ask a chef

1. Rating: +0

   

   Hello, I just went to Rock Salt Restaurant today and tried the lentil veggie burger.. omy, this was the best we ever had!!! It was the Gumboot burger. I was wondering if you could provide the recipe! They are sooo yummy! Angele

   We've posted the recipe for the Gumboot burger at http://www.islandchef.ca/2010/gumboot-burger/. Enjoy!

2. Rating: +0

   

   Hi from Sooke, B.C. We were just on Salt Spring and had a lovely breakfast at the Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe. Would you be willing to share your salsa recipe? I am a huge foodie - and I eat Gluten Free - you can check out my blog at glutenfreedelightfullydelicious.com thanks! Ina

   Sure thing, you can find it here in the recipe section. http://www.islandchef.ca/2010/rock-salt-salsa/

3. Rating: +0

   

   I recently started cutting bad carbs out of my diet but I continue to cook like a maniac. My daughter Sam loves my chipotle garlic cheese sauce. I usually make a roux and from there my bechamel and so on. Is there enough gluten in whole wheat flour to thicken my bechamel next time I make cheese sauce?

   Chef Matt Rissling from the Marina Restaurant responds:

   Seems to me that whole wheat flour would have as much gluten as white flour. It just has more fibre (bran) which might actually help to thicken the sauce further. The texture would be different, of course. Whole wheat flour is naturally more nutritious.

   It's not the gluten in the flour that thickens your sauce, it's the starch. To that end, and to further cut down on some carbs, have you fiddled around with using some cornstarch in place of flour, or using modified starchfes like arrowroot or tapioca? While these naturally contain carbohydrates, they have much more thickening power which means you need to use less.

   You could even try omitting the roux entirely, and just go with a straight cream reduction. Carb free, but super high in fat. If you want to know what a cream reduction is just ask a chef one again and we will give you some instruction. Enjoy.

   Chef /Owner Fatima da Silva from Bistro 161 says:
   I agree with Matt about skipping the starches all together and going with just the cream, the flavour will be better with just the cream. Try mixing in a few cheeses, yes it'll be richer but you will need less sauce if the flavours are stronger.

   Peter DeBryun Executive Chef Strathcona Hotel says:
   After all, who doesn't like a cream reduction.

4. Rating: +0

   

   I think the Rock Salt carrot cake is the best I've ever had... and I know carrot cake! What's your secret?

   Thanks Charles! I will tell Dean the pastry chef that you loved it. I posted the cake recipe under desserts.

5. Rating: +1

   

   I was at Rock Salt a couple of days ago, and absolutely fell in love with the Tuk Tuk Noodle Bowl. Lord, that is GOOD. Is it possible in ANY world to get a copy of the recipe? Please?

   I am very glad you enjoyed it. The recipe originated in Vikram Viji's cookbook which is a wonderful resource. The recipe has evolved over the years we have been serving it. Check the recipe section under sauces. I will put it up later this afternoon.

6. Rating: +0

   

   Hello. I would love the recipe for Rock Salt Restaurant's curry chickpea soup. Thanks for considering! Ray

   I posted the recipe. Enjoy!

7. Rating: +0

   

   Could you please provide the recipe for two of Rock Salt Restaurant's most wonderful treats: 1. Granola wedge 2. Energy bars I am usually not one to ask for a recipe---BUT these two treats are unbelieveable! Thanks so much!

   Hi,
   I am so glad you enjoyed these! They are both posted under recipes on the blog. The energy balls are an old recipe. We served them the first year I owned the Tree House. They were super popular but rolling them day after day after day made me a bit crazy so I took them off the menu. Years later I found the recipe in an old file and reinstated them at Rock Salt. Glad you are happy. In small batches they are fun to make.

8. Rating: +0

   

   I have a wine tasting club meeting on Friday night. It's sparklers and champagnes with chocolate because it's Valentine's. I'm looking for a recipe for a dark chocolate with sea or kosher salt and pepper. Got one? I've had it here in the Cowichan Valley.

   I have tried the salt & pepper chocolate from Cowichan Bay. I believe it would simply be melted dark chocolate with a light dusting of kosher rock salt and coarse black pepper.
   My best guess at a recipe would be:

   9oz of melted dark chocolate,
   1 cup of heavy cream
   1 egg yolk
   1oz kosher rocksalt
   ¼ oz Course black pepper

   Melt chocolate in a double boiler, add tempered cream, stir slowly until combined and finish with egg yolk for shine.
   Pour onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. The chocolate can be poured onto the parchment creating various shapes, or ‘bark’ style designs.
   Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   Allow to set, refrigerate.
   Enjoy.

   I did not personally care for this product, but with a glass of pinot noir, it may actually work.
   Please adjust this recipe as you see fit.

   Peter De Bruyn
   Executive Chef
   Strathcona Hotel

9. Rating: +0

   

   My husband is in love with the peanut putter bars that you sell in Rock Salt Restaurant's baked goods area. I would love to surprise him and make some. Can you share the recipe? Thanks! Emily

   Sure! I will post it later today. I am glad you enjoyed it. Cheers, Jill

10. Rating: +0

    

    I had a spinach salad with yams at Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe on Salt Spring Island and I am curious to know what ingredients were in the salad dressing. Thanks

    I posted the lemon vinaigrette dressing recipe yesterday. Hope you made it in time for your guests. Cheers, Jill Thomas, Owner, Rock Salt Restaurant.

11. Rating: +0

    

    My husband and I are huge fans of the Rock Salt's Ruckle Park Stew. Any chance you would consider sharing the recipe? Thanks for considering, Myra

    Sure it will post tonight. Enyoy!

12. Rating: +0

    

    What is your best Salt Spring lamb recipe? And is there any way to confirm that Salt Spring lamb is still Salt Spring lamb (as I understand it is now shipped off island for, ummm, processing...) Just curious! I made a Salt Spring rack of lamb at my parents' house this Xmas.

    I have posted two recipes so far. One from Rock Salt and one from Matt Rissling, Executive Chef from the Marina Restaurant in Victoria. Other chefs will contribute recipes soon. Look in the recipe section under the meat category. The question about Salt Spring lamb and where it is processed is more complicated and will take more research. We will dedicate the entire month of February to this topic so keep an eye out. Thanks for your question!

13. Rating: +0

    

    We had the Rock Salt self-catered Christmas dinner, and the apple-parsnip soup was such a hit with my mother that she hasn't stopped talking about it. Any chance we could have the recipe?

    Yes! I will post it on the blog today or tomorrow. Look under recipes and then in the soup category in 24 hours. I am glad you enjoyed it. Happy New Year.

14. Rating: +0

    

    I would like the recipe for brine for turkey & directions on how to cook it (from Jill Thomas) Thanks!

    On the 29th of December someone is asking me about turkey. Just when I finally decided today that I have had enough turkey. It took serving it at the restaurant for two weeks and then days and days of turkey feast with a turkey shepherds pie last night to finally be sick of it. Stock and rest of the turkey are now frozen. Enjoy this recipe. Our bird turned out perfect this year which is important because there are always lots of crazy stressful situations in our house at Christmas!

    Cooking a Turkey

    Brining the Turkey
    2.5 hours for each kilogram (16 hours for 6kg)
    Brining is easy and makes your bird so much more juicy!
    The only important part is the water and the salt, the rest is for flavour only and is totally optional.

    In any clean container large enough to submerge turkey combine:
    1 cup salt
    ½ cup maple syrup
    2 cups apple cider
    2 cinnamon sticks
    1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
    4 cloves
    2 Tablespoons all spice berries
    4 Star Anise
    Parsley Stocks (save the top part for stuffing)

    Before brining, remove giblets (reserve) and wash turkey. Put turkey in brine and cover with water. Stir it up.
    Remove from brine 2 hours before the turkey must go in oven.

    Preparing the Turkey for the Oven
    Make sure the turkey is room temperature. If it is cold it will change estimated cooking times.
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    Prepare mire poix (2 rough cut carrots, rough cut onions and rough cut celery) and put it in roasting pan with giblets from turkey.
    Pour 2 cups good chicken stock in pan.
    Wash turkey & dry it well.
    Stuff in stuffing loosely because it will expand, too tight or and stuffing will get mushy.
    Put lots and lots of bits of butter under the turkey skin then rub bird generously with olive oil, coarse salt and fresh ground pepper. You can also put a few strips of bacon on top says grandma mulder in the 2009 edition of this recipe.
    Place bird on top of mire poix in roasting pan (breast side down).

