Grey Goose Farm-To-Table Meets Field-To-Bottle Menu 

I can’t seem to shake this desire to travel – especially to Europe, so I was delighted when Grey Goose invited me to attend their Boulangerie Bleue luncheon which transported guests to the French Riviera.

Escaping the city on a water taxi to attend the luncheon set on the shores of the Toronto island at the Island Yacht Club, Grey Goose really outdid themselves this time. Stepping foot on the island, you immediately feel like you have escaped the hustle and bustle of every day life to enjoy delicious food, amazing company and an exceptional setting. The entire setting was one big photo-op!

Replicating a french bakery inside and a gorgeous lunch set up outside, the ‘Boulangerie’ concept was inspired by founder and Maître de Chai François Thibault, who challenged convention to create a vodka of exceptional quality from only the finest soft, winter wheat from Picardie, known as the ‘bread basket’ of France.

Chef Jamie Kennedy partnered with Grey Goose for the occasion and once his name was dropped, I knew the lunch was going to be one to remember. His farm to table menu included the freshest ingredients inspired by simple french cuisine – suckling pig porches with grapefruit mignonette, dungeons crab cakes with cider cream and fresh shucked oysters, Grey Goose grand fizz sorbet with elderflower garnish to name a few of the delicious bites.

MAÇEDOINE OF YOUNG SQUASH WITH ITS BLOSSOM

Recipe for 4

Ingredients for salad:

-1/2 cup blanched young squash cut in large dice

-1/4 cup fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered

-1/4 cup fresh raspberries

-1/4 cup watermelon cut in large dice

-2 tbsp honey

-2 tbsp cider vinegar

-salt and black pepper to taste

Ingredients for squash flower:

-4 zucchini blossoms

-1 cup ricotta cheese

-½ cup blanched sweet peas

-2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

-1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

-1 egg

-salt and black pepper to taste

Ingredients for frying batter

-½ cup all purpose flour

-1/2 cup cornstarch

-salt

-1 ½ cups soda water

-2 cups sunflower oil for frying

Method

1. Prepare the Filled Squash Blossoms. Mix together all of the squash flower ingredients except the flowers. Fill each of the blossoms with the ricotta filling and twist the end closed
2. In a stainless steel bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the maçedoine salad.
3. Heat 2 cups sunflower oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
4. Prepare the frying batter by gently mixing together all the ingredients for the batter in a stainless steel bowl.
5. Dip the filled squash blossoms in the frying batter and fry until golden brown on all sides
6. Dress 4 plates with the salad mixture. Garnish with a fried Squash blossom. Serve

GRILLED, MARINATED HANGER STEAK WITH DUXELLES ROASTED VEGETABLES

Recipe for 4

Ingredients for steak:

-4, 5 oz hanger steaks

-2 cloves finely chopped garlic

-1 tbsp paprika

-1 tsp chopped oregano

-1 tsp chopped chillis

-2 tbsp sunflower oil

– 2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper

Ingredients for mushroom duxelles:

-1 lb white mushrooms, chopped into fine dice

-2 shallots chopped into fine dice.

-4 oz dry white wine

-salt and ground black pepper

-1/2 cup 35% whipping cream

Ingredients for sauté of early summer vegetables:

-1/2 cup sliced young zucchinis

-1/4 cup roasted sweet potatoes cut into dice

-1/4 cup blanched spinach

-1 tsp dried oregano

Method:

1. Mix all of the ingredients for the hanger steak marinade. Place steaks in the marinade, coating thoroughly, overnight.
2. Prepare the duxelles by placing all of the prepared ingredients on a baking tray and placing in a 300 degree oven for approximately 1hour or until the mixture has reduced enough to resemble a loose paste.
3. Prepare outside grill. Season the steaks with salt. Grill the steaks for 3 minutes on each side.
4. Sauté the vegetables in sunflower oil until tender and golden. Add the duxelles mixture to the vegetables
5. Place an equal measure of the vegetable mixture on each of 4 plates.
6. Place 1 of the steaks on each of the vegetable plates. Add the steak and serve

STRAWBERYY “AIGRE DOUX” WITH WILD MARINATED SALMON

Recipe for 4

Ingredients for “Aigre Doux”:

-1/4 cup washed, hulled and quartered strawberries

-1/4 cup fresh raspberries

-1/4 cup canteloupe cut into large dice

-1 tbsp honey

-1 tbsp reduced apple cider

-1 tbsp cider vinegar

-salt and black pepper to taste

Ingredients for salmon:

-1 fillet wild sockeye salmon

-1 cup white sugar

-1 cup salt

-1 cup chopped coriander and dill stems

Ingredients for coating:

-1 bunch fresh coriander

-1 bunch fresh dill

-2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper

Method

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the salmon marinade. Submerge the salmon fillet in this mixture for approximately 12 hours. Rinse under cold water and let dry in the refrigerator for another day.
2. Prepare the coating by chopping up the dill and coriander. Mix in the coarsely ground pepper
3. Press this coating into the flesh side of the marinated fillet.
4. Cover with a tea towel and place in the fridge for at least 2 days before use.
5. Prepare and cut up all ingredients for the “aigre-doux”
6. Divide the salad onto 4 plates.
7. Slice 4 slices of salon onto each mound of salad
8. Serve

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