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Recipe and photos by Ian Huffam

Now that summer’s finally arrived, who wants to stay inside to cook? This grilled focaccia recipe is an ideal accompaniment to a summer antipasti platter, and it won’t heat up your kitchen! Salamoia Bolognese, a new addition to our shelves, is an all-in-one Italian seasoning salt with garlic, rosemary, sage, and black pepper. It’s excellent on all Italian dishes, but it takes even more work out of what is already a fairly easy bread recipe. Brodflour, based out of Stonewall, Manitoba, mills a Prairie Hard Red flour that delivers rich sweet ‘n spicy notes to any bread recipe. Fear not if grilling isn’t an option, apartment/condo dwellers, we also have directions for a conventional oven.  

Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients:

1 cup           warm water (about 100-110F)
1 tbsp          honey
2 tsp            active dry yeast
2 ½ cups     Brodflour Stone Milled Prairie Hard Red flour
2 tbsp          Barbera Tipo Famiglia Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for dough)
1 ¼ tsp        Salamoia Bolognese (for dough)
2 tbsp          Barbera Tipo Famiglia Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for topping, plus an extra 2 tbsp for greasing pan)
1 tbsp          Salamoia Bolognese (for topping)
2 tbsp          Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, grated

 Method

1. In a large bowl, combine warm water and honey. Sprinkle in yeast, let bloom for about 10 minutes until yeast is dissolved and frothy.
2. Stir in Brodflour, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 1 ¼ tsp Salamoia, forming a dough that comes away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Turn dough out of bowl onto a lightly floured work surface, knead 8-10 minutes. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
4. Place dough in a lightly-greased bowl, turning to ensure dough is greased all over. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel, and let rise 1-2 hours in a warm spot until doubled in size.
5. To prepare pan: grease a rimmed baking sheet with 2-3 tbsp olive oil, making sure to grease all over (a little pooling is all right; this will help to ensure a good crust). Optionally, you may then sprinkle the sheet with 1-2 tsp cornmeal or semolina (cream of wheat).
6. Once dough is risen, punch down and stretch into a 12x18 rectangle, which should be about ½ inch thick. Place rectangle on greased baking sheet, cover again, and rest 10-20 minutes.
7. For topping: with a spoon (or your thumb), press dimples into the dough, making sure they are nice and deep. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle remaining Salamoia and cheese all over.
8. Cover dough one last time and let rise 20 minutes.
9. Preheat your barbecue to medium heat (375-400F). Place baking sheet with dough on grill, put the top of the barbecue down, and reduce heat to medium-low (alternatively, you can turn your burners down as low as they go). Bake 10-15 minutes (after 10 minutes, gently lift one corner of bread to check it s progress. Bottom should have a golden-brown crust).
10. Remove sheet from barbecue. Flip bread over onto grill, upside-down (this takes confidence!). Cover again and bake another 3-4 minutes, until top is golden and has satisfying grill marks (you may wish to turn your burners a little higher for this part). Remove from heat, flip right-side-up onto a cutting board or clean sheet tray. Let cool for a few minutes, and serve.
11. For conventional oven: Place pizza stone (or an upside-down baking sheet) on lowest rack of oven, preheat to 375F. Bake 15-20 minutes, until top is golden and bottom crust is brown.

What makes a chicken devilled? Its horns, obviously.

For whatever reason, when a quantity of mustard is added to a dish, it is often referred to as being “devilled”. I assume that there were not a lot of hot peppers in classic French cuisine, so mustard was the hot spice of choice. While we have moved on to spicier ingredients, I still love the flavour mustard brings to a dish, and this recipe is no exception. Great for a quick and easy weeknight meal, try it with some steamed green beans and plenty of lemon wedges for juicing.

