Morel mushrooms

It was early on in my mushroom career that I was introduced to the morel. Hiking in the foothills of the Rockies, probably searching after an elusive brown trout stream, I saw a mass of spongy spear heads rising from a mossy bank. I knelt down for a closer look and marveled at the textured surface of the fungi. My exposure to mushrooms up to this point had been an affinity for cooking the store-bought buttons with a nice chunk of steak. My then recent foray into a vegetarian diet had ended badly – at a BBQ fueled on my too many beers and a rack full of grilling pork ribs. I remember guiltily ending the day covered in sauce and pork fat. This discovery of the morels was however not fueled by culinary motives. I was at first repelled by the shape, the brain-like structure and the foreign look of these organic objects. In my stupor, I left them in the field but managed to look them up in a guidebook when I got home.

In my local gourmet store, I found a pack of dried morels and tried them in a classic French preparation. I cooked a chicken in white wine, cream, garlic and leeks and added the morels after soaking. Sitting down with my room mates we tried the dish with a little anticipation mixed with a little trepidation at the brown “objects” we were about to consume. The taste was a revelation, earthy, pungent, hints of caramel and smoke rippled around my tongue. The morel opened my eyes to the possible worlds of mushrooms and taught me a valuable lesson on the deception of appearance. It was a big step in the evolution of my relationship with food.

It took me about 20 years to find my next morel. I guess I was sidetracked by careers, education, chanterelles and porcini. Living in Vancouver kept the morels off my foraging radar. Once I started to explore my new surrounding after moving to Vancouver Island, I began to unearth tidbits about morels that peaked my curiosity. One of the largest white specimens of morel was found on Southern Vancouver Island, morels like the old orchards of the Cowichan Valley, morels like the south facing slopes early in the spring. These were all great tips but the elusive morel still eluded my grasp. One day I was walking by our old campfire area on the farm. I looked down and saw about 20 morels poking up from the ash. I was stunned to find them right under my nose. Looking around the valley, I found several other clumps of morels all appearing at the same time.

vanilla leaf plant

In the woods, the morel looks frustratingly like a pine cone stuck in the forest floor. Once you’ve found one you start to get the hang of it. The blend so well into the environment they can sometimes be maddeningly difficult to find. It took me many years to key into the cream-white stem of the fungi (not the camouflaged cap) before I had any real success. The time frame can also be a very narrow and moveable window for the morel. I began to look at other plants for indicators of morel time and settled on two local plants, the vanilla leaf plant (Achlys tryphilla) and the flower of the trillium (Trillium ovatum) as good indicators of the timing for the morel. The cooking part was relatively easy after that epic 20 year journey!

trillium flower

Saturday, April 17th

Morel Dinner Menu

Tarte Flambe with morels, fresh cream cheese and air-dried beef

Country Ham Pate with morel mushrooms and new onions

Braised morels stuffed with chorizo and olives

Spring Salad with wild greens, morel and maple candied salmon relish

Canard au Vin (braised duck) with morels and pinot noir, duck potatoes

Rhubarb and candied ginger upside down cake with spiced crème fraiche

$90 / person

Classes:

April 24 – Wild foods and morel mushrooms (forage and demo)

This class is a special forage and demo class. We will take a walking tour of the farm and the Trans-Canada Trail to look at Springtime wild foods found in our region. Depending on Mother Nature (always fickle) we will explore the local habitat for morel mushrooms. The window for this mushroom is a narrow one locally so we work with the conditions we are dealt. Regardless, we will have fresh and dried morels on hand and will showcase these morsels in a number of dishes that can be easily executed at home. The class includes a sampling of wilds foods and mushrooms. Vegetarian options are available if can you let me know in advance – otherwise I’m sure a little bacon and seafood will figure in the tasting somehow.

$100/person

12:00 noon – 5:00 pm

Call Bill (250) 748-7450 for reservations and info

Deerholme Farm

4830 Stelfox Road

Duncan, BC, V9L 6S9

]]> http://www.vancouverislandlocalfood.com/?feed=rss2&p=966 4 http://www.vancouverislandlocalfood.com/?p=943 http://www.vancouverislandlocalfood.com/?p=943#comments Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:09:29 +0000 Bill Jones http://www.vancouverislandlocalfood.com/?p=943

It’s amazing how a little thing called time changes our perspectives. Growing up in Nova Scotia, I vividly remember reading about the early explorers like John Cabot who wrote of cod so abundant you could catch them off the sides of their ships using a wicker basket and a rope. Five hundred years later we witness the collapse of the east coast cod fisheries. How did we manage to take a once startlingly abundant food source and mismanage it into near oblivion?

