Back
to the list of Chef Cameron's recipes
For two
years chef Cameron Stauch provided us with
recipes for us each week. Cameron is a local young chef who,
upon completing a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill
University, trained at the Stratford Chefs School in Stratford,
Ontario. Over the last 7 years Cameron has worked in many
kitchens in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. Between 2000-2002
he gained experience in cooking various styles of Asian cuisines
while traveling throughout Asia from his home in Hong Kong,
China.
Upon returning
to Ottawa in 2003, Cameron began his work as pastry chef at
Domus Café. Under the guidance of chef/owner John Taylor
Cameron’s desserts focused on using local, organic produce
to reinterpret classic Canadian desserts and flavours. Recently,
Cameron has taken up employment as one of the culinary members
of Chef Oliver Bartsch’s kitchen staff at Rideau Hall. |
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Quick
vegetable stock
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled, diced
1 celery, diced
half tsp. Dill seed andor few pieces of whole allspice
bay leaf
quarter cup lentils
beet greens roughy chopped
canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
Remainder
of the soup
3 large beets (1 and half lbs. Peeled and cut into cubes)
1 medium turnip, peeled and cubed
1 onion, finely diced
1 leek, washed and thinly chopped
2 tbsp. Canola oil or butter
salt and pepper
lemon juice or cider vinegar
a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt or sour cream
quarter of a cucumber, peeled and diced
tarragon leaves, sniped or cut into small pieces
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Heat oil
in a medium sized saucepan (large enough to hold 10 cups water).
Add in onion, carrot, celery, and any other vegetables trimmings
you have around. Cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown
or lightly caramelized.
Add in
the spices, lentils, greens, 8 cups of water and 1 teaspoon
salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Strain
and use for soup.
In a medium
sized soup pot, cook the onions and leeks in the oil until
soft, 5-10 minutes. Add the beets, turnip some salt and cook
for another 5 minutes or so. Add the strained stock (about
6 cups or so), just enough to cover the vegetables, and simmer
until the beets and turnips are tender, about 15 minutes.
Check the seasoning with salt and pepper. Once tender place
the mixture in the blender and puree very well until smooth.
Do this for the whole soup.
Taste
the soup and add a touch of lemon juice or cider vinegar if
needed to heighten the flavours. Ladle the soup into the bowls
and place a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream in the centre
of each bowl. Garnish with the diced cucumber and some snipped
tarragon. |
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equal
quantities green bean and cherry tomatoes (ie. 1 pound of
each)
1 shallot, peeled and finely diced
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
about a ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
fresh basil, or thyme, picked and finely cut
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Bring
a large pot of salted water to boil. A large pot ensures
that the water will quickly come back to a boil and evenly
cook the beans. Have a bowl of cold ice water handy. Trim
the tail ends of the beans and boil them in the boiling
water. Shock quickly in the cold water to keep nice and
green. When still lukewarm drain. Stem the cherry tomatoes
and cut in half. Place in bowl with green beans.
Make
vinaigrette with the chopped shallot, red wine vinegar,
olive oil and salt and pepper. Taste to adjust the acidity
and seasoning. Toss the beans and cherry tomatoes with some
of the vinaigrette, salt, pepper and the herb you are using.
Note: it is best to dress this salad just before eating
as the green beans will lose their brillant green colour.
This
is a nice salad to serve with any type of meat or fish and
alongside another salad too.
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A
bit of info on lamb’s lettuce
It is also known more commonly as mache. It is a lovely hardy
plant which has a unique flavour. It tends to match well with
cheeses and fruits (apples, pears, walnuts, hazelnuts). This
is why on some restaurant menus you may find it on a cheese
plate. It also is very nice in a salad with cooked beets,
walnuts and some sort of cheese (such as a blue or goat’s
cheese). Simply treat it as you would any other green- with
a nice vinaigrette, some shallots and with your favourite
vegetable, fruit or nut.
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1 tbsp.
canola oil
1 red or yellow pepper, seeded and cut into fine dice
1 medium onion finely diced or 2-3 shallots or green onions
finely diced
1 pound fine green beans, trimmed
¼ cup of soy sauce
½ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
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Heat the
oil in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat the onions
and pepper for just over 5 minutes or until tender. Carefully,
return the pan to high heat (make sure the other vegetables
do not burn). Add the green beans and cook for 1 minute. Then
add the soy sauce and ½ cup of water. Cook at a good
boil for a few minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated
and the green beans are still green and tender. Add the black
pepper and continue to cook until there are about 2 tablespoons
of liquid left in the pan. Adjust seasoning and serve hot
or at room temperature.
Note;
Some soy sauces are saltier than others so the amount may
need to be reduced by a bit if you find your soy sauce too
salty.
The beans
are a nice complement to any type of Asian meal. |