Serves 4

Ingredients

8                          boneless chicken thighs, skin on
to taste                 salt and pepper
4 tbsp                   Dijon mustard
1                           egg, beaten
8 tbsp                   all-purpose flour
2 cups                  breadcrumbs
6 tbsp                   vegetable oil (or another neutral frying oil)

Method

1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Beat the egg and the mustard together and season with salt and pepper.
2. Set up a dredging station (one dish has flour, one dish for the egg/mustard mixture, one dish for the breadcrumbs).
3. Coat each chicken thigh in flour, then transfer to the egg/mustard mixture to coat well. Finally, transfer to the breadcrumbs, pressing the chicken thigh firmly into the breadcrumbs to coat well. Transfer the breaded chicken thigh to a tray to await frying.
4. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium high heat. When hot, place two chicken thighs in the pan, cooking until golden brown on one side before carefully turning over. Finish cooking each thigh until an internal thermometer reads 160°F, approximately five minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towel, then repeat with the rest of the chicken thighs.

One of our meathawkers, Ian, has been delighting us in the shop recently with his amazing baked treats, made using some of the new grocery products we carry at Sanagan’s! I’ve been lucky enough to get a taste of these treats before they’re gone, and they are delicious. Ian shared three of his recipes with us, I hope you all get to enjoy them as well this holiday season!

- Peter

All recipes and photos by Ian Hoffam

Classic Shortbread

This classic shortbread is as easy as 1, 2, 4 (1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, 4 parts flour)! All you have to do is whisk the sugar and flour together, then cut in the butter using either a pastry cutter or a food processor (try not to use your hands, you want to keep the butter as cold as you can). Roll small handfuls quickly into 3/4-inch sized balls, pressing each down with a fork twice to create a classic cross-hatch pattern (They might look overly crumbly, but they’ll bake up just fine). Top with flaky sea salt. Bake 30 minutes at 300°F.

Walnut and Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk

These cookies are a fast favourite all year round! Start by browning the butter in a pan with tall sides, melting over low heat and swirling around to prevent burning/uneven browning. The butter will foam; continue swirling until foam subsides, the butter smells like toasted nuts, and the solids have turned a golden brown. 

Ingredients

½ cup                    brown butter (see note above)
½ cup                    walnut oil
1 cup                     brown sugar (packed)
1/3 cup                  granulated sugar
2                            eggs
2 tsp                      vanilla
2 cups                   all purpose flour
1 tsp                      baking soda
¾ tsp                     kosher salt
200 gr                   dark chocolate, broken into small chunks
100 gr                   toasted walnuts, broken or left whole
to taste                  flaked sea salt

Method

1. In a work bowl, combine the brown butter with the walnut oil, then add the brown sugar and the granulated sugar. Then mix in 2 eggs, one at a time, followed by 2 tsp of vanilla.
2. Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt, and mix well to form a dough. Finally, the most important part: fold in the dark chocolate, broken into small chunks, and the toasted walnuts (I like to leave them whole, but you can chop them or break them up). Let the dough rest at room temperature for at least 1/2 hour, or longer in the fridge.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
4. Cut a small piece of the dough, and shape into balls about the size of a ping pong ball. Gently press the cookie dough down on the baking sheet, just enough to form a flat surface. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on cookies, and bake 9-10 minutes in the hot oven. You should let them cool 15-20 minutes before eating, if they last that long!

Chocolate-Orange Pinwheels

These are a revived version of an old family favourite! Using lard as well as butter produces a cookie with a lighter, crumblier texture than you’d otherwise get. The chocolate dough gets its intense colour from both melted dark chocolate and black cocoa powder, available at your favourite bulk retailer. It gives them a slight Oreo flavour!

Orange Dough

Ingredients

2 ½ cups               all purpose flour
¾ cup                    granulated sugar
½ tsp                     baking powder
¼ tsp                     salt
¼ lb                       lard
¼ lb                       butter, cut into large cubes
1                            navel orange, zest only
4 tsp                      orange liqueur

Method

1. In a work bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Put the dry mix in a food processor, then add the lard and butter. Mix together using the pulse function, until a crumbly dough is formed. Add the orange zest and liqueur, and pulse until mixed. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly until a smooth dough is formed. Push down to create a disk, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. 