In recent years, I marveled at the abundance of west coast salmon. I’ve witnessed runs of pink salmon marshaling at the mouth of northern rivers – so many you think you could walk on their backs to cross the river. One full moonlit night we watched as phosphorescent plankton, shimmered around the pinks, leaving trails of lights and colours that were simply magical. Each movement of their tails and fins sent off swirls of shimmering colour into the black water. My brain told me it was bioluminescent, probably from a dinoflagellates plankton. My heart told me it was a magnificent example of the beauty and complexity of our planet. Now even these amazing runs of salmon have a cloud of uncertainty hanging over them. How many times will we learn the same lessons history is teaching us?

Who knows how many things are connected in the vast web of the world? Who knows what really is sustainable? There are many questions out there with answers to come someday – hopefully before we totally collapse the food chain of the oceans around us. What is becoming clear is that there are choices we can make than minimize the damage we now see in our oceans and promote solutions to actually heal the ocean and allow us to continue harvesting seafood. In the interconnection of the dots of the oceans problems, we know that the actions of mankind are at the root of many of the issues. Overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and processes that affect ocean chemistry (pH, nutrients, hormones, drugs, etc.) are all part of the complex effects of our impact on the oceans. Reducing your ecological footprint is a personal step we can all take.

For seafood issues I look to people who are far smarter and better informed than me for answers on the best practices in seafood consumption. Locally the Oceanwise program (based at the Vancouver Aquarium) works to educate consumers and businesses on sustainable seafood choices based on the following criteria:

Ocean Wise’s recommendations are based on 4 criteria. An Ocean Wise recommended species is:

1) Abundant and resilient to fishing pressures

2) Well managed with a comprehensive management plan based on current research

3) Harvested in a method that ensures limited bycatch on non-target and endangered species

4) Harvested in ways that limit damage to marine or aquatic habitats and negative interactions with other species.

Another great local group Seachoice, brings the Ocean Wise model right to the counter top with their excellent guide to sustainable eating called Canada’s Seafood Guide. The group was formed by five highly respected organizations: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, The David Suzuki Foundation, Ecology Action Center, Living Oceans Society and Sierra Club British Columbia. They banded together to give Canadians a voice and information in the efforts to support sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. I only use seafood that is recommended in this guide

You may be surprised to see aquaculture in the last paragraph. Right now, about 30% of the world’s seafood comes from aquaculture. Many forms of shellfish aquaculture (oysters, mussels, clams, scallops, etc) are excellent, sustainable sources of seafood. As we unfortunately continue to reduce the top of the food chain species in the ocean, algae and plankton are becoming increasingly abundant. Shellfish feed on many of these organisms.

Inland, closed farm systems are another emerging alternative and are now commercially producing trout, tilapia, catfish, sturgeon and Arctic Char. Ocean pen based aquaculture has many problems that cause me concern. I personally avoid these products whose main motivation appears to revolve around the sustainability of profit rather than the ecosystem that surrounds it. We need to reform these industries to create seafood in the future – and not at the cost of the native biosystem surrounding these farms.

On March 20th, we’re having a dinner at Deerholme Farm that celebrates the local heroes of Sustainable Fishing, these are people and products that are leading the way to ensure we have seafood for generations to come – not just filling the next quota. Please join us for an evening of great food, good company and education.

Saturday, March 20, 2010 – Deerholme Farm

Ocean-wise Sustainable Local Seafood

Truffle honey cured spring salmon on artisan bread

Japanese-style BBQ pacific octopus and burdock salad

Baked Cortes Island oysters with a morel and leek gratin

Dungeness Crab with a sweet and sour sauce over black sticky rice

Seared Qualicum Scallops over pork belly and stinging nettle casserole

Local hazelnut and chocolate truffle tarte, wild plum syrup

$90 / person (meat free version available)

For tickets call 250 748-7450 or email bill@deerholme.com

The Farm has a rich and colored history as a convent, residential school and ultimately to it’s current state as working therapeutic and community farm. The conference theme is the Sustainability of our Oceans. Providence Farm is perched on the Cowichan River Estuary and minutes from the shores of the Salish Sea. The beautiful farm will be site to a gathering of chefs described by creator Michael Standtlander as a “woodstock for chefs”. Like the original gathering, this has the potential to be a momentum shifting event for our Canadian Culinary Scene.

