Taste's New Menu

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

Last Monday, I had the honour of being invited to a media event put on by Taste to rub elbows with media types, catch up with old friends and meet new ones, and of course, taste some great eats from their new menu!

I hadn't been to Taste before, but I'd been thinking of them ever since they were at Slow Food Calgary's Feast of Fields last September - they had postcards at their table advertising their Taste Test Tuesdays, a three-course meal for $30 offered every Tuesday. On Thursdays, they have a Sausage Party - $5 beers and a different house-made sausage each week.

On the other days of the week, the cozy, 36-seat restaurant focuses on "small plates" priced at $5-increments, and you can order one of everything on the menu ("The Big Bankowski") for $250. During the day, there's soups, salads, pastas and a selection of sandwiches for $12.

Monday's event highlighted some of the new menus that will be unveiled in the coming weeks, as well as some long-standing favourites, like the Duck Fat Popcorn ($5) we munched on as guests trickled in and sipped on glasses of bubbly:


The air-popped popcorn is tossed in melted duck fat and topped with a sprinkling of duck skin cracklins. I don't know if I've had bad luck with air-popped popcorn lately or if it's just the way it is, but I've found that when it's warm, it's a little chewy, but as it cools it actually crisps up and tastes better. The duck fat and cracklins gave a depth to the flavour of the light, airy popcorn - a very indulgent snack!

We also munched on some pillowy Pretzel Bits ($5), which came with a zippy white wine mustard for dipping:


Then it was on to the "main courses". I noticed that many of Taste's dishes like to mix sweet and savoury flavours, like this Organic Heirloom Tomato Salad ($9, lunch menu) topped with a dollop of basil mascarpone and a balsamic reduction.


I'm a sucker for colourful heirloom tomatoes, but they're not quite in season yet and were a little sour, though it went well with the sweet balsamic reduction. The smooth and buttery basil mascarpone was surprisingly light (I think it was whipped?) and packed with herb flavour.

Next up was Taste's take on bacon-wrapped scallops - seared scallops topped with crisp pancetta on a bed of braised savoy cabbage and fennel ($15).


The scallops were prepared simply, emphasizing their natural sweet flavour, while the crisp, non-greasy pancetta provided the savoury contrast. The braised vegetables were very tender, releasing their natural sweetness.


The pistachio-crusted Lamb Chops ($15), made with lamb from Sunterra Farms and sitting in a pool of maple glaze, were quite popular amongst the group. The sweet, nutty flavours were a nice change from the usual flavours that I generally associate with lamb, like rosemary or mint.


Another crowd favourite was their Mac 'n' Cheese ($10 at night, $12 for lunch), made with cavatappi (or, as I like to call them, Scoobi Doos) in a classic Mornay sauce with aged cheddar and parmesan, sprinkled with garlicky sea salt.



    

    
Yum. The ultimate comfort food.

Taste did up a few fusion dishes as well, like their Tuna Tartare ($15) which was topped with wasabi tobiko and served on wasabi tuile cookies.


I loved the fresh, melt-in-your-mouth tuna, which was perked up with a hint of ginger and sesame. The tuile cookie was a bit soft and I could hardly taste any wasabi in neither the cookie or the tobiko. I'm not sure whether the sweet-savoury combo worked here.

My favourite dish was the Asian-inspired Beef Tataki Tacos ($15), crispy wonton wrappers fried just so the tacos could stand upright, filled with slices of seared beef and a heap of carrot salsa. The flavours were fresh, tart and perky and I loved the crunchy shell and crisp carrots. The only quibble we had at our table was that the wonton wrappers still seemed to have a bit of raw flour on them, but otherwise they were delicious!


Throughout our meal we sipped on two wines - a red and white - chosen by wine director Brad Royale. Taste's wine list is unique in that it changes every month, corresponding to a different theme (March's was "Blend Your Mind", focusing on - you guessed it! - blended wines) and all wines are available by the glass. Since most of the dishes seemed lighter I gravitated toward the white - a light and fresh blend of Riesling, Weissburgundur and Chardonnay from the German vineyard Schloss Reinhartshausen. The red was a 2007 Antinori Tignanello - a blend of Sangiovese and Cabarnet Sauvignon.

