Tag: food

The Cooking Chronicles: Chicken Pesto Pot Pies

I had made pesto with some leftover fresh basil I bought at the farmer’s market a few weeks ago, intent on using it for a recipe for Chicken Pesto Pot Pies I saw in the fall issue of Our Compliments magazine. I finally had the chance this weekend.

We cheated with the potatoes, and used the store-bought powdered variety as directed in the recipe, but as we were using made-from-scratch pesto and cooking the chicken ourselves, I figured it was a fair trade off. We bought individual aluminum pie plates, and once we tossed the filling together, we divided the coated vegetables and chicken between the containers and topped them with scoops of mashed potatoes. We baked them for just under half an hour, and they were done, sizzling with some of the excess olive oil in the pesto and smelling wonderful.

Though the surface of the pies didn’t get as brown as they did in the magazine photo, the top of the potato round was somewhat crusty. The pies were essentially a shepherd’s pie made with pesto instead of gravy, but while I can’t say that the pesto flavour was distinct, these pies tasted lighter because of the gravy substitution – and had the benefit of a vibrant green color instead of a drab brown tinge.

We had a few leftover pies for supper the next night too, and as indicated in the recipe, these are great to make in advance and freeze for emergencies. I will be making them again.

Chicken Pesto Pot Pie

No Complaints: The Lingnan

It’s funny (and tragic) how it sometimes takes national bodies to draw attention to local institutions, but I found that this was the case with The Lingnan (10582 104 Street).

Food Network Canada chose the family behind The Lingnan to feature on their upcoming season of Family Restaurant, to begin airing January 2009. I saw the article in the Journal earlier this year, and noting the connection between the restaurant and Chicken for Lunch (Amy’s sons run the joint), convinced Mack to join me there for dinner on a random weekday.

Exterior

I had no complaints over the aesthetics of The Lingnan. The upstanding sign atop the building, eye-catching even two streets away, draws one’s attention to an area where a Chinese restaurant is a little unexpected, situated across from a dated business facility and behind an emergency response team office. Once through the (slightly shady looking) door, we were greeted by a cool, lush interior that we could not have predicted from the outside. Everything from the mirrored walls to the paneled ceiling was beautiful, even if slightly over-the-top. The high ceiling and open dining room made the space seem larger than it actually was, and afforded diners (amounting to about ten tables by the end of the evening) a sense of privacy. Although the restaurant is very obviously geared towards Western sensibilities (much like Blue Willow), I didn’t mind it because of their earnest, well-intentioned approach.

Dining room

The waiters, dressed in a “traditional” jacket (definitely over-the-top) were polite and surprisingly personable. After perusing the menu, Mack’s pick was his usual benchmark ginger beef ($12.50), while I was craving fried noodles. Though my original selection was a dish called “Crispy Noodles Chow Mein”, our adept waiter steered us toward the “Chinese Style Aristocratic Chow Mein” ($13.75, with shrimp). I guess I needed some instruction on reading the menu as it was exactly what I had in mind.

Menu

Drink menu in place of the more common Chinese zodiac (guess they’re really pushing the cocktails)

Mack’s Lingnan Pi Jiu with a hint of ginseng (brewed by local microbrewery, Alley Kat)

Before our dishes were brought to us, our waiter set up two metal plate warmers. Though a nice touch, we found them to be quite ineffective. At any rate, our food was out in no time.

Mack was quite happy with the ginger beef, noting that it was a “close second” behind Pagolac’s version. I found it pleasing enough – a decent beef-to-batter ratio and a tangy sauce that was slightly spicy. The chow mein was fine as well, with a reasonable quantity of shrimp included, and enough fried, crispy noodles to quash my craving. Mack didn’t like the soggy noodles in the centre of the dish, but I love the textural contrast and their sauce-laden goodness.

Ginger Beef

Chinese Style Aristocratic Chow Mein

The Lingnan, while offering nothing out of the ordinary in terms of solid Western Chinese dishes, does so in a clean environment and efficient manner.

