Preserving Summer

BY KEANE STRAUB PHOTOS BY DONG KIM

The heralds of autumn are as plentiful as the harvest. Sustaining summer comes naturally to Albertans – we’ll do anything we can to have one more warm evening, one more hot, sunny day, and of course, one more taste of all the flavours the province has to offer.

This month’s Alberta chefs are no strangers to making good with what’s provided, be it pickling, fermenting, and using every bit of the bounty possible. Don’t fear the flip of the calendar: with these recipes, the tastes of summer will linger a little longer.

Jay Magnaye’s culinary education is rooted in family and industry. “My parents cook a lot, so I learned about palate and seasoning at an early age.” Working in several different restaurants throughout Calgary expanded his knowledge and technique, from pasta making at Il Songo to understanding the seasonality of Alberta produce and incorporating it in dishes at Rouge.

These days you’ll find Chef Jay at Calgary’s Hutch Café, where he continues to show his dedication to the culinary arts. “I just love cooking. I’ve always loved feeding people and seeing the reactions when they take the first bite.”

The menu at Hutch Café shines with traditional, approachable French fare with highlights such as Bone Marrow and Escargot, Wild Mushroom and Truffle Vol au Vent, and Chef Jay’s favourite, Seafood Bouillabaisse. “This one is really good. It’s loaded with a variety of seafood like mussels, scallops, and prawns in a rich broth.”

Chef Jay shares this recipe here, highlighting ingredients that can be easily found from local producers during harvest including onion, fennel, celery, garlic, and potato. “This is a simple recipe, but it has to be done right. It’s one of the first French dishes I learned when I started cooking.”

“Recipes should not be a rigid document on how to cook. Do what feels best and right for you. If you’re all out of a certain seafood, or prefer only fish, switch it up to suit your taste.”

Bouillabaisse

Serves 4

¼ cup chopped onion

¼ cup chopped fennel

¼ cup chopped celery

1 Tbs chopped garlic

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 bottle clam juice/liquor

1 potato, cut into large dice

Pinch of saffron

1. Sweat onions, fennel, celery and garlic in a bit of oil with a pinch of salt until they soften.

2. Add the clam juice and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer for around 10 minutes.

3. Add the potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes or until tender.

4. Add the saffron, then add the seafood by order of cooking time, starting with the ones that cook longer to the ones that cook quickly.

5. Serve with crusty baguette and garlic aioli.

In the restaurant chef gets fish bones, and makes stock by simmering the bones and passing it through a food mill to add body to the soup.

The seasons drive Jeremy Ouellette’s kitchen. “I try to let what’s available and bountiful determine what I’m going to be cooking day-to-day.” From there, he draws on his experience to decide what technique to use. “It might be something I learned in different kitchens, or something I’ve eaten that I want to recreate.”

Both Chef de Cuisine and General Manager at Calgary’s Bar Chouette, he takes pride in the pasta program with dishes such as Sweet Pea Agnolotti but favours dishes that he can change up with the seasons. “During the summer months we serve a beautiful BC Ling Cod served over an array of summer vegetables like asparagus and garlic scapes, but this could easily change to Taber corn and chanterelles in September.”

If you are thinking of preserving, the planning starts early on. “Preserving food is a labour of love. The time you’re putting in will be paying you back through the winter when you’re getting tired of eating beets, potatoes, and carrots.” Be meticulous when you’re cleaning, canning and storing, he advises. “The last thing you want is to lose all the hard work you put in.”

Tomatoes are plentiful at this time of year, and Chef Jeremy takes a different approach to preserving them. “Tomato leaves are often underutilized, if at all, and they usually end up in the compost.” His recipe for Tomato Leaf Tagliatelle with Heirloom Tomato Passata uses all the parts of those beautiful, flavourful globes hanging on the vines. “This is a lesserknown way to use up fresh heirloom tomatoes and presents the familiar flavours of a Caprese salad in a new and interesting way.”

Tomato Leaf Tagliatelle

Serves 4

80 g tomato leaves that have been blanched, drained well, and chopped

2 Tbs + 2 tsp (40 mL) water

240 g egg yolk (about 12 yolks)

500 g double zero (00) flour

1. Blanch tomato leaves in salted water until tender, then transfer immediately to an ice bath. Drain very well, and place in a tea towel. Squeeze out any excess liquid. Chop and add to blender with yolks and water. Blend until smooth.

