almond cake. 

We still have very fond memories of our dinner at Eden and hope to return for our next special occasion.

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