    Cooking the Turkey
    Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
    Then cook at 325 degrees for the rest of the time.
    Cook it breast side down at first so the fat in the back percolates through the breasts and makes them taste good. Turn it breast side up again for the last ½ hour of cooking. The turkey will be less pretty but you should get over that. I can't get over it so I cover just the breasts with a bit of tin foil to keep them juicy.

    When turkey is in oven melt together equal parts butter and maple syrup and use this to baste. Baste turkey the first time when you turn down the heat. Then baste every 45 minutes after that, you don’t have to baste very often because brining and cooking breast side down makes your turkey moist. If you don’t brine then you should baste every 20 minutes.
    Cooking time for a 4.5 kg turkey is about 2 hours. For 6kg should be about 2.5 hours. Most people have crazy ideas about how long it takes to cook a turkey. Remember your mom putting the turkey in the oven before breakfast on Christmas Day? Don’t listen to them or you will have dry stringy turkey. The turkey doesn’t go in the oven before presents unless you want to eat at noon.
    The turkey is done when the juices run clear and the instant read meat thermometer reads 165 degrees (near wing). It needs to be at least this temperature before you take it out of the oven or you risk poisoning your family. It should cook to 180 degrees while resting.
    Remove turkey from oven, place on serving dish. You must let it rest for at least 20 minutes to finish cooking and allow the juices to redistribute in the bird. You should do this with all meat. If you cut the turkey right away all the juice runs onto the counter and all your brining and basting work will be for nothing.
    You can let it sit for up to an hour however, if you are going to let it sit for more then 20 minutes tent the bird with tin foil to keep the heat in. This will make the skin a less crisp but gives you time to make lemon beans and gravy.

    When you take the turkey out of the oven immediately remove the stuffing, place in a buttered baking dish and put it back in the oven to ensure that it is hot (at least 170 degrees). Stuffing is an optimal breeding ground for bacteria and must be warmed to avoid food poisoning. Stuffing is often not done when the bird is finished and it is not worth over cooking the bird to finish the stuffing.

15. Rating: +0

    

    I would like a recipe, and the name, for the Italian soup made from the heels of cheese. Thanks for your help. Irene Franklin Vanier, ON

    Hi Irene,
    Here is what our chefs have to say on the topic.

    Fatima DaSilva from Bistro 161 responded: I don't know if there's a particular recipe for it, but cheese rinds are commonly used in rustic soups in Italy, I usually use it on bean & chorizo soups or in chunky vegetable soups for an extra layer of goodness. I use mostly Parmesan rind.

    At the Marina Restaurant we use the heels of parmesan (grana padano to be exact) in soup making all the time. We combine standard mire poix with rinds of parmesan and loads of herbs (rosemary, thyme, parsley) and cover it with water and let it simmer for approximately four hours. It's best to tie the rinds in cheesecloth to help with cleaning as they will stick to the pot pretty badly. Strain, cool and refrigerate.
    This stock is excellent as a soup base and can be used in place of regular vegetable or chicken stock. The only downside is there is no gelatin, so it has little body.

    This time of year, I would add in corn cobs as well after the kernels are shucked off. This adds a wonderful sweetness and richness. Any and all mushrooms are good with a parmesan stock as well. Depending on your cheese, this could be considered vegetarian.

    Parmesan rinds especially are also good for parmesan oil. Combine the rinds with enough light oil to cover (regular old canola is fine) and place over low heat until hot. We use an induction burner set to one for this, no risk of burning. At home, heat until it's hot to the touch. Remove from heat and allow to steep for a couple of hours and then strain through cheesecloth. Use to garnish pasta, vegetables, soup and so on. It is really versatile.

    Fatima replied: As Matt Said YOU NEVER throw out parmesan rinds. I like warming them a bit in the oven just to the start of melting point then sprinkling them with basil and a good balsamic vinegar and eating them right away with bread or by themselves. I must now must go to the kitchen and make some.

    Corey Pelan from La Piola Restaurant says: Parmesan rinds are very commonly used in bean soups in Italy. Most notably Zuppa Minestrone. I dice them fine and add to a very simple tomato, herb and cream soup consisting of sauteed garlic and onion, good quality canned tomatoes, fresh basil, oregano and thyme, diced parmesan rind. I finish this soup with a little cream. This is one of our most popular soups here at La Piola.

    Throwing out corn cobs is one thing, but wasting parmesan rinds is sacrilege.

    Garratt Schack, Executive Chef at Vista 18 said: That sounds delicious Corey. We always save the rinds, they freeze well. However they do pile up. A great way to use them is by adding them to risotto or polenta for a little added cheese flavour. I leave them quite big so I can pull the rind out before serving. I'm have posted a polenta recipe that I like to use here at the restaurant in the recipe section. Enjoy.

16. Rating: +0

    

    Do you cook the turkey breast side up or down???

    The answer is yes and it depends. My recipe says that you should start it breast side down and turn it over when it is 3/4 cooked. The reason is the juices then flow into the breast making it moist. However, I find this to be a hassle and it makes the bird less beautiful on the platter. So if you brine, then baste you should be fine to cook it breast side up. Put lots of butter under the skin. My secret trick is to cut little pieces of foil and just cover the breasts (not the rest of the bird) until it is 3/4 done and then remove the foil and let the turkey brown. This helps keep the breast meat moist. Brown meat cooks faster which is why breast meat is often dry and stringy. Check the temperature at the bone and take it out of the oven when it reaches 165 degrees and then let it sit for 20 minutes. Good Luck!

17. Rating: +0

    

    This is fabulous. Fatima, I would love to have your recipe for the dressing used in the coleslaw served with the crab cakes.

    The recipe is for the lime ginger vinaigrette. Fatima advises that it goes very well with seafood and grilled fish. Enjoy!

    Combine:
    1 Tablespoons grated ginger
    2 limes zested
    1/4 cup cider vinegar
    1 TBS sesame oil
    1/cup vegetable oil
    1 Tablespoon honey
    1 Tablespoon sea salt

18. Rating: +0

    

    I'd love the recipe for pumpkin seed/roasted yam quesadilla from Rock Salt Restaurant- love it! Also thanks for the recipe for cranberry chutney - yummy. What a great service you offer, sharing your recipes. We've eaten at your restaurant for years but didn't realize you gave out recipes or had such a great website. Good on you!

    I will post this recipe tonight. So watch out for it. Note there are lots of different chefs contributing to islandchef.ca. You can ask any one of them anything you want anytime. Recipes, cooking tips, advice...the sky is the limit!

19. Rating: +0

    

    Hello, I went to Rock Salt Restaurant restaurant yesterday and ordered your delicious brownies!:) I was wondering if I could have the recipe for my kids lunches? Thank you! Ann

    Sure. Must of been a crazy brownie day because I have three pending questions asking for brownie recipes. Sorry for the delay in answering your question but I was on vacation in Tunisia for a month. The recipe will be up by the end of the day.

20. Rating: +0

    

    Hi my name Eva and a visited Salt Spring and Rock Salt Restaurant for my first time a week ago. On the way in I tried your brownies. I don't usually like things that are sweet so these were perfect! My co workers would adore these, would be wiling to share it with us?

    Wow I am overwhelmed this week with requests for the brownie recipe. It will be posted later today. I am so glad you enjoyed it. Cheers, Jill

21. Rating: +0

    

    I was wondering whether Jill was still looking for things to make in the red mixer. This recipe would be great as you pretty much tip everything in together. It is very healthy and tastes fab. By the way I had the Gumboot Burger in your restaurant on Monday and agree with Angela that they are the best ever!!! Thanks for sharing your recipes, Elaine Quick Carrot and Walnut Bread Ingredients 350g plain flour 150g wholemeal flour 1 tsp salt 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 150g carrots , peeled and grated a handful walnuts , toasted 300ml low-fat Greek yogurt 125ml semi-skimmed milk 1.Heat oven to 230C. Mix the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda, then stir in the carrot, walnuts and yogurt, followed by enough of the milk to make a soft, quite sticky dough. 2.Tip onto a floured surface and form a flat ball, put on a baking sheet, slash the top and bake for 30 minutes until risen and cooked. It'll sound hollow when you tap it.

