By Jason Browne. Photography Jason Browne.
A seat on Ossington’s Bellwoods Brewery patio has always been a coveted culinary perch. But the winter of 2020 is making that night out a bit of a challenge. Luckily, you can recreate dinner and drinks at the Brewery thanks to this delicious contribution by Sanagan’s good friend, and Bellwoods Brewery’s head chef Jason Browne. Here Jason shares some insights on cooking and work:
I’m a pretty traditional chef. I love the classics and we always try to utilize the best Ontario and Canadian ingredients when at all possible and I think that comes through in our food. We’ve used Sanagan’s as a supplier in one way or another since day one at Bellwood’s, and I remember using them since their inception in the tiny little shop when they first opened. You could tell it was a very special butcher shop right from the beginning.
I’ve been at Bellwood’s for about 6 years now. It's by far the longest I’ve ever stayed at a restaurant. I think I was looking for some stability when I started working there, and they were able to provide that for me. My wife was about to have a baby when I got the job and we’ve since had a second. Bellwood’s provides a nice balance between family and work life.
Top Blade Roast
Ingredients
2-3 lb top blade roast
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 head garlic, cut in half through the equator
3 bay leaves
4-5 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
500 ml red wine or stout beer
1 litre beef stock
2-3 tbsp neutral oil, canola or grapeseed
To taste salt and pepper
Method
- Preheat oven to 250-275°F.
- Place a cast-iron dutch oven (or similar roasting pot) on medium-high heat and allow time to get hot.
- Place a few tablespoons of oil in the pot. Once the oil starts to shimmer, or just barely smoke, season the roast liberally with salt and pepper and sear on all sides till browned all over. Remove the roast and set aside.
- Place the vegetables into the pot and sweat for a few minutes.
- Add the thyme, rosemary, bay, garlic and deglaze with red wine or stout and reduce till it's almost completely evaporated.
- Add the beef stock and return the roast into the pot and bring to a simmer.
- Cover pot and place in preheated oven for 3-3.5 hours.
- Once roast is tender, remove meat, strain vegetables from liquid and replace roast back into stock to allow time to cool if not serving right away.
Celeriac Remoulade
Ingredients
1 head celeriac, peeled and julienned
½ bunch chives, chopped fine
2-3 sprigs parsley, chopped fine
2-3 heaping tbsp mayonnaise
2 lemons, juiced
2 tbsp cider vinegar
to taste honey
1 tbsp grainy mustard
to taste salt and pepper
Method
- Combine julienned celeriac with lemon juice to avoid oxidation.
- Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, herbs and mustard in a bowl and whisk together. Pour over the celeriac and allow to marinate for a couple hours.
- Strain a bit of liquid off (if necessary) before seasoning with salt and pepper and serving.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
3 - 4 russet potatoes (I use 1 per person)
About ½ to 1 cup 35% cream*
About ¼-½ lb butter, cubed (room temperature) *
2 cloves garlic, minced
* Cream and butter amounts are dependent on how loose you like your mashed potatoes. Start with less, and add more for a looser texture.
Method
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 2-inch pieces.
- Cover potatoes with salted water in a medium sized pot, bring to a simmer and cook until fork tender.
- Strain the potatoes and put through a ricer or food mill.
- In a small pot gently heat the cream and garlic until hot.
- Put the potatoes back in the same pot you cooked them in, pour the hot cream garlic mixture over the riced potatoes and scatter the cubed butter over the potato cream mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until all ingredients are mixed well, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Butter-Poached Button Mushrooms
Ingredients
1lb button mushrooms
2 sprigs thyme
1 head garlic
1.5 lbs butter
To taste salt and pepper
Method
- In a small pot, gently warm the butter, thyme and garlic until butter has completely melted.
- Add mushrooms, making sure they’re completely submerged under the butter mixture. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a very gentle simmer and cover with a lid. You need to cook as low as absolutely possible without browning butter at all, for about 30-45 min or until mushrooms are soft.
- Drain and serve when ready to use. Reserve garlic mushroom butter for another application; great on garlic toast or in pastas.
Serving
Cut roast into four servings. Ladle a pool of stock onto each plate. Layer mashed potatoes on top of stock. Layer meat on top of mashed potatoes. Side with mushrooms and celeriac.