In case you hadn’t noticed, the holidays are just around the corner! Time to organize the little touches that will make this period festive: get out the decorations, put on some Christmas music, and rediscover our heart-warming traditions. But let’s face it, the real star of the holiday season is the food! And since we’ll be celebrating differently this year, why not prepare an amazing menu featuring local ingredients? Three delicious Outaouais restaurants—Les Vilains Garçons, Le Cellier and Rustiek – Taverne gastronomique—share their secrets for creating a festive four-course gourmet meal!
Hors-d’œuvre: Deviled eggs with Chelsea Smokehouse smoked salmon
Serves 8 | Recipe submitted by Les Vilains Garçons
Ingredients:
1 package Chelsea Smokehouse smoked salmon, sliced
12 fresh local eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
100 ml capers
100 ml cornichons (small pickles)
1 or 2 dried shallots
1 bunch fresh dill
Salt and pepper
Ground smoked paprika
Juice and zest of half a lemon
Hot sauce
Preparation :
1. Cook the eggs in boiling water for 10 minutes.
2. Chill the eggs in ice water.
3. Remove the shells and cut the eggs in half lengthwise.
4. Remove yolks, put them in a mixing bowl and set aside.
5. Arrange the egg white halves (cut side up) on a serving plate.
6. Chop the capers, shallots, cornichons and dill finely, stir them into the mayonnaise, and season with salt, pepper, hot sauce, and the lemon zest and juice.
7. Combine the mayonnaise mixture and the egg yolks until well blended.
8. Spoon or pipe the yolk mixture back into the egg whites on the serving plate.
9. Place a slice of smoked salmon on each egg.
10. Dust the eggs with smoked paprika.
11. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Appetizer: Beet and goat cheese tartare
Serves 4 | Recipe submitted by Le Cellier
Ingredients: Beet tabbouleh
1 red and 1 yellow beet (you can also use commercially pre-cooked beets)
½ cup Israeli couscous
1 preserved lemon
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
75 g pistachios
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
Optional: Fresh figs for garnish
Goat cheese mousse
100 g goat cheese
30 ml 35% cream
2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Honey vinaigrette
30 ml cider vinegar
200 ml vegetable oil
60 ml honey
15 ml Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
Preparation :
1. Cook the beets in boiling water for 30–40 minutes, depending on their size. Cool to lukewarm and peel, using a cloth. Dice the beets into 5-mm cubes and set aside.
2. Cook the couscous in boiling water for 15 minutes, drain, and add to the beets.
3. Add the preserved lemon zest, the fresh lemon zest and juice and the chopped parsley.
4. Roast the pistachios in a frying pan and chop them coarsely with a knife.
5. Soften the goat cheese, fold in the cream, and add the lemon and parsley mixture. Blend until smooth and creamy.
6. For the vinaigrette, mix together the mustard, cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper, and beat vigorously with a whisk, adding the oil gradually in a thin stream (emulsion).
7. Add the vinaigrette to the beet mixture. Plate the tartare (in 4 portions) and garnish each with a large dollop of the goat cheese mixture.
8. Garnish with the roasted pistachios (and fresh figs, if desired).
Main course: Grilled pork chops with black garlic glaze, spiced butternut squash purée, and bacon-roasted endives and Brussels sprouts
Serves 4 | Recipe submitted by Rustiek
Ingredients:
4 bone-in pork chops, 1″ thick
Glaze:
½ onion, chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 head black garlic
2 tbsp. soya sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ cup water
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Spiced butternut squash purée:
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
½ onion, chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ cup 15% cream
Endives and Brussels sprouts with bacon:
250 g Brussels sprouts, halved
1 bag endives (about 300 g), halved
200 g bacon, diced
Preparation :
Glaze:
1. Sauté the onions and garlic over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the black garlic.
2. Cook gently for 2 minutes, then add the other glaze ingredients.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Purée until smooth in a blender or with an immersion (hand) blender.
Squash purée:
1. In a saucepan, combine the oil, squash, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Add nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the cream, and water to cover.
4. Cook until squash is tender.
5. Purée until smooth in a blender or with an immersion (hand) blender.
Endives and Brussels sprouts:
1. Sauté the diced bacon in a frying pan for 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Add the Brussels sprouts and the endives and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Pork chops:
1. Season the pork chops generously with salt and pepper.
2. Fry the chops for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 155°F.
3. Pour the glaze onto a serving platter, then add the squash purée and the roasted vegetables. Arrange the grilled pork chops on top.
Dessert: Ferme Floralpe Micha cheesecake with Venosta cranberry compote
Served 12 | Recipe submitted by Les Vilains Garçons
Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 pound butter
½ cup pumpkin seeds
500 g cream cheese
1 kg Micha cheese from Ferme Floralpe
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 lemon
Cranberry compote:
500 g Venosta cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup sugar
1 stick cinnamon
Star anise to taste
1 lemon, halved
200 ml of water
Preparation :
1. Melt the butter. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs and the pumpkin seeds and blend well. Press into a springform pan and cook at 350°F for 5 minutes.
2. Using a food mixer, blend together the cream cheese and the Micha cheese.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until well blended. Add the egg mixture to the cheese mixture.
4. Add the lemon zest and juice and blend well.
5. Verser l’appareil sur la croûte de biscuits graham et cuire à 350°F pendant 40 à 50 min.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool for one hour at room temperature, then refrigerate.
7. When the cake is thoroughly chilled, remove it from the pan.
Cranberry compote:
1. In a saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, star anise, lemon halves and water.
2. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour, or until the water has evaporated completely.
3. Chill thoroughly. Once chilled, remove the cinnamon stick, the anise and the lemon.
4. Pour the compote over the cheesecake and serve.
We wish you bon appétit and above all, a lot of fun cooking this fabulous menu! Now that the question of the meal is settled, we invite you to discover the many activities you can enjoy in the Outaouais over the holidays.
A proud native of the Petite-Nation, I devour (and savour) anything that has to do with history, culture ... and good food. Fortunately, the Outaouais offers all that and more! From visiting the heart of our heritage to attending an outdoor show or sampling new products and flavours, I enjoy discovering and rediscovering my native region.