Mack should pose like this in every picture

The Lingnan
10582 104 Street
(780) 426-3975
Monday-Thursday 5-11pm, Friday & Saturday 5pm-12am, Sundays & Holidays 4-8:30pm

Team NAIT Goes for the Gold!

Though it seems the world has just recovered from the massive spectacle that was in Beijing, over fifty countries are gearing up for an Olympic competition of a different nature.

Occurring once every four years, the Culinary Olympics take centre stage in Erfurt, Germany from October 19 to 22. NAIT is once again fielding a Canadian contingent, consisting of four individual competitors and a team of managers and coaches. The institution has represented Canada quite well in the past, winning two gold and two silver medals in 2004 and three gold medals in 2000.

Wanting to allow local purveyors of social media to comment directly on events at NAIT, Mack and I were invited to observe the team’s marathon 24 hour practice session over the weekend.

A competitor rests after lunch

Our arrival on Saturday afternoon was timed perfectly – we were able to join the group for lunch. Over a plate of chicken and mixed vegetables, we learned more about the gruelling preparation and the competition itself.

Coaches and competitors chatting in the kitchen

Though I was disappointed to find out that there wouldn’t be a tasting component to the session, we soon found out why. Being a “cold competition”, the food (while edible) would be judged on appearance alone, with criteria including food preparation, plate composition and presentation. Each item on the plate (including sauces) also require three layers of glaze, a time-consuming process as individual layers take time to set. As competitors only have twenty-four hours to ready their entries, much of the food will actually be prepared in NAIT’s kitchens to be transported overseas.

Glazing

All four competitors are recent graduates, but the Culinary Olympics are open to even those with many years of professional experience, making the task even more daunting for these young men. It was amazing to see the exquisite attention to detail. For example, an assembly glazing line ended with one chef poised with a heated needle, examining freshly glazed food for air bubbles to pop. Though all competitors start with a theoretical 100 points, deductions are made by judges for even the slightest mistakes and imperfections.

Looking for air pockets

Plates plastic-wrapped to prevent soiling (brought to you by Saran!)

After a quick tour of the massive kitchen (a baker’s dream!), we went home with intentions of returning at 8am the following morning to see the fruit of a hard night’s labour.

We were astonished with the transformation of the dining area. White plates of gleaming food greeted us, poised under spotlights on elegantly-decorated tables.

Desserts (those “bills” are made entirely of chocolate)

Absolutely stunning platter

Having been told each dish should mimic the portion size to be expected in a restaurant, I think I was expecting more food to be present on each plate – I probably could have gobbled up the intended three-course meal in an instant. And though the glaze was meant to preserve the vitality of each exhibition, it seemed to sap the “life” out of some dishes. At the end of the day, however, there was no question the amount of planning and work that had gone into every creation.

Lamb

Lobster (the frisse looks great glazed)

Salmon

Quiche (I just had to take a picture of it)

 

Beautiful tart (and no, that’s not ice cream you’re looking at – it’s lard made to look like ice cream)

As we snapped photos, coaches and past Olympic participants were offering their feedback on how to improve their dishes – sauce too dull-colored, an additional protein needed, an extra garnish. All competitors took the criticisms in stride, jotting down notes to learn what else they could do to earn a medal score.

 

Jack receives some suggestions

Thanks to NAIT for the invitation – it was a great experience to see these young chefs in action. Best of luck to Team NAIT in Germany!

My (small) photo set is here, Mack’s here, and NAIT’s here.

Mom is Always Right: Nhon Hoa

My officemate was recently asking me about cheap eats in our area. I immediately directed him to the Italian Bakery and Nhon Hoa.

Nhon Hoa (10622 97 Street), with two locations within a stone’s throw of each other, was a frequent stop in my childhood. Not for me (I didn’t learn to appreciate food until I was well into adulthood), but for my Mum, who knew that Vietnamese subs were not only dirt cheap, but darn tasty.

All sandwiches have the same base – toasted French-style baguette, and layers of homemade mayo, pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro, and (optional) hot peppers. Her favourite variety was (and still is) the combination sub, while I gravitate toward the safer option of shredded, fried pork ($3.25). Freshly put together and wrapped securely in saran wrap, the subs are take-away ready. In my opinion, the fresh cilantro and the homemade sauce are what make the sandwich.