2. Add to a bowl with 00 Flour. Combine until a shaggy mass forms (use a stand mixer with dough hook if preferred), turn onto a clean work surface and knead until smooth.

3. Wrap tightly in cling film, and let dough rest for at least 30 minutes.

4. Roll out on your pasta machine to the 2nd thinnest setting. Cut the sheets to desired length (chef likes 30-40 cm sheets). Allow them to air dry slightly so they are pliable, but have a slightly leathery feel. This helps the texture. Roll and hand cut your tagliatelle or use the cutter on the pasta machine.

Heirloom Tomato Passata

2¼ kg ripe heirloom tomatoes

2 cups (500 mL) good quality olive oil

To taste sea salt and fresh basil

1. Clean your tomatoes, cutting away any non-edible pieces. Cut into quarters (or smaller if the tomatoes are very large) and add to a heavy bottomed pot. Cover with olive oil, and place over low heat.

2. Cook until tomatoes are fully softened. Add a bunch of basil to quickly infuse the oil. Season with salt.

3. If you have a food mill, scoop out the solids and push through the food mill. Alternatively, the tomatoes can be hand crushed, or using a potato masher, for a similar texture.

To finish

Heirloom Tomato Passata

Stracciatella (can substitute burrata, ricotta, or other fresh cheese)

Fresh basil

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Splash EVOO

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Add garlic to another pot with some olive oil. Cook gently, without colouring. Add tomato passata.

3. Drop tagliatelle in the boiling water for about 1 minute then add to the tomato sauce, with a little bit of pasta water. Let pasta finish cooking in the sauce, adding more water if it needs to cook a little longer.

4. Transfer the tagliatelle to a plate and add any sauce in the pan. Top with stracciatella, and garnish with olive oil and basil.

The co-owners of Edmonton’s Kommune Snack Bar, Richie Dimitriou and Kevin Jepson are quick to give credit where it’s due. The menu at Kommune was developed in collaboration with Chef Christine Sandford, and while she’s no longer in the kitchen, Jepson says, “She helped lay the foundation. The spirit of her work lives on through our evolving team and the direction we continue to guide.”

Dimitriou points out that Chef Sandford considered the culinary journeys of both owners, with nods to Greek, German, and even Japanese cuisine. Small bites and shareables range from crispy potato cakes and Alberta lamb tartare to Berlin mustard eggs and the Tamago Sando. As Dimitriou puts it, “These dishes really say something about what we’re doing: nostalgic but fresh, rooted but experimental, and above all, craveable.”

Extending Alberta’s short growing season includes pickles and preserves at Kommune. “Don’t overlook the freezer,” says Jepson, adding that frozen fruits and berries are perfect for winter desserts. And keep track of scraps. “They’re lowwaste, and high in flavour.”

Here, they share two vegetarian favourites that make use of local harvests. The Sour Crunch Salad is as good as it sounds with fresh dill, cucumbers, and a zingy horseradish vinegar. “This is Berlininspired and East European in soul,” says Jepson. “It’s fresh, punchy, and beautifully minimalist.”

The recipe for Beet Tartare comes from Kommune’s current Chef Robert Coe. “This blends the resourceful food ethos I grew up with in rural British Columbia and Alaska — where preserving and minimizing waste was a way of life — with the flavours of my British and East European heritage. The result: a dish that’s sweet, smoky, and layered with umami.”

Sour Crunch Salad

Serves 2-4

1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced

½ cup marinated mushrooms

1 Tbs pickled hot peppers, sliced

¼ cup fresh dill

1½ cups crunchy lettuce (romaine or iceberg)

Dressing:

Horseradish vinegar: Macerate radish peels/scraps in white wine vinegar (10% by weight) for 5–7 days

5 parts horseradish vinegar

1 part pickled pepper brine

1 part cold-pressed canola oil

1. Combine the cucumber, mushrooms, hot peppers, dill, and lettuce in a large bowl.

2. In a separate jar, shake the dressing ingredients until emulsified.

3. Toss salad just before serving.

Pro Tip: The dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to a week and brightens everything from grain bowls to roasted root veg.