    Wow thanks! I did keep the mixer and have used it twice to make oatmeal cookies. I will try this one as well. Cheers, Jill

22. Rating: +2

    

    How do I make something "hot" without changing the flavour - chili powder? hot pepper flakes? Pre-packaged hot sauces? Which heat activator is best for what?

    Jill from Rock Salt's favourite way is dried chilli flakes. This is more of a home cook mom technique then a chef technique. I find they add flavour but I find it is a versatile flavour that goes with everything and doesn't change the character of the dish. They also often 'fix' broken dishes. When I am at home and something just isn't working the two things I always add are chilli flakes and chicken stock. Frank's hot sauce is also good. I will ask the trained chefs for their input as well. Fatima from Bistro 161 is the queen of spice so she would be the first person I ask!

    Here is Fatima Da Silva's opinion on chilli. Every time you'll add something to a dish it'll changes the flavour, but think of it as building up and giving the dish a little more complexity. Sure sometimes things can go wrong, but do not get defeated, we have all done it and it's just a learning curb. As for making the dish HOT without altering the flavour my first choice is the hot chili flakes the chili powder has a stronger flavour without necessarily being that hot. When I make curries I usually tend to add a little extra ginger and garlic to make spicier without too much heat.
    I hope this helps. Good cooking (:

23. Rating: +0

    

    rafa! i need that chicken soup recipe!!! thanks teile

    Hi Teile! I have no idea what you are talking about but will convey this message to Rafa and get the recipe for you! About 120 people in the restaurant told me they missed you yesterday. One said 'I can't even talk about it!"

24. Rating: +1

    

    Yesterday I went to your restuarant and had your Ruckle Stew and it was the best stew I've ever had!! I see that someone has already requested that you post the recipe, but I can't find it on your website. Please tell me where it's posted. Thank you very much!! David Wheeler

    Thanks David. You will find it under the recipes tab and then under the healthy category. Look for kidney bean and squash stew. You probably could not find it because you were looking for ruckle stew. Thanks for the compliment.

25. Rating: +0

    

    Thanks for the stew recipe. It was also served with lamb is that recipe also posted? Thanks a lot, David

    Yes. You can find the recipe for lamb for the Ruckle Stew at http://www.islandchef.ca/2010/lamb-for-ruckle-stew/

26. Rating: +0

    

    hi I visited Rock Salt yesterday and me and my friend decided each to buy a snack, I chose the peanut butter square and she chose the brownie, they were so yummy and chewy, could you please give me the recipes?

    Wow again....lots of requests for these recipes all of a sudden. Were you all on a bus tour or something? Will post it later today. Glad you enjoyed your snack!

27. Rating: +0

    

    Hi, I just had your lovely, rich fudge brownies. I have a big sweet tooth and these would be perfect for my family. Thank You! Sara

    Will totally post it. Sorry if it took a while but I was on vacation. Will have the recipe up by the end of the day and I am glad you enjoyed the brownies.

28. Rating: +1

    

    OMG! Just had your Carrot Cake yesterday. Unbelievable. Best I've ever had. I was very pleased to find the recipe on this site but the recipe for the icing is not there? Can you update the recipe with this? Thanks, Neil

    Recipe is posted! Sorry about that oversight. I am very glad that you enjoyed the cake. The icing is the best part for sure. When I am having a stressful mid summer restaurant bad ferry rush kind of a day I often eat it with a spoon.

29. Rating: +0

    

    My husband would like to know how to make foie gras butter. He has the butter and the foie gras, but wants to know if he just whips them together or has to cook the foie gras first? It's to serve with venison.

    Garret Schack, Executive Chef at Vista 18 in Chateau Victoria responded:

    Well you absolutely must cook the foie gras. I would suggest first making sure there are no veins running through your piece of foie. If there are clean them out delicately with a pairing knife being careful not to remove any extra of the good stuff. Cut the foie into manageable chunks. Maybe half an inch thick. Sear over medium heat for about 2 minutes on each side. Fat will render into the pan strain and reserve for later. Place the cooked foie on a towel to drain and allow to cool completely.

    Using room temp butter either in a food processor or a mixing bowl combine your cooked and cool foie gras and pulse until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper . I like to add the rendered fat during the mixing but you could save for your toast in the morning too.
    Ratios I would use are 8 Tablespoons butter for every 1/2 pound of foie gras.

    Roll into a log using wax paper then refrigerate until needed. Cut rounds and serve. It will last in fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for much longer.

    Matt Rissling, Executive Chef at Marina Restaurant replied:

    It makes a difference what form the liver is in. If it's a whole lobe, it needs to be cleaned (deveined) and should be cured first with a herb salt mix. It should also be cooked. If it's a jarred or canned product that's already been cooked and cleaned then go ahead and just mix.

    The raw foie should be poached gently in sauterne with a little bit of seasoning.

30. Rating: +0

    

    I had a wonderful soup at Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe today - roasted red pepper soup, and would like the recipe please

    There is no recipe for that. It came out of chef berenice's head. I have emailed her and asked her to let us know what she did as much as possible and will post it on the blog in the next day or two. I am really glad you enjoyed the soup.

31. Rating: +0

    

    Hello, We come to Salt Spring as often as possible. Those trips always include a few trips to the Rock Salt. We love it! My son and I have become hooked on your texicana naan sandwich with chicken. We actually crave it when we are off Island! Any chance you would consider giving these 2 Albertan's the recipe to hold us over until our next visit? Thank you for the great meals!!!

    Sorry it took me so long to reply to this post. Life intervened. I am going to have the recipes up within the hour. You need to start with naan bread, load one half with monteray jack and cheddar cheese, roasted garlic aioli (recipe will be posted) avocado, tomato, red onion and grilled chicken. Then grill until everything is warm and gooey. Have fun in Alberta.

32. Rating: +0

    

    Hello Chef, Having enjoyed two delicious meals at the Rocksalt last weekend,have downloaded the asian salad recipe to try at home, would like to request the recipe for the wonderful lime pie - it was excellent!!!, thank-you, ellen

    I am so glad that you enjoyed your time at Rock Salt! I am going to post the lime pie recipe in about 20 minutes from now. The asian slaw is already there. You can look under recipes or use the search function. Cheers, Jill

33. Rating: +0

    

    I am looking at buying a new 90-120" pizza prep. table? Do you think that it is better to get one bigger one or to buy two smaller ones? Where is the best place to buy one, Russel Foods or on line from some place in the US? I have seen some really good prices on stuff down there but know that there are some problems with warranties. Thanks. Jeff

    Hi Jeff,

    I have put your question to our chefs and will get back to you with an answer as soon as I can. A few days later now I have answers from many of our chefs.

    Matt Rissling, Executive Chef Marina Restaurant says:
    I assume the question is regarding a 10 foot prep cooler, aka sandwich fridge, 'front breather' and not just a 10 foot stainless steel table. I've never seen one that big and didn't know you could buy them so long! Seems to me buying local is the way to go especially if you are going to spend 7 or 8 grand on a piece of equipment. So, my advice is to spend the few extra dollars and buy local because when it comes time to get some warranty work done it will be that much easier. And we all know coolers need work, lots and lots of work.

    Buying two smaller coolers is probably less expensive, and can act as kind of a redundant system. If your 10 foot cooler dies (and it will) you are totally hooped. If you have two five foot coolers and one dies, at least you can still operate while the other one gets repaired. Also, although I like Russell foods just fine but don't get stuck on them. Sysco and GFS can both help you out, as can a number of other places around town. Certainly it pays to shop around, find a good sales rep and most importantly find a good refrigeration guy!

    Bob Parotta, General Manager at Butchart Gardens says:

    As someone who has purchased many of these in the past I agree with Matt. Go for two units for all the reasons he listed and more. Biggest reason though is energy savings!. First there are going to be times where you will not need to run such a big fridge and can operate with just one for a period and second, even while operating both, you will be using less energy. Having two fridges side by side will also make for easier weekly cleaning.

