• Ontario Partridge Ballotine

    Ontario Partridge Ballotine
    “One of the unique dishes we are having on the upcoming event is Ontario Partridge Ballotine which is a French term stand for a deboned thigh or can be described as roulade, the leg of the bird will be deboned and transformed into a stuffing for the partridge breast.” – Chef Adi

    We are thrilled to be taking part in Whistler’s annual Food & Drink Festival – Cornucopia once again this year on November 17, 2023. Howard Soon, our Master Winemaker, will host this iconic dinner at Fairmont Chateau Whistler, where we will sip and savour our way through a five-course dinner, perfectly paired with our Vanessa Vineyard wines.  In honour of Cornucopia and the harvest season that is upon us, Chef Adi Anas from Fairmont’s The Grill Room has shared a recipe that will be featured at the dinner.

    Ingredients:
    Step 1 – Partridge Stuffing
    200g partridge leg
    55g double cream
    150g black trumpet
    15g pistachio
    30g confit shallot
    10g confit garlic
    1 whole egg

    Step 2
    Put the deboned partridge leg, double cream, salt + pepper into a food processor, and blend till it’s smooth, pass it through a fine mesh sieve then add the rest of the ingredients.
    Cut the mushrooms into small cubes, and fry them in a hot pan with some olive oil, salt and pepper, for about 1-2 minutes. Cool them down, and add them to the chicken paste made earlier.

    Step 3
    Lay some plastic wrap film on the table, and with the help of a piping bag apply the partridge mix into in between the partridge breast and roll it as tight as you can, and seal with aluminum foil.

    Step 4
    Cook the 60 minutes at 65 degrees in sous vide.

    Step 5
    Let it rest for 10 minutes then pan- seared with butter until its golden, serve with preserved BC apricot, braised red endive and partridge jus.

  • How to Grill a Moose

    steaks-with-mushroom-sauceIt’s Victoria Day weekend and officially barbeque season! What could be more Canadian than grilled moose steaks?

    Our co-owner John Welson has shared his recipe for how to grill a moose, which he pairs with the Vanessa Syrah.  This full-bodied and earthy red is a delightful match to the strong flavoured game and mushroom elements of the meal.

    Originally published in Western Living Magazine, this meat lover’s dish is fantastic with a porcini sauce drizzled over the grilled steak. His chef’s tip – keep in mind that wild game is low in fat and easy to overcook; thus he recommends not to cook beyond medium-rare.

    NOTE: if you don’t have a hunter in the family, the moose can be substituted with venison (perhaps a bit easier to find) or traditional beef steaks. If desired, you can also replace the porcini with portobello mushrooms.

    Serves: 4

    Wine Marinade
    2 cups Vanessa Vineyard Syrah
    1/4 cup olive oil
    2 carrots chopped
    1 onion chopped
    2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
    1/2 cup chopped parsley
    freshly ground black pepper
    1 sprig fresh rosemary, crushed and chopped
    2 large or 4 small moose or venison steaks (a tbone or porterhouse cut is best)
    olive oile

    Simmer wine for 10 minutes over low heat to cook off alcohol; allow to cool.
    Mix all ingredients in stainless steel, add steaks and cover bowl; marinate overnight in fridge.
    Remove steaks, preserving marinade. Pat steaks dry and brush with olive oil. Grill over hot coals, turning only once. Allow meat to rest on a warm plate for 10 minutues before serving.

    Porcini Sauce
    1 cup boiling water
    2 cups dried porcini
    reserved wine marinade
    1/4 cup demi-glace
    2 tbsp flour
    1-2 tbsp soft butter

    Soak dried porcini in boiling water for 15-20 minutes; drain and reserve liquid. Coarsely chop porcini and set aside. Reduce reserved marinade by half in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add porcini soaking liquid and reduce again by half. Add porcini, stir in demi-glace and simmer for 5 minutes. (Note: you can make your own demi-glace by cooking 1 cup of good quality beef stock in a saucepan over medium heat until it reduces to 1/4 cup.) In a separate pan, toast flour over medium high heat until golden, tossing so it won’t burn, about 2 minutes. Put toasted flour into a small bowl and work in butter to make a paste or roux. Slowly add paste to sauce until it thickens, stirring constantly. Serve over grilled steaks.