Un Dîner Québécois
A meal steeped in tradition and rich in regional and seasonal ingredients.
by Nathan Fong
From chic Montreal and its cosmopolitan cuisine, to Quebec City and its fertile neighbouring farmland in Île d’Orléans, to the wonderful seafood bounties of the Quebec Maritime region of Gaspésie, this province is brimming with culinary plenty. Fat lobes of foie gras, plump magret breasts, cheeses, fresh succulent scallops and buttery rich lobsters—the place is a gourmand’s paradise.
To honour Quebec City’s 400th anniversary this past year, EAT offers this small collection of cherished regional recipes from inland to the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Bonne fête!
Warm Mulled Cranberry-Apple Cider
Quebec is renown for its cranberry and apple harvests and their wonderful by-products, such as the famed ice-cider. This warm spiced drink is perfect for those ultra-cold and snowy Quebec winters. Serves 6 to 8.
Strips of zest from 2 oranges
24 oz cranberry juice
24 oz apple cider or juice
2 cinnamon sticks, about 4 inches each
6 whole allspice
8 whole cloves
2 whole star anise pods
2 pieces vanilla beans, about 2 inches each
Remove the zest from the oranges in strips about half an inch wide. Set aside 2 long strips. Cut the remaining strips in 6 to 8 pieces, about 2 inches long. Cut a small slit in each so that the zest can be slipped onto the rim of a glass as a garnish.
In a non-reactive saucepan, combine the juices. Place the 2 long orange zest strips, the cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise and vanilla bean pieces into a small square of double cheesecloth and tie up with string to make a small bundle. Add to juice and place over medium high heat, bringing to almost a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve with a piece of the zest on the rim of each glass as a garnish. For an alcoholic boost, add a shot of brandy to each glass.
Brandade de Morue (creamed salt cod)
Cod, one of the most important fishing industries on the East coast has long been plagued by decreasing stocks. From the scenic historic fishing village of Rivière-au-Renard, near Gaspé, to the salt cod processors of Sainte-Thérèse-de Gaspé, near Percé, these many communities along this dramatic coastline based their livelihoods on cod. Nowadays, other forms of seafood have replaced the once thriving cod stocks, such as shrimp and lobster. Salt dry cod is still an important product made at the Lelièvre, Lelièvre & Lemoignan processing plant as it has been done for centuries. Although Atlantic cod stocks have decreased as much as 60%, much of their supplies are being shipped from Alaska.
Here is celebrated recipe made from this important ingredient.
Makes 4 servings
2 pounds salt cod
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 large russet potatoes
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
4 Tbsp parmesan cheese or grated aged cheddar
6 Tbsp chopped chives
1 loaf crusty French bread, cut into 1 –inch slices and toasted
Soak salt cod in cold water, changing daily for 2 days. Boil the potatoes until tender. Peel and cut into ½-inch cubes. Drain salt cod and cut into ½-inch cubes. In a 12 to 14-inch sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat, until just smoking. Add shallots and garlic and cook until softened but do not colour, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add cod, potatoes, and flour and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until warmed through. Add milk and cream and bring to a boil, stirring just barely breaking down fish. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour into a shallow baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and chives. Place under broiler until golden. Serve with toasted bread slices.
Velouté de Navets à l’érable (Cream of Turnip with Maple Syrup)
The restaurant in the historic 1860’s William Wakeham Inn, has long been a culinary fixture overlooking the York River and the Gaspé Bay. Innkeeper and chef Desmond Ogden offers traditional and contemporary regional cuisine in their heritage Victorian style dining room. Here, a traditional country turnip soup is transformed and enhanced with local maple syrup and garnished with fresh lobster.
Serves 6 to 8
3 Tbsp butter
4 large shallots, coarsely chopped
2 cups coarsely chopped leeks (white part only)
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
2 lbs peeled and diced turnips, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 litres chicken stock
2 sprigs rosemary
3 to 5 Tbsp brandy or sherry (optional)
1/3 cup whipping cream
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
¼ cup maple syrup
6 oz chopped fresh cooked lobster meat
chopped fresh chives
Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add the butter. Add shallots, leeks and celery and sauté until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes; do not colour. Add turnips and sauté for about 3 minutes to slightly cook. Add broth and rosemary sprigs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until turnips are tender. Remove rosemary sprigs.
Carefully process with a hand-blender until smooth or divide into small batches using a blender. To make a smoother textured soup, pass the pureed soup through a fine mesh sieve. Return the soup to the soup pot, add brandy, maple syrup and slowly stir in cream. Season.
To serve, divide the lobster meat and place a portion in each warmed soup bowl. Ladle the soup and garnish with chives.