    Peter DeBruyn, Executive Chef, Strathcona Hotel says:

    I actually had a chat with Jeff Hurry about this issue already and he suggested the 2 tables. Purchasing 2 tables is in my opinion the better option. Shopping around from Sysco, Russell’s and GFS is the correct thing to do. I agree with buying local, but there are some great options out of the States that may actually have some better energy rating then our equipment in Canada. I know that Russell’s fabricates most of their equipment in Winnipeg which makes it Canadian, which is great. If the operator has limited cash flow, then simply try to get the best deal possible, get some quotes and have some conversations with the sales people to bring the price down. I would also look at some used equipment, as many restaurants, (unfortunately) go under in Victoria, there may be opportunity to pick up some units at a good price. I purchased a few salad fridges a couple of years ago for just over 1K each, which was a great deal.

    Regarding US purchases for restaurant equipment, I would not. If you are looking for a used unit, there are many places in Vancouver. New, I also recommend the big guys, Sysco and GFS.

34. Rating: +0

    

    Hi, I absolutely adore your Callebaut Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares at Rock Salt Restaurant. Recipe Please? Kate

    The recipe for these is already up there. Use the search or look under recipes and desserts. You probably asked for them already Kate. I will bring some tomorrow night. Is this a hint? Big Hug.

35. Rating: +0

    

    Hi Jill I heard you on C Fax this morning & I would like the recipe for your gypsy soap, would appreciate it, thanks Shirley

    Jill from Rock Salt Restaurant here. I have posted the recipe for the gypsy soup. Enjoy it and I hope to see you in the restaurant one day.

36. Rating: +0

    

    I was at the Rock Salt for breakfast yesterday and my friends and I are in love with your jam. We've got a wager going as to what secret delicious ingredients make it so wonderful. Could you send us the recipe so we can see how our taste buds guesses did? We guess VANILLA and some kind of citrus (orange? lemon?) in addition to the yummy red and dark berries. Thank you!

    The recipe is posted. People request this recipe all the time and always think it is more complicated then it is. It is really dead simple. Enjoy!

37. Rating: +0

    

    last year i was buying some great veg. from farmer dave...but this winter it ended, i have ment to give him a call but just have not gotten around to it....do you all know other farmers that sell to rest. Any help would be great...thanks jeff

    Peter DeBruyn, Executive Chef, Strathcona Hotel recommends Adam Gold, Owner of Salt Spring Sprouts and Exotic Mushrooms.
    ph: 250-537-9129, adam-gold@mail.com.

    Ryan Vantreight, General Manager of Vantreight Farms says:
    Our farm does, however we have had to start a waiting list due to volume and crop planning availabilities. As our season moves forward we will be able to supply more restaurants with more product. We do not deliver to Salt Spring at this time.
    If anyone would like more information I can put you in touch with my Sales Manager, Kirk Walters. Office (250) 652-7777.

    Matt Rissling, Executive Chef, Marina Restaurant says:
    Are you looking for a supplier on Salt Spring? I don't have any contacts over there, but I can offer a few leads for year-round product in Victoria if interested.

    On that note, one of my suppliers is looking for another largeish client. His name is Gavin Hansen and he produces the best salad greens, herb garnish, edible flowers all year round. In season he also supplies nettles, braising mix, etc. Good guy all around, one man operation. If you are interested or know anyone who is, let me know! He delivers!

38. Rating: +0

    

    Took chicken out of fridge (about 37 degrees) and put it in a cooler and traveled from Vancouver to Kelowna - 4.5 hrs with it in cooler - no extra ice of cooling was on it. Is it safe?

    I am pretty sure that unless this cooler was being transported in a refrigerated truck, the bird is toast.

39. Rating: +0

    

    We had a Corn Meal Muffin at the Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe on Salt Spring Island while we were waiting for the ferry a few months ago. Would you be so kind as to post your recipe? I have been trying various recipes from the internet, but none of them are as good as yours. Thanks so much, Dawne

    Jill from Rock Salt Restaurant here. I am so glad you enjoyed the muffins Dawn. I have posted the recipe under desserts and under quick breads. Happy baking and please let us know if it turns out as you remembered.

40. Rating: +0

    

    We had an Indonesian soup today at the Rock Salt Restaurant. It was delicious. It had coconut milk, peanuts, squash and orange. It was so delicious. Could we please have the recipe. Thank you. Linda

    I am glad you enjoyed it. I had some as well and it was good. We've been serving this soup for years. It is a staff favourite. I think the original recipe (modified many times over the years) came from the Moosewood cookbook. That cookbook was our bible in the first years of the Tree House. I will have the recipe posted by the end of today. Happy cooking.

41. Rating: +0

    

    I ate the potato and roasted garlic soup at Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe last week and it was delicious. I am curious to how you make it ?

    Be curious no longer. I will post the recipe very shortly. Enjoy.

42. Rating: +0

    

    Nobody's date squares taste like those the Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe on Salt Spring sells!! Would you share your recipe? Thanks. A big fan - previously of Salt Spring; now resident in Victoria

    I have posted the recipe. Thanks for the compliment on the date squares. This recipe was originally brought to us by our first pastry chef Alan Miceli. Enjoy!

43. Rating: +0

    

    Hi we had the squash and peanut soup the other day at Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe on Salt Spring Island and it was fantastic. Can you provide the recipe? It was so much better because the squash was not pureed.

    Hi Kat, Jill owner of Rock Salt Restaurant here. That recipe is often requested so it is already posted. Look under soup and it is called Indonesian yam soup. This highlights the fact that this recipe is just as good with yams as it is with squash. Enjoy.

44. Rating: +0

    

    My husband and I went to the Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe on Salt Spring Island about a month ago and ate the best Tsatsiki sauce ever. Any chance we could get the recipe? It was also a very enjoyable total meal experience. Thank you, Claire Dubois

    Hey Claire! I am so glad that you enjoyed your meal at Rock Salt. I love that Tzatziki recipe - how do you spell that word anyway? Everytime I see it is spelled differently. I will happily share the recipe as always. I will post it by the end of the day today. The great thing about this recipe is that is is low fat and healthy and so great for dipping vegetables in. Cheers, Jill

45. Rating: +0

    

    Hi just picked up a breakfast burrito on my way out the door the other day at Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe on Salt Spring Island, and it was amazing! Would you be willing to share that recipe? Thanks, Karen

    Of course that is the point of this website after all. I have posted the recipe for our burritos on the site. It is called not your average burrito.

46. Rating: +1

    

    Why are there so many questions for the Rock Salt restaurant and I do not see their name under "our places" but do see a click through ad?

    I am Jill Thomas, editor of the blog and owner of Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe. We advertise that we share recipes on our menus so people ask for them more often. Hopefully some of the other participating restaurants will do the same in the future. I didn't notice that we were not listed in our places which is kind of hilarious in a ridiculous way. I will fix that right now. You may request recipes from any of the chefs and we will happily reply. Cheers.

47. Rating: +0

    

    Hello, I'm from Nanaimo and was on Saltspring for the first time yesterday and tried out Rock Salt Restaurant. I was so amazed with the flavours and the fact that everything is made from local ingredients. It is about time there was a place to eat with healthier ingredients! I would love to know the recipe to the potato buns used in your burgers, they were incredible. I was also wondering about how to make the morning glory muffins - got to read the ingredients and they sounded amazing. Wish I could've tried everything on the menu, the food was that good!

    I am so glad you enjoyed your experience and food at my restaurant. I will happily post those recipes today. Cheers, Jill

48. Rating: +0

    

    I was at Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe on Salt Spring Island at the beginning of July and got the last bowl of a roasted corn chowder which was on a daily special list. It was delicious. Was hoping to find the recipe on this site, perhaps it could be added?