Beet Tartare

Serves 2-4

200 g beets, peeled and cubed

Cold-pressed canola oil

Seasoning salt of choice

4 tsp fresh goat cheese (smoke it if you can!)

½ tsp sweetened balsamic glaze

Garnish:

Crispy fried onions

Preserved lemon peel (finely diced)

Pickled hot peppers

Fried capers

Fresh dill

1. Toss cubed beets in canola oil and seasoning salt. Roast at 375° F for 30–60 minutes, depending on size. Let cool.

2. Mash or finely chop beets, then mix with goat cheese and balsamic glaze.

3. Plate in a shallow mound and top with your garnishes.

Pro Tip: Smoking the goat cheese with a cocktail smoker adds a beautiful depth. But even without it, the tartare brings warmth, brightness, and texture to the table.

Influenced by classical cooking and Filipino cuisine, and inspired by local producers, Chef Earl Briones crafts menus that are both eclectic and adventurous at Edmonton’s Coterie. “Alberta has amazing local producers of different specialties and they make my job simple with their stellar products.”

Dishes like the Pickled Tomato and Mustard Green Salad use a Filipino pickling technique, while the Tuk Tuk Sausage Roll is a classic with layered flavours of coconut green curry, mushy peas, and pickled tomatoes. “By letting local products shine through application and technique, I can tell stories through food,” explains Chef Earl.

Overripe or just right? Chef Earl says it all depends on what you’re going for when pickling, preserving, or fermenting. “Overripe is sometimes a better choice. Overripe tomatoes yield some of the most robust flavours in the end.” But if you’re looking for a crisper pickle then err on the firmer side when selecting produce.

His recipe for Seared Trout with Farro and Preserved Spring Vegetable Salad is a nod to Chef Earl’s love of pairing fish with preserved vegetables, and his Filipino heritage. “I also just love fermentation in general,” he laughs.

For best results, accurately measure your brine, and be patient – a good ferment can take more than a week and is dependent on temperature and time. And don’t worry if you can’t find garlic scapes for the pistou. “Use your favourite green herb instead. Traditionally, a pistou is made with basil.”

Fermented Vegetables

400 g your favourite market veggies, sliced or chopped. (Chef used carrot, cucumber, radish, and garlic)

2 cups (500 mL) water

15 g kosher or sea salt

32 oz wide mouth glass jar with a clampstyle lid

10 g any spices or herbs you like, such as peppercorns, dill, caraway, bay leaf, etc.

1. Place vegetables and spices/herbs in the mason jar to the bottom of the neck, leave 2.5 cm of space to the top.

2. Stir salt and water together until dissolved. Pour over the vegetables to about 1 cm below the top of the jar.

3. Close the lid tightly and place out of direct sunlight in 20-24º C.

4. You’ll see bubbling around day 2. After day 2, observe for bubbles, gently loosen the lids to let some gas escape once or twice a day to ensure the fermenting gases don't overtake the process.

5. The vegetables are ready from day 4-10. The longer they sit, the tangier they'll be. Taste on day 4 to find your preference. Chef usually lets the process continue until day 7 or 8.

6. Once you decide the level of sourness you like, place the jar in the fridge where it will keep for a couple of months.

Seared Trout with Garlic Pistou, Farro, and Fermented Vegetable Salad

Serves 1

150 g trout

80 g farro, boiled

30 g fermented vegetables with brine 15 g garlic scape pistou

2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil

15 g salt

1. Lay the trout on a plate covered with paper towels to allow the skin to dry a bit before searing. Season the flesh.

2. Place trout skin down in a hot pan to allow the skin to crisp while the flesh cooks. Press down gently with a spatula to ensure even contact with pan.

3. Once the skin is seared and the flesh has cooked about 80% through, flip trout and quickly sear the other side.

Farro and Fermented Vegetable Salad

1. Rinse farro under cold water in a strainer. Add to salted boiling water and let cook for 30 minutes.

2. Once cooked, strain and cool.

3. In a bowl, add the fermented vegetables with at least 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the brine, the boiled farro, and olive oil. Mix and season with salt and pepper. Let sit for 2-3 minutes.

Garlic Scape Pistou

In a blender, add 100 g garlic scapes, 1/3 cup + 4 tsp (100 mL) olive oil, 20 g parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until all ingredients are emulsified.