Lobster and Seafood Gratinée with pernod
Although fresh caught seafood is available year round on the Quebec Maritime coastline, it is especially special during the holiday season. La Maison William Wakeham Restaurant in Gaspé and La Maison du Pêcheur in Percé, are both outstanding restaurants featuring the freshest of regional seafood. Although I experienced and loved the delicate battered cod tongues, they’re hard to find here on the Pacific coast! Both restaurants had their wonderful versions of seafood gratins, but here is my adapted version, which would make a great holiday appetizer for on your menu.
Serves 4
2 Tbsp butter
3 shallots, finely chopped
1/3 cup white wine
4 Tbsp pernod
½ cup whipping cream
2 cups béchamel sauce
Freshly cracked pepper
4 very large fresh scallops, rinsed, dried and sliced in half into two thick coins
½ lb (225g) fresh handpeeled shrimp
Cooked Lobstermeat from a 2 lb lobster or 300g lobstermeat
¼ lb (115g) goats cheese
3 Tbsp finely chopped green onions
Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium low heat. Add scallops to the melted butter just to warm through until they become opaque. Do not overcook. Remove and place onto paper towels to drain. Increase heat to medium and add shallots to the pan. Saute until they become soft; add white wine and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add pernod; lower heat to low and add cream, simmer until reduced by half. Stir in béchamel sauce and green onions. Whisk well and simmer until velvety smooth texture. Remove from heat, and season to taste with pepper.
To assemble, divide shrimp onto four oven proof gratin dishes. Sppon on some sauce over the shrimp. Divide and add the scallops over the shrimp and spoon on some more sauce. Arrange lobster meat over the scallops and cover with sauce. Top each dish with crumbled goat’s cheese. Place all gratin dishes onto a baking sheet and place under broiler; bake until golden brown.
Garnish with lemon wedge and chopped chives.
Hachis Parmentier
Francois Blais is the talented young executive chef at Panache, the signature restaurant in the stunning Auberge Saint-Antoine in Quebec City. Situated, which once was part of an 19th century maritime warehouse, the dining room serves traditional French Canadian cuisine, “with a contemporary twist.” Chef Blais draws inspiration uniquely from local Québec produce, varying the manu according to what is in season. His use of wild game and mushrooms is at the peak this time of the year, showcasing venison to chanterelles. Here, is a twist on the Anglo “Shepherd’s Pie” or the Quebec “Pâte de Chinois”, with en elegant, yet comforting Parmentier, made with wild hare, topped with a potato and celeriac purée.
Serves 4 as an appetizer
2 large hare legs (or substitute rabbit)
1 Tbsp olive oil
20g of salt pork, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup mirepoix (250g), mixture of chopped celery, carrots, onions and leeks
100ml dry red wine
200ml game or beef stock
bouguet garni of fresh herbs (peppercorns, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, juniper berries)
1 large russet potato
½ small celeriac, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 leek, finely chopped
30g butter
160g goats cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Cut the legs into two. Heat the olive oil and salt pork in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the legs to brown, turning occasionally. Add the garlic and mirepoix and sauté with legs until slightly coloured. Add the wine, stock and bouquet garni. Cover, bring to boil; place into a preheated 325F oven and cook until soft and tender, about 3 hours. Remove legs to serving platter and strain the pan juices into a small saucepan. Season jus with salt and pepper. Remove leg meat and “pull” into small shreds.
Bake potato until tender. Cook celeriac in salted water, until tender; drain and mash with potato, passing through a fine mesh sieve. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside, keeping warm. Add some butter if necessary to make a fine puree.
Heat the butter over medium heat and sauté leeks until soft. Add the rabbit to warm and season to taste. Divide and place the rabbit mixture into four small oven-proof serving dishes or moulds.. Divide and top with a layer of the potato mixture and garnish with goat’s cheese on top.
Place into hot oven and broil until cheese is golden brown. Remove from moulds and serve with the jus.
Tourtière
Nothing showcases a French-Canadian celebration like the traditional rich meat pie called tourtière. Recipes vary from region to region throughout the province, from traditional wild game fillings of venison and grouse, pork and beef inland to seafood such as salmon and shellfish in areas close to the Quebec Maritimes. Every family has its own “original” recipe, passed down through generations, some with potato, some with none. This is an adapted recipe from my dear friend Margarite Lamothe, who has been making her family recipe for decades. Makes one 9-inch pie of 8 servings.
1 large russet potato
1 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
2 recipes Flaky Pastry (see following)
1 egg yolk
Boil potato in its jacket until cooked. Peel and mash; set aside.
In a large saucepan, add the meat, garlic, onions, spices and water. Cook over medium high heat until bubbling, stirring to break up meat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until almost no liquid remains. Mix in potatoes and add additional seasoning to taste.