Chocolate Dough

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups               all purpose flour
¼ cup                    black cocoa
1 cup                     sugar
½ tsp                     baking powder
¼ tsp                     salt
¼ lb                       lard
¼ lb                       butter, cut into large cubes
60 gr (2 oz)           bittersweet chocolate, melted

Method

1. In a work bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Put the dry mix in a food processor, then add the lard and butter. Mix together using the pulse function, until a crumbly dough is formed. Add the melted chocolate and pulse until mixed. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly until a smooth dough is formed. Push down to create a disk, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. 

To Assemble

1. Roll each disk of dough between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper into a 9x13 inch rectangle.
2. Remove top layer of plastic/parchment from each sheet of dough. Place chocolate dough rectangle directly in front of you on the countertop, with the orange dough rectangle behind it. In one fluid motion, grasp the sheet beneath the orange dough and pull toward yourself to flip the rectangle over onto the chocolate dough. Roll away from yourself, jelly roll style, then refrigerate another 20-30 minutes. 
3. Preheat oven to 375°F.
4. Slice dough log into cookies about 1cm thick, then bake on parchment paper for 11 minutes.

This is a great dish to serve on a cold winter’s night. The combination of chicken, cashew nut, and garam masala brings to mind a curry, but I’m not well-versed enough in Indian cuisine to claim it as such. The spices with the nuts are a lovely flavour combo that you will savour long after the meal is over. I like to serve this with steamed basmati rice and some stewed greens.

Serves four (with leftovers)

Ingredients

2 tbsp                   garlic, minced
2 tbsp                   ginger, minced
1 tbsp                   garam masala
pinch                    chili powder
1 tbsp                   salt
2 lbs                     chicken thighs, boneless and skinless (about 10-12 pieces)
2 tbsp                   vegetable oil
1 cup                    cashew nut
½ cup                   almond milk (or regular skim or homogenized milk will do)

Method

1. In a bowl, mix the garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili, and salt with the chicken thighs. Cover and marinate for at least four hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. On a baking tray, spread out the cashews. Roast in the oven until golden brown (about 10-15 minutes).
4. Reserve 2 tbsp of nuts to use as garnish, and the rest place in a blender with the almond milk. Puree until creamy. Set aside.
5. Add the vegetable oil to a large sauce pot over a high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the boneless chicken thighs until brown on both sides. Don't overcrowd the pan, as it could cause the meat to steam, when you want it to brown. Repeat until all the thighs are browned. Reduce the heat to a medium low, and add all of the legs back to the pot. Stir in the pureed cashew. If the cashew is very thick, add more almond milk to the pot until it is slightly saucy. Stir well, cover, and place in the oven to braise for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is almost falling apart.
6. Stir in the whole roasted cashew pieces and serve.

Duck confit is a very easy dish that seems very difficult. This is a great time of year to make it, with holidays around the corner and all. “Confit” means to slowly cook a piece of meat, generally duck, goose, or pork, in its own fat until the muscles have tenderized. Basically, braising in fat. Which sounds rich, but because you are slowly cooking the meat, you are actually rendering out additional fat that is stored in the muscle, so the resulting dish isn’t unhealthy for you at all!

The ease of this dish comes from the fact that there is very little prep to do. You simply cure the legs overnight, then submerge the legs in melted fat and throw in the oven. Once cooked, the legs can keep for weeks in your fridge, as long as they are stored in the same fat they were cooked in. This recipe calls for ten legs, which will serve for at least two meals. Serve with sautéed potatoes and a vinegary salad.