    Your wish is our command. I just added it. It is actually called Sweet Thai Corn Chowder. I originally found the recipe in the original Moosewood Cookbook years and years ago - a couple of decades now. The soup recipes in that book are the best I've ever found and we still use so many of them in the restaurant. Enjoy the soup and let me know how it turns out. Cheers, Jill

49. Rating: +0

    

    Hi there, I love your breakfasts at Rock Salt Restaurant and I was wondering if you would be willing to share the recipe for the black beans you make? They are the best! Ana

    Glad you liked them Anna. They are already shared. You can find the recipe under healthy in our recipe sections. The recipe is called 'not your average burrito'. Those are the beans in our burritos as well as the ones we serve with the breakfasts. Enjoy!

50. Rating: +0

    

    Had the tomato basil soup today at the Rock Salt Restaurant and we all loved it. Could you please post the recipe? Thanks Jill

    Sure I will do that today. Glad you enjoyed it. The great thing about this soup is we make it when we are rushed and running out of soup because it is so easy and fast. One summer I had to ban it because we were so busy the cooks made it every day. Enjoy!

51. Rating: +0

    

    How do you make your spicy exotic pureed soup at Rock Salt Restaurant?

    Hmmmmmmm......that is a hard one because we have so many. You might mean the Indonesian Squash Soup which is already posted under soup recipes. People request the recipe for that all that time. If that isn't it give me some more hints and I will work it out for you.

52. Rating: +0

    

    Where can I buy porcini mushrooms in the Cowichan valley? Hilary Duncan

    Our chefs only know where you can buy dried porcini mushrooms. Cory Pelan, Chef/Owner of La Piola Restaurant in Victoria says you can buy them at the Duncan Community Farm Store, Hillary's Cheese and at Deerholme Farm. Check out this website http://www.onehundredmilewildfoods.com/Reviews.html. Matt Rissling, Executive Chef at the Marina Restaurant says to check out Eric Whitehead and Untamed Feast. Bob Parotta, Director of Operations at Butchart Gardens says you can buy them at Maria's Deli on Shelbourn Street in Victoria. Good luck and feel free to ask again if you want more information.

53. Rating: +0

    

    Can I have the recipe for the shakshuka from the Rock Salt Restaurant in Fulford Harbour on Salt Spring Island.

    I just posted the recipe for our tomato sauce which is the base for the shakshuka. To build it put tomato sauce in an oven proof bowl. Then soft poach eggs and place on top of the sauce. Then top eggs with crumbled feta. Put into the hot oven for 10 minutes until cheese softens and browns. Then garnish with guacamole and juliened fresh basil.

54. Rating: +0

    

    I had a most delicious spinach salad with warm yam squares at Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe on Salt Spring Island. It had a dressing that contained honey, lemon juice, olive oil and mint. I would be oh, so pleased, if you would share the proportions with me. Thanks from Nansea in Seattle

    Wow good taste buds. You got all the ingredients! This recipe is requested a lot so you will find it already posted under recipes and then under sauces on this blog. There are two lemon vinaigrette recipes posted. Once is from Garret Schack, Executive Chef at Vista 18. It has thyme in it and ours has mint. They are both great. Enjoy.

55. Rating: +0

    

    Hi, I'm from Quesnel BC and was just on Salt Spring Island. I ate at the Rock Salt Restaurant and had the carrot soup. It was the best. I was wondering if you could share the recipe with me. Also the recipe for the Yam and Apple soup. Thank You

    I posted the apple yam recipe. There is no recipe for the carrot soup. It just emerged like magic from chef Berenice's brain. I will ask her to jot down what she things she did and post it later this week. I am so glad you enjoyed your experience on Salt Spring and at Rock Salt. Hope you visit again. Cheers, Jill

56. Rating: +0

    

    Hi from Vancouver. We ate at the Rock Salt about a week ago and the Mexican Enchiladas were out of this world - and it was served with a Chili that had so many special flavours. Together they made an unforgettable combination. Is it possible to get the recipes for these two wonderful dishes? Thanks! Lynne

    Hi Lynne, Thanks for your question. The enchilada recipes are not written down. I will ask chef Berenice to try and write down the recipe and put it up next week. The recipe for the chili is already on the blog under recipes and then soups, stew and chilli. We have been making that for years and years. The recipe was originally created by the first owner of the Tree House Cafe for her boyfriend. Enjoy. Let me know how it turns out if you make it. Cheers, Jill

57. Rating: +0

    

    What do they mean by "butter poaching". Is it literally melting butter and sticking a lobster in it? Would you stick in the whole thing, or try to get the meat out first? If you were to butter poach with the shell on, wouldn't you need a truck load of butter? Thanks so much. Love the site!!

    Matt Rissling from the Marina Restaurant says: Butter poaching means just that, cooked in gently bubbling butter. If I was feeling decadent - like having lobster - I would poach it in pure butter, using the smallest pan that I could. A couple bay leaves, sprigs of thyme, peppercorns, garlic cloves, tobasco, going very easy on the salt. If using salted butter, none should be added. Let that simmer for a few minutes to infuse then gently cook your lobster or shrimp. This butter is not to be discarded after use, but rather strained and cooled to be used again for sauteing potatoes, onions, mussels, prawns, eggs or as a dip for shellfish.

    The butter could be browned further and used in a vinaigrette for a seafood salad, or drizzled on fish. Your standard 3:1 oil:vinegar ratio would still apply, but half of the 'oil' would be brown butter, the other half a neutral oil like canola or grapeseed. Balsamic or sherry vinegar are best here, with a touch of honey and some fresh herbs for seasoning.

    It would be good, but not much more economical, to use butter and white wine to poach, perhaps fifty fifty. For a leaner, more economical approach you could certainly use a mixture of butter and milk. I would be inclined to go all out and use straight butter, knowing that I would have a couple of pounds of delicious shellfish-infused butter to be used for other purposes. Not a bad by-product!!

    The same method can be used to poach with milk - the same seasonings. Milk poaching is particularly delicious with smoked fish, like smoked sablefish from Finest At Sea.

    Garratt Schack the Executive Chef at Vista 18 says: It's exactly as it sounds instead of using water or a court bouillon you replace it with butter. I would not suggested poaching the lobster with the shell on. The idea behind butter poaching is to add richness to whatever you may be cooking like halibut crab lobster or prawns. Too many inedibles left over when you leave the shell intact that would just waste your butter. I would also suggest using clarified butter, using salted butter for this is just fine just don't add any extra salt afterwards. Be careful not to over cook the meat it will cook quicker than you think and keep the heat on medium. Clarified butter has a much higher smoking point which will leave you with a tasty butter to drizzle over popcorn or to fry croutons in for a Caesar salad. I hope this helps.

58. Rating: +0

    

    We recently visited Rock Salt Restaurant on the first day of our vacation which meant we had to squeeze in another visit before we left. I would love the huaraches recipe. It was wonderful.

    I finally posted it. Sorry for the delay and if you are ever coming to Salt Spring again let me know and we will make them for you again.

59. Rating: +0

    

    How do you make Rock Salt Restaurant on Salt Spring Island's delicious asian slaw! I dream about it...It is soooo goood.

    Thanks for the sweet compliment. People request that recipe all the time so it is already posted. Just go to the website http://www.islandchef.ca and search for asian slaw. Enjoy!

60. Rating: +0

    

    I have all these seafood shells in the freezer waiting to be made into shellfish stock. Can I freeze the stock after making it given the shells were frozen to begin with?

    Garrett Schack, Executive Chef at Vista 18 restaurant in the Chateau Victoria says: Freezing the stock will be no problem. Just remember to leave room for expansion as it freezes.

    Matt Rissling, Executive Chef at the Marina Restaurant says: Certainly freeze the stock and reduce it down as far as you can do save space. You can always add water back to it. Nice to see the shells being saved!

61. Rating: +0

    

    Hello! I'd like to know what are good substitutes to replace eggs in baking. Thanks so much! Jenny

    Bill Jones, Chef/Proprietor of Deerholme Farm says:

    Depends on the type of baking. For many applications you can sub 1 banana for the egg in the recipe. You can also add a half teaspoon of baking powder to make it fluffier. Egg has many uses: as a binder, moisture additive and fat source and flavour enhancer. The more eggs the recipe has, the more difficult it is to replace.

    In general you could substitute:
    2 Tbsp fruit (banana, apple, dates are great)
    1 tsp     baking soda
    1 tsp     oil

    For each egg and have a pretty good result for baking

    There are commercial egg substitutes on the market, one Seattle based company is called Ener-G egg replacement and is available in some health food stores or through the web.