As the chef’s talk and communicate about their role in the health of oceans, they will be learning and bonding with like minded chefs and creating a stronger chef community as a result. David Suzuki is slated as the keynote speaker and will undoubtedly add a rational and reasoned note to the event.

This is a chef-only event but we will be looking for products to purchase from the local food community to feed our visitors and showcase the amazing ingredients of our region. We will also need a number of volunteers, paricularly those that have a stake in the local food communities. It will be an amazing opportunity to learn, interact and celebrate in our local products and with Canadian food heroes.

We’ll keep you posted as we get organized with contact info for suppliers and volunteer opportunities. Drop us a comment if you are interested and we’ll see what we can do.

For the general public, we’ll bring a little of this culinary fire power together for a fund raising event on May 16th . Coupled with the Spot Prawn Festival (May 15th) , a 6 course wine and food pairing event will showcase the food of top chefs like Robert Clark of Vancouver’s C restaurant. Great food, sustainable seafood, local wine all in the name of building a new wood-burning oven for Providence Farm. This will be a great compliment to their educational and food production activities. Tickets are $125/person with all proceeds going into the farm project.

We need your help to make this oven fundraiser a roaring success.

Providence Farm Info: 250-746-4204

Preheat the oven to 320°F

Score the fat side with a sharp knife with a series of crisscross diagonal slashes. Combine the dry ingredients and rub into the slashes and the surface of the fat. Put the sliced onions into a large frying pan and place the meat, fat side up, on a rack over the pan. Place the pan in the middle of the oven. Roast for one and half hours to two hours. Remove the onions, which should be nicely caramelized in pork dripping by now. Put the pork back in the oven and turn it up to 320°F. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn. When done remove from the onion and let the pork rest for 15 minutes.

The Clams

Meanwhile, soak the clams in ice-cold water for half an hour. Changing the water a couple of times and throw out any damaged clams.

In a large stockpot bring the butter, wine, garlic, paprika and parsley to a boil. Drain the clams and add to the pot and cover. Steam for about 7-8 minutes covered until the shells open. Do not over cook, as the clams will be rubbery.

Drain the pot into a large colander set over a large bowl (to catch the liquid). Return the liquid to a saucepan, whisk in the crème fraiche to taste and keep warm.

Remove most of the clams from their shells, reserving enough whole ones to allow for about half a dozen per bowl. Roughly chop the remainder of the clams and add to the broth.

The Vegetables

Roast the fingerling potatoes. When done slice lengthwise in half and keep warm.

Clean and slice the green pepper into thin strips and quickly sauté in butter. Reserve.

To Assemble

Cut the pork belly into 2” x 2” squares and place a square in the centre of each bowl. Sprinkle the onions, potato halves and green pepper strips around the pork. Add the whole to the bowl. Ladle in the broth with the chops clams. Serve with a good baguette.

When the potatoes are halfway cooked (but still hard inside) remove from the water and let cool slightly. Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and using a meat pounder smash down on each potato. The outside of the potato will become ragged and uneven. Pour olive oil over the potatoes and place in a 425°F oven and bake until done.  The result is a very crispy exterior but a creamy baked potato on the inside.

Meanwhile, sauté the diced squash in a medium-hot pan with a little clarified butter until cooked but still holding its shape. Fry the nuts also in clarified butter and grey salt until caramelized (be careful not to burn them). Fry the bacon until crisp. Set all three aside until needed.

Once all your prep is done, pat dry the sole fillets with a towel, season with salt and pepper, dredge in flour and shake off the excess flour. Heat a large pan until hot; add a generous amount of the clarified butter and sauté the fish about a minute or two on each side. Don’t overcook. If the fish begins to flake apart it’s overdone.

Meanwhile, reheat the sauce and whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter.

To assemble your plate: mound a large helping of the squash in the centre of the plate and place a fillet on top. Spoon the sauce around the outside area of the plate but not on the fish. (This is a very rich and luxurious sauce so a little will go a long way.) Scatter the bacon, the remaining squash and the hazelnuts around the fillet. Garnish with fresh pea shoots. Serve the potato separately on a side plate.