Serves four (see recipe note)

Ingredients

¾ cup                    sugar
¾ cup                    salt
6                            garlic cloves, roughly chopped
6                            bay leaves
2 tbsp                    peppercorns
8                            thyme branches, torn
10                          duck legs
600 gr                    duck fat

Method

1. In a bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and thyme branches. Add the duck legs to the mixture and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge to cure for at least 12 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
3. In a sauce pot over a medium low heat, melt the rendered duck fat. Brush the excess cure off of the legs. Arrange the legs in a deep casserole or pot so they are snug. Pour the melted duck fat over the legs, ensuring they are all submerged. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 2.5 to 3 hours or until cooked***.
4. Once cooked, cool the pot on the counter for a couple of hours. It can now be stored in the fridge, or finished.
5. To finish, preheat the oven to 500°F.
6. Line a large frying pan or skillet with parchment paper. Remove four legs from the fat (if taking from the fridge, do this carefully as the fat may make the leg hard to remove). Lay each leg, skin side down, on the parchment paper with a little of the cooking fat. Place the pan in the oven and roast until the skin is golden brown and crispy (about 10 to 15 minutes). Remove the legs from the pan and dry them on paper towel before serving.

***Note: To test if the legs are fully cooked after the confit process, remove a leg from the pot. Holding the drumstick at the knuckle, lightly press the thigh bone and the drumstick together. When the leg is fully cooked, the joint between the two bones will give slightly. If the joint is tough, cook the confit for a bit longer. If the leg falls apart, it is overcooked (which isn’t a problem at all, other than it looking a little messy).

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

1. Preheat oven to 250-275°F.
2. Place a cast-iron dutch oven (or similar roasting pot) on medium-high heat and allow time to get hot.
3. 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. 

4. Place the vegetables into the pot and sweat for a few minutes.
5. Add the thyme, rosemary, bay, garlic and deglaze with red wine or stout and reduce till it's almost completely evaporated.
6. Add the beef stock and return the roast into the pot and bring to a simmer. 

7. Cover pot and place in preheated oven for 3-3.5 hours.
8. 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

1. Combine julienned celeriac with lemon juice to avoid oxidation. 

2. 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. 
3. 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

1. Peel and cut the potatoes into 2-inch pieces.
2. Cover potatoes with salted water in a medium sized pot, bring to a simmer and cook until fork tender.  
3. Strain the potatoes and put through a ricer or food mill.
4. In a small pot gently heat the cream and garlic until hot. 
5. 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

1. In a small pot, gently warm the butter, thyme and garlic until butter has completely melted.  
2. 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.  

3. 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. 

I love a good “parm”. Normally made with breaded eggplant or a meat cutlet, fried until golden, then topped with tomato sauce and cheese and baked until golden brown, parmigiana is a classic comfort food. This version is a bit different, mainly because I don’t use a breaded cutlet. This is especially good for people who are cutting out gluten for one reason or another, but still want that luscious and zingy “parm” flavour. Enjoy with a salad and a glass of fruity red wine.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4                          pork rib chops
to taste                salt and pepper
2 tbsp                  olive oil
8 tbsp                  tomato sauce (make your own or buy a top-quality brand, like ours)
1-2 cups               grated mozzarella cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Season the pork chops liberally with salt and pepper, then rub them all over with the oil.
3. In a heavy bottomed skillet or sauté pan over a medium-high heat, sear the pork chops until golden on both sides.
4. Line a thick baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the seared chops on the tray and bake until an internal thermometer reads 160°F, about 4-5 minutes.
5. Remove the pork chops from the oven, then turn the broiler to high. Move the oven rack to its highest position.
6. Spoon 2 tbsp of tomato sauce on the top of each pork chop, then liberally sprinkle with the mozzarella. Place on the top oven rack and broil until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.
7. Cool slightly before serving (that cheese is gonna be ooey-gooey good and hot!).

A ballotine is an excellent dish to cook when you really want to stretch your meat. Made with poultry, game birds, or rabbit, a ballotine is just a boneless piece of the meat (I like the leg), stuffed with a filling (can be whatever you like, including traditional Thanksgiving turkey stuffing), then tied into a neat bundle before roasting. This recipe calls for Chinese Five Spice and brown sugar, which gives the dish a nice baking-spice element that is lovely this time of year. Enjoy with some roasted parsnips and a bright green salad.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup                     short grained sticky rice
1 pc                       mild pork sausage (I like to use the small Chinese sausages found in Asian markets, but any fresh sausage will do. You need about 4-5 oz of sausage meat all together.)
1 pinch                 salt 
2 tbsp                   green onion, sliced thinly
2 tbsp                   Chinese Five Spice powder
1 tbsp                   brown sugar
1 tbsp                   salt 
2                           chicken legs, boneless but with the skin on (ask your butcher to do this, or see my method in Cooking Meat, my book available everywhere good books are sold, including here!)
2 tbsp                   vegetable or olive oil