Let cool, stirring occasionally (mixture will thicken as it cools). Roll out and line plate with pastry. Fill with meat mixture. Roll out remaining pastry. Brush pie rim with water; cover with top pastry and press edge together to seal. Trim and flute.
Mix egg yolk with 2 tsp water; brush top pastry. Cut steam vents. Bake in bottom third of a 400ºF oven until hot and golden brown, about 50 minutes.
Flaky Pastry
Makes 1 double-crust 9-inch pie.
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup each cold butter and lard, cubes
1 egg
2 tsp vinegar
Ice water
In a bowl, mix flour with salt. Using pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter and lard until coarse crumbs with larger pieces.
In liquid measure, beat egg with vinegar, add enough ice water to make 2/3 cup. Drizzle over flour mixture, tossing with fork until ragged dough forms. Divide and press into two discs. Wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. (This can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
Ragoût de Pattes et Boulettes
This dish truly represents the Quebecois farmer. Rustic and hardy, the rich and simple stew made with pigs’ trotters and simple meatballs is a traditional winter dish served typically with mashed potatoes. Serves 8.
Des Pattes:
3 lbs pigs’ feet or hocks, skinned and cut in half
1 Tbsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg and black pepper
1/2 tsp each dried thyme and savoury
3 Tbsp canola oil
2 onions, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup toasted flour (see below)
1 cup cold water
Boulettes:
1 1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground beef
2 slices of country style or French bread, cut into half-inch pieces and soaked in half a cup milk
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp d’herbes salées (salted herbs; see below)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Wipe the pig’s feet with paper towel and place into mixing bowl. Mix together the spices, salt and pepper; sprinkle the whole mixture over the pigs’ feet and rub well to marinate.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high and add the pigs’ feet in small batches, browning for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove to a platter and repeat until all are browned. Set aside.
In the same pan, heat the butter over medium heat and sauté the onions till golden, about 5 minutes. Place the pigs’ feet back into the pan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to simmer and cook until tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, skimming occasionally; the meat should pull away from the bone. Add more liquid if necessary, to keep the feet covered.
While the feet are cooking, heat the oven to 375ºF and mix together all the ingredients for the meatballs. Shape into 2-inch meatballs and place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Thirty minutes before the feet are cooked, add the meatballs to the pigs’ feet stew and continue to simmer. Before serving, remove the meatballs and feet with a slotted spoon, leaving the liquid in the pan. Skim and remove excess fat from the liquid. Debone the feet, reserving the meat. Reheat the broth in the same pan. Whisk together the flour and water until well blended.
Slowly whisk in the flour mixture into the broth until well blended; bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
Place the meat back into the broth, reheat and serve with mashed potatoes.
Toasted Flour: Toast flour by adding all-purpose flour to a dry heavy skillet over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the colour becomes golden, about 5 minutes. Remove and pour flour immediately into a mixing bowl to avoid overcooking.
Salted Herbs
Makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups.
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup chopped fresh savoury
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh chervil
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery leaves
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup coarse salt
In a medium bowl, combine the herbs. Layer one inch of the herb mixture in the bottom of a crock or glass jar and sprinkle with some of the salt. Repeat layers until all of the herb mixture and salt are used. Cover and refrigerate for 2 weeks. Drain off accumulated liquid and pack herb mixture into sterilized jars. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Maple Tart
One of the most popular desserts in La Belle Province, maple tart is to Quebec what the butter tart is to the rest of Canada. As with most Quebecois recipes, maple tarts vary from gooey fillings to thick rich cream ones. The flavour and colour of the tart will vary also depending on the quality of the maple syrup used.
This wonderful dessert is from Martin Picard’s famed Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal, certainly one of my favourite carnivore haunts in the city! Makes two 9- to 10-inch tarts.
2 cups maple syrup
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 recipe Flaky Pastry (see above), or frozen pie shells
Combine the maple syrup and cream in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Add the butter and stir until melted, then stir in flour. Set aside, keeping slightly warm. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Roll out pastry and cut two rounds to line the bottom of the tart moulds (with removable bottoms). Blind bake the empty tart shells by carefully lining the shell with parchment paper or foil and filling with uncooked rice or dried beans, with enough foil overhang to be able to remove. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove paper/foil/beans and set aside.
Reduce oven to 300ºF.
In a bowl, lightly beat eggs, then add to the maple syrup mixture and stir well to mix. Place the tart shells on baking sheets and divide the maple mixture between them. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the filling has set at the centre and there is a slight bubble at the edge of the moulds. Let cool completely before removing the tart bottom. Serve with whipping cream.