    Brock Windsor says this:
    Flax seed meal is very useful to vegans as a

    replacement for eggs in baked goods recipes. You can use a water/flax seed meal mixture instead of an egg in recipes, such as pancakes, muffins and cookies.
    One-egg substitute formula:
    15 mL (1 Tbsp.) Flax seed meal (ground flax seeds)
    45 mL (3 Tbsp.) Water

    Instructions:
    Mix the flax seed meal and water in a small bowl. Let the mixture sit for two to three minutes to thicken it, before adding it to the recipe.

62. Rating: +2

    

    What is a good way to introduce or get a 9 yr old to start eating vegetables other than peas and corn once in a while? When he was a baby/toddle, he would eat anything, now he gags on anything he doesn't want to try. It is VERY frustrating and unhealthy.

    Chef Cory Pelan says:
    I've had good results with roasted vegetables, especially winter vegetables. They are sweet to begin with and roasting will caramelize them and bring out even more of their natural sweetness. Try carrots, parsnips, squash, celery root and broccoli (a particular favorite of my daughters). Another vegetable breakthrough for my daughter was kale. Specifically Lacinato or black kale. I made kale chips for her one evening as a snack before dinner and now I can't feed her enough. In fact, I just got home after shopping for tonight's dinner ingredients with her and we hit three different stores looking for said kale. The oven is pre heating as we speak.

    For the chips simply remove the center rib from the kale, toss in olive oil and some sea salt and bake in a 400F oven for a few minutes. This can take as little as two or three minutes depending on how hot your oven is. Check and turn the kale frequently as well as rotating the pan to ensure even crisping. The result is amazing. Crisp, sweet and super healthy. Please buy local kale as it is easily available right now and simply better in every way.

    Brad Boiservert, Chef/Owner of Amuse Bistro says:
    If you get them involved in growing the vegetables they will eat them. If you can not grow your own take them to a near by farm. You will also find kids love raw vegetable. All these have worked on my nine year old.

    Chef Matt Rissling, Marina Restaurant says:

    We always imposed a two bite rule, aka a "no thank you bite," and the kids had to try the food at least five times before we'd find an alternate. We were also careful not to cater to our kids whims and they ate what we ate. This goes for the adults too! My wife doesn't care for cooked spinach, but my kids love it so sometimes my wife has to eat an apple or something after dinner if she chooses not to have her "no thank you bite". Ha. When I'm home I do the cooking, so this rarely applies to me. Lots of parents I know often cook two meals, one for them and one for the kids - this just serves to perpetuate the problem.

    I think it's important to cook your vegetables properly. Many of us grew up with parents who cooked the life out of everything, so it's no wonder we grew up not liking spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc. Cook vegetables, especially green ones, with a light touch and don't forget to season your food. A little butter or olive oil, salt and pepper, go a long way to making things taste better. I'm not suggesting you drown everything in cheese sauce, but kids like things that taste good too, and it's easy to see why they wouldn't want a plate of overcooked, grey mushy spinach. Would you?

    Start slow - cheat!! Sneak the onion and carrot into rice pilaf, slip a turnip or parsnip into your mashed potato, it's easy to hide veggies in a stir fry. Put fresh spinach or zucchini into your pasta sauce. Roasted squash risotto (ask a chef for the recipe!) is an easy meal. Later on you can separate out the veggies in question and see how you fair. Roasted turnip or parsnip with olive oil, salt and pepper are delicious on their own. Caramelized onion on a hamburger is great, or with perogies and sausages - next time your kid tells you they hate onion you can smugly remind them of how they loved them last week. Parents love smug!

    Patience is going to be important here I think, start slow but stick with it and don't give up. Maybe you will only get your kids to eat a couple of new things, but that's a big step. Sadly, many of us just don't appreciate how good vegetables can be until later in life, when your "taste bugs" change. As a kid there were so many things I wouldn't eat, and simply put I just went without.

    Start a garden - anything. Kids' involvement in growing their food has proven to be a good motivator. My son loves the cucumber that he grows every year, and my daughter loves her tomatoes.

    We've grown kale for many years now, and both my kids love it. Again, a light touch is key. Boiled, gray, bland kale just plain sucks. Quickly blanched, on the grill with some olive oil, salt, pepper and sherry vinegar is a crowd pleaser - adults too! Braised in a little chicken stock with some garlic - they love it.

    It's important not to play into the stereotypes of what kids "don't like". broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussels, etc. These are seen as things that kids "don't like" for some reason, but "ask a chef" for some recipes and I bet you get at least one hit.

    Garratt Schack, Executive Chef Vista 18 says:

    I think most braising greens work well as flavour conductor as long as you cook them with some thing you know they like. My kids love salt! so I chop up swiss chard stem and all and sautee it with garlic and then add chicken stock and soy sauce ( we use "braggs" ) they eat it up. if they like sweet, spaghetti squash can be a big hit, a little brown sugar, cinnamon and butter before serving makes it taste great and challenge them to "twirl"it up like real spaghetti.

    The secert is to keep putting it on the table and make sure your eating it too! Don't force it but my kids have to try one bite and if they don't like it its ok we'll try it again next wekk and the next until something clicks.
    Have you tried getting him or her to help with the process peeling carrots or washing greens. That can help too. Good luck!

63. Rating: +0

    

    Friends have invited us over for a Thai soup dinner -- which wine should we bring, to go with the meal?

    Peter De Bruyn, Executive Chef at Strathcona Hotel says:
    I am a big fan of fruit wines with Thai food. The most notably being the Kiwi fruit wine from Marley Farms.
    http://www.marleyfarm.ca/fruit.php

    Jonathon Pulker says: I'd say beer, or "bia" as they call it in Thailand. Light, rice malt beer, like Singha with ice cubes, that is what you would drink with it if you were in Thailand.

    David Mincey, Chef Owner of Camille's Restaurant says: I'd go with beer as well, but if you must drink wine the key question to ask your hosts is "how spicy will the soup be?" If it's anything above "mild" definitely go with a light, low alcohol beer. If it is not going to be too spicy you could drink wine as long as you watch the alcohol level. The heat from the chilies, plus the intense flavours of ginger, lemongrass, galalgal, etc. play havoc with the alcohol in wine. Red wines tend to be higher alcohol then whites so avoid them especially. Best wine bets are a riesling from Germany (something from the Mosel Valley would be ideal) or a light sparkling wine from Asti in northwestern Italy. Both of these wines will be low in alcohol and have a bit of sweetness from residual sugar - also not a bad thing with Asian foods. You should be able to find something decent in either category for well under $20. This is not the event to splurge and drop a ton of money on an expensive bottle.

64. Rating: +0

    

    I heard that saffron is good for preventing cancer. What can I do with and where are some of the best places to buy it?

    From Bill Jones, Blog Editor and Chef/Proprietor of Deerholme Farm

    One of my least favorite ingredients. I don't like the taste. Some thing about the "medicinal" aspect does not appeal to me. There are very few foods I don't like. This and dill are on the only two I can think of. It is also on my list of over rated and expensive. I do like the colour - but I can get the same results from tumeric or paprika.

    Good uses are:

    - saffron rice or risotto
    - pureed corn and saffron sauce ( good for chicken or fish)
    - yoghurt and saffron marinated chicken

    If you would like some specific recipes please feel free to ask a chef again.

    Available in specialty food stores, look for deep orange-red, long strands for the best quality. Locally I've seen quality product at:
    - Otavio Bakery (Victoria)
    - Cowichan Bay Seafood (Cowichan Bay)
    - McLeans Foods (Nanaimo)

    David Woods, Foodie & Owner of Salt Spring Island Cheese disagrees with Bill and says:

    Strange that it should be one of Bill's least favourite ingredients yet he knows three good ways to use it. It is one of the things I like best, and I only ever use it one way - in risotto. I will eat risotto without saffron, but it always seems to me to be a pale shadow of what it could be if only it had saffron in it. You need to have enough saffron so that you have a good rich orange colour in the stock. There is no point in skimping on an expensive ingredient and compromising the finished dish - bite the bullet and go for the whole hog.