We finished our meal with these delicious Chiffon Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream. Instead of offering mints or chocolates, Taste serves these at the end of every meal, though you can buy a dozen for $12. The cake was light and spongy, but I was most impressed with the icing - although deceivingly pale in colour, it packed a lot of espresso flavour and had a fluffy and airy texture.


All in all, it was a great event, a fantastic meal and a perfect introduction to Taste. I can't wait to go back!

Taste
1210 1 St SW
Calgary AB T2R 0V4
(403) 233-7730
Open Mon-Sat 11:30 AM-late. Closed Sundays. No reservations available, but may be booked for private events.

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Spicy Indian Chickpeas

I didn't think that simply making croutons (which was actually just an optional topping for a lentil soup recipe in the book) counted as cooking from Lucinda Scala Quinn's Mad Hungry, so I decided to tackle a recipe that I'd had my eye on for a while - Spicy Indian Chickpeas.

These chickpeas (or garbanzos, if you prefer) are not spicy in the fiery sense of the word (though you can certainly bump up the spice factor with some extra cayenne or fresh chilis), but instead in a sweet, aromatic way from a blend of cinnamon, garam masala, cumin, coriander, cloves, a touch of cayenne and fresh ginger. Since it uses canned chickpeas, this dish is quick to prepare as well - all you have to do is mix together the spices, sauté the ginger with some onion and garlic, then toss in the spices and the chickpeas, let it cook for a few minutes, and you're ready to eat!


I skipped the optional sliced onion, tomato and green chili garnish but I followed Lucinda's advice to serve it with some store-bought naan. There is a recipe for raita (Cucumber Yogurt Salad) in the book as well - simple plain yogurt or even a squeeze of lemon will work perfectly for a light, tart contrast to the chickpeas in a pinch. Because Lucinda's book is called "Mad Hungry" and geared toward large families (she has three boys of her own), many of the recipes in the book serve around 6 (often 8). Fortunately they halve quite easily for those who are not-so-mad hungry :)

Spicy Indian Chickpeas
Adapted from Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys
by Lucinda Scala Quinn
Makes about 4 cups

• 1½ tsp (7 mL) ground cinnamon
  
• 1½ tsp (7 mL) garam masala*
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander
  
• ½ tsp (2 mL) ground cloves
  
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper
  
• 1 3" (7.5 cm) piece of ginger, minced (about 3 tbsp)
  
• 8 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tbsp)
  
• 1 onion, finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
  
• 2 × 710 mL (19 fl oz) cans chickpeas, plus 1 cup (250 mL) reserved liquid

1. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, garam masala, cumin, coriander, cloves and cayenne. Set aside.
   
2. Heat a large skillet and swirl in the oil. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté until soft and lightly golden, 5-6 minutes. Add spices and stir to lightly toast, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another few minutes to combine. The colour should be dark red.
   
3. Add the chickpeas plus the cup of reserved liquid. Stir to combine. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, removing the cover in the last few minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for a minute to allow the beans to soak up the spice flavours. Season to taste.

Nutrition Info (per ~¾ cup): 352 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 59 g carbohydrate (12 g fibre, 2 g sugar), 13 g protein, 691 mg sodium. An excellent source of vitamin B₆, folate (vitamin B₄), iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc and manganese. A good source of vitamin E, phosphorus, copper and selenium.

 

*Garam masala is a mixture of spices commonly used in Indian and other South Asian cuisines. I find it more aromatic than curry powder as the primary ingredients are usually cinnamon, fennel, cloves and cardamom, while curry powder's primary ingredients are usually turmeric and cumin.

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Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot and Red Lentil Soup

I knew I wanted to make this soup as soon as Julie posted the recipe on her blog - I had almost all the ingredients on hand (I only had to go to the store to pick up a sweet potato) and it was nice to use the last bit of a small bag of red lentils on an "invisible" protein, fibre and nutrient boost to a flavourful, creamy soup. (Of course, don't forget the vitamin A and potassium from the sweet potato and carrots!)



    

This soup recipe came together much like most soup recipes - chop up a bunch of vegetables, sauté the aromatics, cover them with broth/water, add some herbs/spices and simmer before pureéing with a monster immersion blender. Julie says any curry paste or powder is fine, and I had some Thai red curry paste kicking in the fridge - I love the distinct aroma of the kaffir lime leaves and galangal. The original recipe also calls for a dairy ingredient like half & half, heavy cream or plain yogurt to be added to the end, but I prefer to omit it so I can really taste the ingredients.

Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot, Lentil and Ginger Soup
Adapted from Dinner with Julie
Makes about 8 cups

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1 tbsp ginger, grated
  
• ½ cup (125 mL) red lentils, rinsed, drained and picked through for rocks
  
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
  
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) curry paste or powder
  
• 4 cups (1 L) total low-sodium chicken/vegetable broth and/or water
  
• 1 cup (250 mL) water

1. In a medium pot, heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onion, garlic and ginger for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Add the lentils, sweet potato, carrots, curry paste and broth, along with a cup of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down, cover and simmer for half an hour until the vegetables are very tender.
   
2. Puree soup using a hand-held immersion blender, or transfer it in batches to a blender and puree until smooth. Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt (or sour cream).

Nutrition Info (per ~2 cups): 189 calories, 4 g fat (0.4 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 29 g carbohydrate (5 g fibre, 5 g sugar), 11 g protein, 632 mg sodium. An excellent source of vitamin A, folate (vitamin B₄), potassium and manganese. A good source of vitamin B₆, iron, zinc and copper.

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Parsnip, Carrot and Asian Pear Soup with Garlic Rosemary Croutons

Spring is hardly the season for soup, but here in Calgary, we're still squarely in soup weather.

I actually made this soup back in January, when we were going through those crazy freeze-thaw cycles - -20˚C or 30˚C one day, +15˚C the next. However, my inspiration for this soup didn't come from the weather, but from the fact that I had a couple parsnips in the crisper and a couple Asian pears sitting in the fruit basket. So I thought, "Wouldn't it be neat to put the two together in a soup?" It turns out that Julie already beat me to it.

Julie's recipe called for 2 lb of parsnips, but I only had two parsnips, so I added some carrot and used two pears instead of one. I think any combination of parsnip, carrot and pear should work as long as it worked out to just a little over 2 lb, except only carrot and pear - parsnip just has that bit of spiciness and woodiness that pairs better with pear. Julie also recommends that you pour a can of evaporated milk in at the end - it makes the soup creamier and adds protein, but also mutes the flavour a bit. I would probably omit it next time.

    
I blended it all up with the immersion blender I got my mom for Christmas 2009 that still appeared to be unopened (I figured it's been over a year...) Holy, it is a monster! Much more powerful than I thought it would be.


Monster
I had planned on making this on a particular night and purposely bought a demi-baguette (PC Blue Menu, my favourite... seriously.) and some cheese to enjoy it with. Unfortunately, other commitments pulled me elsewhere so I was stuck with day-old bread. I was quickly reminded of another PC product - the Rosemary & Garlic Calabrese croutons that I'd tried during our ski trip to Big White (with perennial brunchmate Tiffany and family) that I decided to try to create my own.


This recipe came from a cookbook Mad Hungry, with a little rosemary sprinkled in...


Taste-wise they turned out pretty good but texture-wise they never had that nice, light crunch, even after they'd cooled. It was fine in soup but I need to tweak it a little (more oil? more heat? not-so-grainy bread?) if I want to use it in salad.

Parsnip, Carrot and Pear Soup
Adapted from Dinner with Julie
Makes about 12 cups

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
  
• 1 onion
  
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
  
• 2 Asian pears, chopped
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) curry powder
  
• 6 cups (1.5 L) total low-sodium chicken broth and/or water
  
• 1½ lb (680 g) total parsnips and/or carrots, peeled and chopped
  
• 1 small potato, chopped
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• ½ tsp (2 mL) pepper
  
• ½ tsp (2 mL) nutmeg
  
• 1 can (370 mL/12.5 oz) evaporated milk (optional)

1. Heat oil in a soup pot set over medium-high heat. Saute onion and celery for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add pear and curry and cook for a few more minutes.
   
2. Add broth/water, parsnips/carrots, potato, bay leaf, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and cook until the parsnips are very tender. Puree with a hand-held immersion blender (or transfer in batches to a blender or food processor) until smooth. Stir in evaporated milk, if desired.