My Banh Mi (menu here)

My only complaint about the Nhon Hoa I patronize is the lack of seating. The counter shares a space with a BBQ meat seller, and every visit, I marvel at the familiarity of the patrons with the shopkeepers – they’re “coffee shop regulars”, but for smoked pork and duck. I would love to hang out and observe the interactions further. And though I’m content to take my food to a nearby park to eat while it’s still warm, this option won’t exist in the winter months.

If you’re looking for a nice lunch that won’t break the bank (and will actually save you enough money so you can pop into the nearby Italian Bakery to pick up something sweet for dessert), head to Nhon Hoa. You won’t be disappointed.

Nhon Hoa 2
10622 97 Street
(780) 425-3257
Daily 10am-7pm, closed Tuesdays

Food Notes

  • Via Chowhound: Bacon, the eatery known for locally-sourcing ingredients and serving up comfort food favourites, closed as of September 9. Their message indicates that the proprietors may move into a different space in the future, but provide no details.
  • Xtreme Asian Fusion (with a name like that, how can they go wrong?) is hosting their grand opening on September 15. Located at 10508 101 Street, phone (780) 413-3338.
  • Whimsical Cupcakes (14910 45 Avenue) will be offering their first-ever Happy Hour on September 27. Samples of “Ruby”, along with “shots” of milk will be free, and cupcakes will be priced at a discounted $1.75 each.
  • Today was the last day to get discounted early bird tickets to the upcoming Rocky Mountain Wine and Food Festival, running October 22-25 at the Shaw Conference Centre. I think I’ll only end up going if they have coupons for free food and drink tickets in the paper, as per last year.
  • Liane Faulder published her first in a series of many to come about home entertaining. I like the angle (everyday cooks with good ideas), but I hope for two things: that the cooking starts to reflect the change in season around us (this week’s was decidedly summery), and that she features at least one party based in an apartment/condo/similarly small space.
  • Mack told me about two episodes on SmibsTV featuring Poul Mark of Transcend Coffee – worth a look if you want to learn more about the local roaster.
  • For those early risers – McDonald’s is giving away free small cups of coffee for the month of September…between 5 and 7am.
  • Joining Daniel Boulud in Vancouver, Jean-Georges Vongerichten will be opening Market in the new Shangri-La Hotel in January 2009.
  • A related article, about Daniel Boulud’s New York invitation to three of Vancouver’s top chefs – apparently there is more camaraderie between chefs in Vancouver than in Toronto.
  • My friend Caezer introduced Annie and I to the Old Szechuan Restaurant (10703 103 Street) recently. I would never, ever, have wandered into the converted house on my own, and was really surprised to find that it was actually quite busy. We ordered a good cross-section of dishes, all exceptionally spicy, but all prepared quite well. Though I can’t say I’ll be back (even tea couldn’t help alleviate the spice), it was a good reminder to be careful to not always judge a restaurant by its cover.

 

Ma Po Tofu (Echo would be proud that I ordered this)

 

Boiled Lamb (tasted better than it sounds)

 

Diced chicken and peppers (as spicy as it looks)

The Cooking Chronicles: Apple-Cheddar Turkey Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries

My inner control freak always has me conducting a run through of dishes I plan on making for a party prior to the event, in order to catch anything that might make it difficult the day of. For Mack’s upcoming housewarming, this meant trying recipes for Sweet Potato Fries and Apple-Cheddar Turkey Burgers this weekend.

We tweaked the sweet potato fries to include what we had on hand, which resulted in a coating of olive oil, brown sugar, garlic salt and taco seasoning. They turned out quite nice in the end, with a  sweet coating and a nice crunch. We still need to try another batch using the more recognizable orange yam.