Method

1. Cook the rice as per the package instructions. Add the raw sausage and the pinch of salt to the pot with the rice before starting to cook.
2. Meanwhile, debone the chicken leg (if you are doing it yourself). Otherwise, mix the Five Spice, brown sugar, and tbsp of salt together on a small bowl and set aside.
3. Once the rice is cooked and steamed, set aside to cool for 45 minutes or so, until it is cool enough to handle. Remove the sausage and chop it up into bite-sized pieces. Fluff the rice with a fork and mix in the green onion and the cut-up sausage.
4. Lay each boneless chicken leg on your work surface, skin side down. Wet your fingers with warm water (this will help prevent rice from sticking to your fingers), then add about 2-3 tbsp of the sticky rice mixture on the chicken meat, and form it into a cylinder. Roll the chicken meat around the rice in tight roll, and secure the ballotine with at least three pieces of twine. Repeat with the second chicken leg.
5. Season the chicken ballotines all over with the Five Spice mixture. Place in a fridge, uncovered, to marinate for one hour before cooking.
6. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
7. Take the ballotines out of the fridge. Place a large oven-proof skillet or sauté pan over a medium high heat. Once hot, add the oil to the pan, then add the ballotines to the hot oil. Brown on all sides (about 1.5-2 minutes per side) before placing the pan in the oven to roast. Cook for about 12-15 minutes, or until an internal thermometer plunged into the center of the ballotines reads 165°F.
8. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before removing the twine, slicing the ballotines, and serving.

Many people consider a rack of lamb to be too fancy to serve on a regular weeknight. The reality is, while the rack is generally the most expensive cut of lamb, it is also super tender, mild in flavour, and, once marinated, takes less than an hour to cook. I highly recommend it the next time you’re thinking of ideas for a roast.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2                          lamb racks, frenched
to taste                salt
1 clove                garlic, minced
2 tbsp                  rosemary, finely chopped and divided in half
1 tsp                    fish sauce
2 tbsp                  olive oil, divided in half
to taste                ground pepper
2 sheets              aluminum foil, about 8 inches square each (optional)                      
2 tbsp                  parsley, chopped
2 tbsp                  chives, finely chopped
½ cup                   breadcrumbs
2 tbsp                  Dijon mustard

Method

1. Season the lamb racks with salt and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, 1 tbsp of rosemary, the fish sauce, 1 tbsp of olive oil, and the pepper. Spoon the marinade over the meat of the lamb racks and massage the marinade in well. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
4. In a large ovenproof pan, heat the remaining olive oil over a high heat. Sear the lamb rack on all sides until golden brown. Use a sheet of aluminum foil to wrap around the bones of each rack – this is optional but will prevent the bones from scorching in the oven. Once browned, place the pan with both racks of lamb in the oven and roast until an internal thermometer plunged into the center of the lamb reads 130°F, about 30 minutes. Remove the racks of lamb from the oven then turn the oven up to 425°F.
5. Meanwhile, make the herb crust. In a food processor, add the parsley and chives with the second tbsp of rosemary and the breadcrumbs. Puree on high for 30 seconds, or until the breadcrumb mixture is bright green and well blended. Remove the mix from the food processor and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Brush the meaty top side of each lamb rack with the Dijon mustard. Liberally sprinkle the racks with the herb crust, then place the pan back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until the herbs have slightly browned and an internal thermometer plunged into the center of the roast reads 140°F (medium to medium well. If you prefer your lamb less cooked, reduce the cooking time at each stage to have a finished roast temperature of 130°F. Remove the lamb from the oven and rest for five minutes before slicing into individual chops and serving.