Nutrition Info (per ~2 cups, assumes using chicken broth and equal amounts parsnips and carrots): 237 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated), 19 mg cholesterol, 34 g carbohydrate (7 g fibre, 10 g sugar), 10 g protein, 679 mg sodium. An excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin K, folate (vitamin B₄), potassium and manganese. A good source of vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin (vitamin B₂), pantothenic acid (vitamin B₅), calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

 

Garlic Rosemary Croutons

Adapted from Mad Hungry by Lucinda Scala Quinn

Makes about 2 cups

• ½ lb (200 g) day-old bread
  
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried rosemary, crumbled
  
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
  
• 1 dash pepper

1. Cut bread into ¾" (2 cm) cubes. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add olive oil, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and cook until it sizzles, about 50 seconds. Add the bread and rosemary and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Discard garlic. Sprinkle croutons with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Info (per ~¼ cup): 118 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 14 g carbohydrate (1 g fibre, 1 g sugar), 3 g protein, 201 mg sodium. A good source of folate (vitamin B₄).

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Housekeeping

I got sick of my blog being called "Not a Food Blog" so I registered the cumbersome cecinestpasunfoodblog.com. (That's thisisnotafoodblog.com for you Anglos.) The old URL should still point to this site, but it's probably a good idea to update your bookmarks/RSS feeds/links to my page anyway. Thanks!

Also, I recently got an email from Lisa from Club Club, who is putting together an old-school Community Cookbook not unlike this one, but most likely a little more secular:


The look is old-school, but the recipes aren't. As per Lisa, "anyone who loves food" is allowed to send up to three recipes by April 15 to clubclub [at] hotmail.ca (Hotmail has a .ca?). If your recipe(s) is/are accepted, you'll get a copy of the cookbook and invited to an "epic potluck" this summer.

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Chicken Lettuce Cups

I'm sure ever since I noted that my first foray into my "Cook at least one recipe from all my cookbooks" resolution was the Chicken Lettuce Cups from Martin Yan Quick & Easy, I'm sure you've been waited with bated breath for the recipe. Well, wait no more, because it's now its turn to come out of my blog post backlog!

I made the Chicken Lettuce Cups as part of the February newsletter for FitNut Consulting, one of my new contracts (please like us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter!), in celebration of Chinese New Year.

My family never really makes this dish at home, and when we do have it, it's usually made with duck as part of a three-course Peking Duck meal. I thought about sharing a more "traditional" Chinese New Year recipe, but I was worried that it wouldn't be universally appealing (steamed whole fish or dried oysters) or healthy (New Year cake). Lettuce is actually considered a lucky food in the Chinese New Year as the word for lettuce (生菜/"saang choi") sounds a lot like the words for "creating wealth" (生財). During a lion dance, you may see people throwing heads of lettuce into the lion's mouth; that is why.

B. later informed me that his family does sometimes have lettuce wraps for Chinese New Year. *phew*

The recipe comes together quickly, with most of the prep revolving around dicing some vegetables really finely - the perfect opportunity to break in the knife that B. got me for Christmas! To make perfect lettuce cups, don't try just ripping the leaves directly from the lettuce. Instead, core and halve the lettuce, then carefully peel back the layers to make the cups. Also, don't skimp on the sauce - it adds moisture and a sweet-and-spicy flavour to the dish. Finally, can you believe that B. and I took these photos during the evening? We've been playing a lot with bouncing the flash lately...

Chicken Lettuce Cups
Adapted from Martin Yan Quick & Easy
Makes 4 servings

• 2 dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms
• ½ lb (227 g) ground chicken or turkey
• 1½ tsp (7 mL) cornstarch
• 2 tsp (10 mL) Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry
• ¼ cup (60 mL) hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp (10 mL) low-sodium soy sauce
• 1½ tsp (7 mL) chili garlic sauce
• 1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
• 1 tsp (5 mL) ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ red pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• ½ cup water chestnuts, finely chopped
• 2 tsp cilantro, chopped
• 8 iceberg lettuce cups

1. If using dried mushrooms, soak the mushrooms in a small bowl filled with warm water to cover until softened, about 15-30 minutes, then drain. Discard the stems and coarsely chop the caps. Set aside.In a bowl, combine the chicken, cornstarch and wine and mix well. Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. While the chicken is marinating, make the sauce by combining hoisin sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
3. Place a stir-fry pan over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the chicken mixture and stir-fry until crumbly and no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper, water chestnuts and mushrooms and stir-fry until the bell pepper is soft, 1-2 minutes.
4. Stir in the cilantro. To serve, arrange the lettuce cups on a plate and set alongside the sauce and the chicken mixture. Spoon some of the chicken mixture into the lettuce cup (don't be greedy!), add a drizzle of sauce, then fold the lettuce around the filling and eat!