    The best saffron comes from La Mancha in Spain (where Manchego comes from), hot summers and cold winters. It is one of those interesting crops which (at least not so long ago) was not part of their regular income for the farmers and labourers. It was a freelance activity (the crocuses were probably wild anyway) and was gathered, dried over wood fires and stored away against the day when the family needed money for a dowry or wedding, when they would bring it down and sell it to itinerant saffron buyers. The picture may well be different now; along with everything else in the universe. Its production has probably been commercialized. The best quality saffron goes to the Arab world where it is highly prized, and besides they can afford it.

    I have bought Kashmiri saffron in India, much cheaper but still expensive enough. I gave it to a family I was staying with, and they, I thought extravagantly, used it all in a goat curry. I could not tell that it was in there. This may be partly due to its less intense flavour, but more likely to the other spices in the curry. Is saffron a herb or a spice? But it must have contributed to the overall complexity of the dish, which was without a doubt the best curry I have ever eaten; the setting didn't hurt either.

    Which brings up the question: when you use a really expensive ingredient, like truffles or saffron or caviar, does it have to stand alone? Normally I would answer Yes, if you are going to spend a lot of money on something, you should really know you are eating it. But remembering the goat curry, I am not so sure; perhaps the nobility of a great ingredient enables it also to take the lesser part and not always take full credit.

65. Rating: +0

    

    Where is the best place to purchase fresh crab?

    Crab is an easy one, if you are looking for dungeness in Victoria. Tim Webster (Hi-Gear Seafoods), Dock #6, Fisherman's Wharf, James Bay. Fri/Sat/Sun 10:30 - 4:30 I think.

    Tim supplies Finest At Sea and Thrifty Foods, but you are better off buying direct from the boat if you can. If you're cooking at home, you'll be happy with the #2 grade. They might be missing a leg, but will save you a couple of dollars.

    Satellite Seafoods out in Sidney (2250 Beacon Ave, Sidney on the water) is also excellent for more than just crab. Tell Kim I said hi! :)

    Both of these guys are solid.

66. Rating: +0

    

    Is it possible to make good soup in a single day? Mine always tastes watery unless I leave it overnight. What's the secret? (I'd really love an answer from Amuse Bistro or Stone Soup Inn, if possible -- two of my FAVOURITE chefs!)-Heather

    Brad Boisvert, Chef/Proprietor Amuse Bistro says:
    Depending on the soup, but yes you can make a soup in the same day. I suggest using stock instead of water so you are already ahead of the game flavour wise. If you do not have stock then make sure to really sweat your vegetable down to get a lot of flavour out of them. Flavour building and layers is very important in soup. Use things like vinegar, and lemon to bring out flavour helps as well. Again depending on the soup, let the soup simmer for a few hours on low and slow as the flavour develops. I real like to finish my soups with a touch of ver jus from Venturi Shulze and a pinch of smoked sea salt from The Vancouver Island Salt company.

    Brock Windsor, Chef/Proprietor of the Stone Soup Inn says:
    I love soups. Use a bit more salt than you would on the first day, it mellows into the solid ingredients overnight for the leftovers. I agree with Brad that stocks help a lot on day one if you have them and that slow sweating of the mire poix helps also. Try a touch of miso in almost any soup for a rich, meaty yet relatively neutral flavour.

    Chef Matt Horn says:
    It is totally possible to make a great soup in just one day. Depending on the colour of the soup it is a little easier. White soups are a little harder because you can't get as much flavour out of the vegetables with sweating them. Darker soups you can roast the vegetables to get as much flavour as possible out of them. When making the lighter soups the quality of the vegetables is where you are really going to see the difference in the end product. Key thing to remember is that it is always easier to thin a thick flavourful soup then it is to thicken a thin watery soup.

    Fatima da Silva, Owner Bistro 161 says:
    Do not put hot water or stock in your soup, try sweating your ingredients and always add cold liquids so as they simmer they will release the flavour into the broth.

67. Rating: +0

    

    I am having a difficult time being dairy free and replacing those ingredients in a dessert that will turn out "tasty". Do you have any suggestions for a dessert or a dairy replacement?

    Thanks for your question. The chefs seemed to be a wee bit stumped. Most chefs are dedicated dairy enthusiasts. If you would like us to expand or provide detailed recipes for any of the suggested ideas then please do not hesitate to ask a chef again.

    Matt Rissling, Executive Chef, Marina Restaurant says:
    There are lots and lots of soy options available at most grocery stores and certainly at health food shops. In my opinion there is not any replacement for good old fashioned dairy, so "tasty" it will be a matter of opinion. :)

    Bill Jones, Chef/Proprietor Deerholme Farm says:
    Other than the obvious soy and rice milk, I have had great results with coconut milk and coco butter as a dairy replacement - although you have to like the taste of coconut. If you like coconut and want a specific recipe then feel free to ask a chef again.

    Brock Windsor, Chef/Owner of Stone Soup Inn says:
    Maybe dig up a recipe for (local) raw hazelnut milk or almond milk, it's easy, healthy, a bit expensive, and with a touch of honey and vanilla can be tasty. I think you only have to soak, puree the next day, push through a fine sieve and flavour. If you want help with this please feel free to ask a chef again anytime.

    David Wood, Owner of Salt Spring Cheese says:
    Do you mean by "dairy-free" no cows' milk products, or does that include milk from any source? There are lots of goat milk products that make great desserts, and I can help there. If you mean no milk products at all, then I am not the one to answer. Let me know if you would like some goat milk recipes.

68. Rating: +1

    

    Cory, I just telphone to make a reservation at Piola - where are you ?????????? jacques and colette

69. Rating: +1

    

    Dear Jill, It's my birthday trip to the island to visit some long-time friends. My wife took me out for dinner to Rock Salt Restaurant on Salt Spring Island which my friend said had the best burgers ever. That is not something that should be thrown around lightly. So, we had to investigate in order to scold my friend for blasphemy against the sacred burger. So, she wasn't exaggerating it turns out. My wife was food-stoned (which I am usually berated for). My wife likes my cooking (the reason she married me to be more precise) but the look on her face after one bite of her burger was more exhilarating than anything of mine she has tried. You can't imagine my delight when I told our amazing server when I was told that I would NOT have to work for free at Salt Rock for 6 months if I could get the burger recipe. She said "Ohhh, you don't have to. You just need to ask her for it. So her I am typing this email from our bed at a B&B eating the chocolate mousse. Please for the sake of all that is good and holy, can you send me the recipe for the sauteed onion, mushroom, bacon and cheddar burger! Please! A devout new fan!

    Thanks that is one of the nicest comments ever. The burger recipe is posted. If you want recipes for the toppings just ask a chef again. The key really is good toppings and good ingredients. Keep the burger simple. Use good ground beef and if you can grill it over a flame rather then in a pan. Enjoy!

70. Rating: +0

    

    Can you recommend an appetizer using pickled herring? I am trying to incorporate more seafood into my diet

    Here is what our chefs had to say. If you would like Fatima's recipe for potato green bean salad with dill dressing just ask a chef again! Enjoy.

    Peter De Bruyn, Executive Chef at Strathcona Hotel says:
    I find pickled herring is such a unique flavor that people who like it, generally eat it on it’s own. My Oma from Germany used to eat picked herring with dinner around Christmas time. The dinner table would have cold cuts, potato salad (German style), rye bread, mustard, pickles and pickled herring.

    Matt Rissling, Executive Chef at the Marina Restaurant says:
    Unique flavour. Well put Peter. My Norwegian and German grandparents used to eat rollmops, although I am not sure of their origin. Northern Europeans love their pickled fish.
    These are pickled herring wrapped around pickled onions I think. I've never used them before so don't have much to offer. I wonder how they would fare in a green olive tapenade?

    Chef Cory Pelan says:
    You could try making your own roll mops. Buy herring fillets and roll them around various ingredients and hold together with a toothpick. Use pickled cucumbers, onions, olives, jalapenos, garlic, sweet bell peppers, artichokes. Serve with sharp cheeses, cured meats, rye bread, assorted mustard's and lemony mayonnaise. I'm a huge fan of almost anything pickled and have even tried making my own pickled sardines with some success. Think ceviche but with vinegar and a lot more time. My Swedish relatives always had pickled herring at Christmas time, a tradition I keep to this day. Often it's only me and my Dad eating it though. More for us!