Sweet Potato Fries

We halved the recipe for turkey burgers, as it was just the two of us, and substituted something labeled “Montreal Seasoning” in place of the Grill Seasoning, as it was all we could find in the bulk spice section of Save-On Foods. The patties cooked for six minutes on each side, as noted in the instructions, but the tenting didn’t quite work so well. Instead, I stuck the cheese-topped patties in the warm oven for a few minutes. Placed on a kaiser roll with a slice of granny smith apple, it made for a satisfying supper – the Montreal spice, in the words of Guy Fieri, was “money.” We are planning on making mini versions of this burger for the party.

Apple-Cheddar Turkey Burger (with a Bacardi Breezer product placement in the background)

The Cooking Chronicles: Ham, Egg and Cheese Bake

I’m not sure how casseroles became my weeknight dinner standby, especially because I certainly didn’t grow up eating them. At any rate, my plan of turkey burgers dashed, I resorted to a Rachael Ray recipe I had come across in the latest issue of her magazine for a Ham, Egg and Cheese Bake.

It was a simple recipe, but because I was missing half of the eggs it required, it ended up being much more soggy than it should have been, as we added a little more milk to try and compensate for the lack of liquid in the dish. So though the top half of the casserole (comprised of cheese, parsley and tomato) was quite good, I could have done without the layer of soaked bread at the bottom.

Ham, Egg and Cheese Bake

I would make it again, but only with the right ingredients on hand.

Not Like I Remembered: Badass Jack’s

Call it the “coupon scramble”. A month and a half left before my Entertainment Book coupons expire, I am trying to plan as many meals as I can around potential discounts. One such saving opportunity was at Badass Jack’s (8621 109 Street), on our way to Pecha Kucha 2 at the TransAlta Arts Barns on Thursday.

One summer a few years ago, I worked just a few blocks from Kingsway Mall, and would make a weekly sojourn to the Badass Jack’s in the shopping centre’s food court. They had a Tuesday deal that couldn’t be beat – one of their small Asian rice bowls (steamed rice  or egg noodles topped with vegetables stir-fried in a sauce of your choice) priced at just $2.50. Since that summer, I haven’t been back to Badass Jack’s, but coupon in hand, it seemed like a good time to see if their past standards held up.

The university-area location was fairly busy when we walked in, seemingly fueled by a combination of customers picking up dinner for the evening or mom and tots heading to dance practice at the studio across the way.

I gravitated straight for the Asian rice bowls, a small priced at $6.99 and a large priced at $7.99 regularly. While on par with places like Wok Box, it seemed a lot steeper than I remembered (caused by inflation and a general rise in food prices, no doubt). Mack and I both requested the same thing – roasted chicken and teriyaki sauce on rice.

Our orders took a few minutes, but after they were ready, we took them to the high counter and sat down. Instead of piling the stir-fried vegetables on top of the rice, which would allow additional sauce to steep down and flavour the rice immediately, white rice greeted us at the top of the box. The chicken, shredded to a point where it almost resembled shards of pulled pork, was good, but I was hard pressed to find pieces large enough to require chewing – Mack was luckier on this front. My order was also a little shy of vegetables, and I ended up with quite a bit of plain rice at the bottom.

Mack with chopsticks

Mack’s Asian rice bowl, mixed

Call it “post-coupon syndrome”, but Badass Jack’s not only didn’t fulfill my memory’s expectations of good food and value for my money, but also now seems all too expensive to try again without a discount.

Badass Jack’s
8621 109 Street (4 other locations in Edmonton)
(780) 438-4083

It’s All About the Fries: Costco

Costco, besides being a mecca for those embroiled in the “SUV culture” (a term Mack taught me just recently), is also a source of irresistibly cheap and delicious carnival food. While their selection isn’t deep (though as of late, they have added both Montreal smoked meat sandwiches and BBQ ribs onto their menu), what they do sell is of colon-sticking good quality.

My default treat is the quarter-pound all-beef hot dog and pop (just $1.99). Even though that amount could buy four hot dogs at Ikea, there is something about a Costco dog (more grease = heartier?) that hits the spot in a way that only inexpensive junk can.

Mack’s pick (and mine, if there are more forks to feast than mine alone) are the fries ($2.15). Deep fried to crispy perfection, they win, hands-down, my award for best fries in the city. While I choose to dunk them in ketchup, Mack claims they are good enough to be eaten unadorned.

