C H E F ’ S TI P S & TR I C KS
A Taste of ‘Berta with your BC W BY KEANE STRAUB
e’re always looking for ways to connect you to local flavour and talent, but let’s face it: it’s been a while since many of us have been on an adventure. So, for this month’s Chefs’ Tips we’re heading west to wine country, and all the flavours found there.
Having experienced the Rocky Mountains by foraging, camping, and working at the Fairmont Banff Springs, Chef Phil Tees says that Alberta will always have a special place in his heart. He moved to BC to experience something different, and certainly found that at Liquidity Winery in Okanagan Falls, where his job involved creating dishes for specific wines, instead of creating dishes and trying to pair them with wine. “It allowed us to highlight different flavour profiles in the wines and elevate them for our guests,” Tees explains. The recipe Tees shares is a nod to summer, full of fresh flavours often found at local farms, and in Tees’ yard. “I have a peach tree in my yard, something I've always dreamed of but never thought would happen.” But, if you can’t grow it, Tees says there’s a good chance you can find it at your farmer’s market: “Most of them have representation from BC farms.” Chef Tees has recently taken a position as Executive Chef at 1909 Restaurant in the Tofino Resort + Marina. 8 Culinaire | June 2022
The Okanagan vineyards and breweries mentioned here boast restaurants, cafes, bistros, and even BBQ joints, and while they all showcase the fresh produce from the region on their menus, there is one other element they all have in common: they all boast chefs who got their start right here in Alberta.
Ajo Blanco with Apple, Snap Pea, and Cucumber Salad Serves 4
Ajo Blanco
1 apple (or peach) 2 garlic cloves 2 cucumbers, peeled 2.5 cm ginger, peeled 1½ cups almonds 1 Tbs sumac 2 Tbs (30 mL) elderflower cordial 2 Tbs (30 mL) apple cider vinegar ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 3 cups (720 mL) water To Taste salt and pepper
Salad
20 snap peas 1 cucumber 1 apple, quartered (or peach) ¼ cup (60 mL) apple cider vinegar ¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil To Taste salt and pepper 12 mint leaves
1. Place all the Ajo Blanco soup ingredients in a mixer such as a Vitamix, and blitz on high speed for a few minutes until smooth. 2. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and adjust seasoning with salt or pepper. Depending on the size of your mixer, you might have to do this in batches. TIP: To allow the flavours to infuse and really come together, do this a day beforehand. 3. For the salad, clean, trim and cut the snap peas in half. 4. Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and cut in an angle, rotating the cucumber ¼ turn before every cut to create misshaped pieces. 5. Slice the apple thinly. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and combine with the apple cider vinegar, canola oil, salt, and pepper. 6. Cover one side of your bowl with the salad, top with the freshly picked mint leaves and pour the soup on the opposite side.