Nutrition Info (per 2 lettuce cups with sauce): 192 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated), 49 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrate (6 g sugar, 2 g fibre), 11 g protein, 400 mg sodium. An excellent source of potassium. A good source of vitamin C, riboflavin (vitamin B₂), niacin (vitamin B₃), pantothenic acid (vitamin B₅), vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂, manganese and selenium.

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Holy Grill

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

The weekend before B. and I left for China, we (after a *lot* of research) went to The Camera Store to pick up a new Panasonic Lumix GF1 for our trip (we are *so* happy with it - can't wait to start sharing some images) as well as some thermal underwear from MEC. We got hungry (obviously) and seeing as how I conveniently had an Entertainment coupon in my purse, we headed over to Holy Grill to grab a bite to eat.

Holy Grill is set up cafeteria-style - you place your order at the grill, grab your own utensils, ketchup and water, then snag a table and wait for the cook to holler out your name when your food is ready.

The Entertainment coupon only applied to the breakfast menu, but it didn't matter that it was 3 PM as most of the menu was of burgers and sandwiches anyway. Besides, who doesn't like breakfast food, yes? I ordered the Bacon Avocado Crisp ($6.75) while B. had the Brunch Burger ($8.50).


The Bacon Avocado Crisp, which is a toasted kaiser loaded with bacon, tomato, lettuce, eggplant, aged cheddar, light mayo and topped with a fried egg and sliced avocado, was our favourite of the two. The flavour was mild, and the buttery avocado provided a smooth foil to the savoury, crispy bacon.


The Brunch Burger, which was a burger topped with cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, bacon and a fried egg, was pretty yummy as well.


The fried egg was cooked sunny-side up, so the burger was a little messy! The meat patty and onions made this sandwich heavier and more intensely flavoured than the bacon avocado crisp.


The Brunch Burger was served with a side of fries hot from the fryer, and both sandwiches came with a slice of orange for dessert. I enjoyed the speedy service and sunny space - would definitely be back... if only they were open on Sundays!


Holy Grill
827 10 Ave SW
Calgary AB T2R 0B4
(403) 261-9759
Open Mon-Fri 7:30 AM-4 PM; Sat 10 AM-4 PM. Closed Sundays.

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Taco Salad

Not to be confused with Macho Salad
B. and I showed up late to a potluck over the holidays, and so we were left with most of our contribution of guacamole (don't ask me for the recipe! It was all by taste) and tortilla chips to take home.

Of course, I could've just easily munched on guacamole and chips for a few days (or hours... have you seen me next to a bag of chips? Dangerous.) but I wanted something a little more substantial. Inspired by the taco salad that I saw my coworkers eating a few days before from the work cafeteria, I decided to whip up my own.

The great thing about taco salad is that it's completely customizable. The best way to serve it is just to lay out all your favourite fixings and let everyone make their own.


We had the aforementioned guacamole, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, red peppers, red onions, cilantro, sweet and spicy salsa from Innisfail Growers and cayenne and green peppercorn gouda from Sylvan Star Cheese.

Of course, the most important ingredient is the seasoned ground beef. Usually I'd be inclined to just open a bag of taco seasoning, but B. found a recipe in his copy of the Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2011 and we were lucky to have all the spices in our kitchen already. It was *so* good, and so nice to know what's in it!

Taco Meat
Adapted from Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2011
Makes 4 servings

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
  
• 1 onion, minced
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) chili powder
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) cumin
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) coriander
  
• ½ tsp (2 mL) oregano
  
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper
  
• 1 lb (454 g) extra-lean ground beef
  
• ½ cup (125 mL) tomato sauce
  
• ½ cup (125 mL) low-sodium chicken broth
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) cider vinegar
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) light brown sugar

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spices, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
   
2. Stir in ground beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
   
3. Stir in tomato sauce, broth, vinegar and sugar. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
   
4. Serve taco meat in tacos, or use as topping in taco salad.

Nutrition Info (per serving): 273 calories, 14 g fat (5 g saturated), 73 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrate (3 g fibre, 4 g sugar), 25 g protein, 372 mg sodium. An excellent source of niacin (vitamin B₃), vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂, vitamin E, iron, potassium, zinc and selenium. A good source of riboflavin (vitamin B₂), magnesium, phosphorus and manganese.

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