Fries and a hot dog from Costco

Though the poutine looks tempting, I would advise avoiding it. The gravy is never hot enough to fully melt the cheese, so one ends up with a styrofoam box filled with fries, gravy and large chunks of cold mozzarella.

The only downside of Costco is the unfortunate need for a membership. But if you enjoy cheap food as much as we do, it’s almost worth the annual fee.

Costco
2616 91st Street (2 others in Edmonton)
(780) 577-1200

Steakhouse Monotony: Chop

May chose Chop (17635 Stony Plain Road NW), the high-end steakhouse belonging to the Moxie’s Group of restaurants, for the site of her birthday dinner on Saturday. She had called in to make a reservation a few days prior, and thankfully so, as it was fairly busy that evening.

I had to wonder why Chop chose the location it did – opting for a building shared alongside the economy Sandman Hotel and a Denny’s. Not the best first impression for a place looking to carve out an identity in the rapidly expanding upscale steakhouse market in Edmonton. I hope their two new branches (one that just opened in Winnipeg and another coming up in Richmond) have more inspiring locales.

Mack and I were the first to arrive, and were promptly shown to a plush leather eight to ten-seater booth. The walls were lined with brown felt, accented by a gorgeous cream orb lamp suspended above our table. The rest of the dining room was dressed in predominantly grey and brown tones in swathes of rectangular divides and columns. Very dim (to the point where the bathrooms were a nice bright refuge), it exuded a much different atmosphere than the more friendly Moxie’s.

As others started to arrive, we shifted around and ended up sitting at a part of the booth that curved. Mack found that it wasn’t designed that evenly – the table could have used a few extra inches on his side. We also found it difficult to have a conversation at ease across the wide table – the sound tended to rise up into the ceiling, and speaking with an indoor voice to be heard was challenging.

Interior aside, I was interested to see how the food at Chop would stack up to the city’s other fashionable steakhouses, including Ruth’s Chris, Ric’s Grill, Lux and Von’s. I was happy to read that sides were included with steak entrees, which was an immediate plus for me (interesting side note – the beef is “Canadian” and not specifically listed to come from Alberta). I ended up ordering the 6oz. Petite Filet Mignon ($29) with wasabi-infused mash potatoes, while Mack decided on the Top Sirloin Oscar ($29) and a starter Caesar ($6).

Our appetizers arrived fairly promptly. I’m not sure why I thought the “puff pastry twist” on Mack’s salad would involve croutons made from the savoury treat, but we were given a literal bread twist, sprinkled with cheese and of course, made from puff pastry. It was great, as was the salad itself (despite being a tad overdressed), flaked with generous shavings of parmesan.

Caesar Salad

When our mains arrived, the buspeople were able to automatically dole out dishes by seat numbers, resulting in a smooth, efficient distribution. As for the plate presentation, I was underwhelmed (especially with Mack’s dish), but that may be my own jaded response to the rather bland visual combination of mashed potatoes, steak, and steamed vegetables. My filet mignon was cooked to my requested medium rare, as was Mack’s sirloin, so no complaints on that side. May and Andres both ordered fish, and they found their entrees to be fairly tasty as well.

Petite Filet Mignon

Top Sirloin Oscar

Macadamia-Crusted Mahi Mahi

Our waitress was great throughout the evening – patient (a necessary virtue when dealing with large groups) and appearing just enough often enough to convey attentiveness without being overbearing, she was even able to secure a complimentary slice of cake for the birthday girl on a dime.

24 Layer Chocolate Cake (looked like a showstopper, but was really just a cake with many layers)

While our entire experience at Chop was reasonably enjoyable, I don’t think there was anything that distinguished Chop from its counterparts, or at least, made it notable. To be fair, this could also be due to the fact that I feel a waning need to dine on expensive steak. So try Chop, but don’t expect anything more than a pricey piece of meat served in dim surroundings.

Chop
17635 Stony Plain Road NW
(780) 487-2467
Monday 11am-11pm, Tuesday-Thursday 11am-12am, Friday 11am-1am, Saturday 4pm-1am, Sunday 4-11pm