* To remove the skin of a kiwi I use the same technique that as that for removing tomato skins. Heat a pot of water to boiling. With a sharp knife core the top of the kiwi in a crosscut. Plunge the fruit into the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove and the skin should easily peel off.

LOCAL PRODUCERS

Avalon Dairy www.avalondairy.com/

Hertel’s www.hertelmeats.com

Butler Hazelnut Farm - 652-2371 or 652-1699 to order, October to February. 6140 Central Saanich Rd, Saanichton BC

Dan’s Farm & Country Market www.dansfarm.ca/

What excites you about the local food scene? What is it about food that affirms and consistently supports your decision to stay on Vancouver Island? Your voice reinforces a collective commitment to Vancouver Island and informs potential gastronomic developments. That is to say, your bums in seats for eats, unfolded wallet at a farm stand and drool on the counter at the cheese shop sustains Vancouver Island’s culinary culture, keeps it going and keeps it coming. Go team!

And so, we introduce to you the Exceptional Eats! Awards, a celebration of the notables from Victoria to Sointula and Tofino to Salt Spring. We have developed a list of short questions in consultation with a collection of individuals including food journalists, prominent Islanders, farmers, chefs, dedicated foodies and pe ople who just like to eat. Share your voice and vote for the Island’s best. This food-friendly poll is designed to reflect and respect what is significant and intriguing in our culinary culture. This is not about the biggest stack o’ pancakes or the best place to get a date. Get real. This is about food. This is about the real food and drink and the people who make it happen.

Please vote by filling out the survey. The Exceptional Eats! Awards can reflect the tastes and priorities of this community only if the community participates. It is time for Vancouver Island to share its voice in acknowledgment and gratitude. The Exceptional Eats! Awards will be an annual event, celebrating the bar, and raising it. It is time for our own awards, for ourselves, the industry, for visitors and for the love of the food.

By voting, you will become eligible to win one of the prizes generously donated by our sponsors. The winners will be announced in the March/April 2010 issue of EAT along with the results of the survey. By recognizing excellence, we are giving a big round of applause to all the chefs, servers, brewers, farmers and vintners and more who together make this Island such an exceptional place to eat and drink.

To vote, CLICK HERE

Voting ends Feb 01, 2010

Please note: You will only be able to take the survey once per computer.

The Prizes:

• A Luxury Weekend at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria donated by the Empress (www.fairmont.com/empress) and EAT Magazine.

• The Mocca Master Thermal Brewer – The World’s Best Coffee Maker donated by www.CoffeeCrew.com

• Dinner For Two at Deerholme Farm donated by Deerholme Farm (www.magnorth.bc.ca) and www.VancouverIslandLocalFood.com

Menu

EAT Magazine is proud to be participating in this year’s Menu for Hope Campaign. Menu for Hope was started in 2004 by food blogger Pim Techamuanvivit (Chez Pim); in her words, “banding together food and wine bloggers from all over the world in support of worthy causes”. This year the campaign is in support of the United Nations World Food Program’s new initiative Purchase for Progress, and runs from December 14th – 25th 2009. …Read More

Boil the potatoes until just cooked, strain and add to the fish stock,

Add the fish and olives and simmer until the fish is just cooked. This won’t take very long. (Do not boil.) Season with salt & pepper.

Ladle out into bowls and grate the cheese on top and serve alongside a crusty loaf from one the Island’s fine bakeries.

It can be a challenge, when you are writing up a calendar of all the food and wine related events happening in Victoria, to curb the impulse to attend each and every one.  Lack of time and money, and my expanding waistline (an occupational hazard, I suppose) are the main deterrents. But when I heard about the series of dinner classes offered at Terralicious this fall showcasing island ingredients, I knew I wanted to attend one. Read More…

It is no small feat to take on the complex and age-old tradition of cheese making, but Natural Pastures Cheese Company of Vancouver Island has achieved this endeavour with inspiring success. With the festive season upon us, it is the perfect time to celebrate this little cheese company that could. What started out as a third generation farmer’s brilliant idea to keep the family dairy farm by creating an artisan cheese company, has now become a major player in the world of handmade cheese.

Read more on EATMagazine.ca