    Fatima Da Silva, Chef Owner of Bistro 161 says:
    My Swedish, German, Dutch granny, hee hee hee from Mozambique has a few recipes for fresh or salted herrings, not much on the pickled ones. They are good with warm potato & green bean salad with fresh dill dressing.

    Chef Travis Hansen, Executive Chef at the Butchart Gardens says:
    I've had my fair share of pickled herring also and I actually have grown to like it. I have extensive family in Denmark so whenever we visit we get treated to proper Smorrebrod. My two favorite preparations for the herring would be mixed in with a light curry mayonnaise set atop a rye bread or to have it served straight up with Agurke Salat (picked cucumbers) and red onions. Make sure you have plenty if ice cold Akvavit to wash it all down. Look for the Agurke Salat (pickled cucumber recipe in the recipe section of this blog.

    Agurke Salat (Pickled Cucumber recipe)

    In a small pot bring 1 cup of white wine vinegar, 3 table spoons of white sugar and 1 table spoon of salt to a boil.

    Pour over paper thin slices of cucumber and let sit for at least 1 hour.

    Drain of the liquid and enjoy with pickled herring or other smorrebrod sandwiches.

71. Rating: +0

    

    We have been to Salt Spring Island twice in the past year (from Alberta now) and the Lamb Burger at the Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe is absolutely amazing. We have some friends that are huge lamb lovers but unfortunately will probably never get to Salt Spring and I would love to make it for them. Please send me the recipe. See you again in 2011!

    The recipe is now posted on the blog. Enjoy!

72. Rating: +0

    

    I was wondering what kind of mango chutney you use on the lamb burger you use at Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe.

    We make everything we serve from scratch, I mean everything, except our Thai green curry paste and our mango chutney. This is because both of these products are fresh, include good ingredients, do not have bad ingredients and taste better then what we could make ourselves. The mango chutney is called Sharwood's Mango Chutney and just in case you are wondering we use Mae Ploy green curry paste - which in my opinion is the best green curry paste ever. You see it in massive quantities customers scoop from barrels in markets in Thailand, but that is a different story all together.

73. Rating: +0

    

    Hello I love seafood or crab cakes and can't seem to find a recipe that is healthy, tastes great and stays together when I cook it. Can you help?

    Bill Jones just posted a recipe Thai Mushroom crab cakes for you to try. Let us know how it goes and if you have any more questions please don't hesitate to ask.

74. Rating: +0

    

    Hi. I love the chocolate cherry cake that Fey and Hobbs makes every Christmas. It is a dense Christmas cake with dried cherries and I believe possibly some liquor and some orange. Where could you get a recipe like that to make?

    Peter DeBruyn, Executive Chef at the Strathcona Hotel says:
    Honestly, the best place is probably the internet. When I need a recipe quickly, I usually look on the internet first. Epicurious.com is a great recipe site. I then like to manipulate the recipe depending on ingredients that I like or whatever flavor I wish. I have posted a cake recipe I found on the internet for you. Take a look in the recipes for chocolate cherry cake. I think it looks good. If you try it and want more advice just ask again.

    This is an internet search for the cake, and except for the ‘nestle’ ingredients, it looks ok to me.

    Sometimes finding a recipe can be very easy.

75. Rating: +0

    

    Hi, No matter whether it's beef or chicken soup bones, how well the bones are browned, or how many spices and vegetables I use I can't seem to make stock that has much flavour. What am I doing wrong?

    Matt Rissling, Executive Chef at the Marina Restaurant says:
    I have often been told that 4-6 hours is sufficient for making stock, but don't find that's nearly long enough. Double that amount and you will get somewhere. Roasting your bones well and then covering with cold water before simmering will help, as will the addition of a little salt to the end product. It's a good idea not to add salt until you are done, because the stock can become too salty through reduction if you are not careful.

    The standard vegetable component is celery, carrot and onion although there are variations on this depending on what the final use is going to be. Parsley, bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns should be used as well. I always peel my onions and carrots, and try not to use too many celery leaves as all of this can lead to bitter flavours in the finished product. Many people use the peels on purpose, as they supposedly add more colour, though I have never known this to be true.

    If making brown stock, I find that a small amount of acid (vinegar, lemon juice, verjus) added to the finished product brings out lots of flavour and balances out the sweetness that roasting sometimes brings.

    At work, we make a modified white veal stock (unroasted bones, but we roast the vegetables) and always give it two rounds of cooking. The bones are simmered overnight and then strained the next day. This is the veal stock. The bones are then covered with cold water again and allowed to simmer overnight, often with the addition of more aromatics. This is drained the next day (called a remouillage) and combined with the first stock and then used however we like, usually highly reduced. The first cooking brings out the flavour, the second finishes cooking the collagen into gelatin, giving the finished product more body and mouth feel.

    The key here I think is a longer cooking time, more fresh herbs, and a touch of salt at the end. One critical step that I did not mention was that the bones need to be blanched and rinsed, and rinsed well for a nice clear stock with less potential bitterness. After this process, cover with COLD water and continue as noted. Stock making is fundamental, and if it was so easy then everyone would do it. :)

    Brock Windsor, Chef/Owner Stone Soup Inn says:
    Reduce the stock slowly by half at least after finished carefully skimming, start with cold water and never bring past the barest simmer. Time wise I do fish-30min, poultry, rabbit, pork-5 hours, veal/beef 8 hours or more. Make sure poultry bones are chopped enough to not allow much space in between them in the pot. 1/2 mire poix, 1/2 bones, mire poix should be almost 1/2 onion. Sweat mire poix slowly if not roasting, avoid burned bits, even tiny ones. Stocks are a pillar of almost all cuisines and far trickier than it seems to make an awesome one. I'm still trying.

    Chef Cory Pelan says:
    The amount of water is very important as well. Add only enough water to just cover the bones. Chopping the bones a bit smaller (as Brock mentioned) will ensure you are using no more than necessary. Don't forget some herbs and spices either. With the exception of fish stock, I use fresh thyme, bay leaf, left over parsley stems and peppercorns. I like to tie them up in some cheese cloth so they can be removed easily. I agree with Brock about the times, after all, he taught me how to make stock properly in the first place.

76. Rating: +0

    

    We are going to cook pork lion for a dinner tomorrow night. I'm not sure whether or not everyone eats pork, so I'm trying to think of another meat choice that would complement the pork.

    Sorry. We had a email misfunction and missed your question. Usually we are much more prompt. Since it says tomorrow night I think it is too late. Hope your dinner party went well and if you ever have another question please don't hesitate. We will try to be more on top of it!

77. Rating: +0

    

    I'd like to prepare duck breasts for a holiday dinner. Can you give me a recipe and tell me where I can buy them? Hilary

    Bill Jones will post recipes by 3pm today for pan fried duck breast with cranberry mint lemon sauce. Here is what he says about where to buy duck breasts on Vancouver Island. Enjoy and let us know how it turns out!

    Locally the best consistent source for duck breast was from Cowichan Bay Farm. They have recently stopped production of duck (they may still have a few pieces in stock). This leaves the main commercial source of local duck breast from Fraser Valley Duck and Geese. They are usually available frozen and whole (try Thrifty's, Country Grocer or Fairways). I believe you can get fresh duck at Slater's Meats in Victoria. You could also try going to the Farmers Market and asking around for local producers. Other duck in the marketplace are coming in from Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.

    For the best value, you can break the duck down the whole duck and get 2 breasts, 2 duck legs for roasting or confit (great in pasta or braised dishes) and have the carcass left over to make a great stock.

78. Rating: +0

    

    Where can I buy specialty cake pans on Vancouver Island?

    Sorry for the delay in this response! Chef Heidi Fink says: Hi, you can buy specialty cake pans at Creating Occasions in Victoria and most kitchen stores have a selection of some nice bake ware. There is also a great new cooking specialty store at Blanshard and Johnson in the new Atrium building.

79. Rating: +0

    

    Bon jour! I am thinking that lamb shanks prepared in the method that Julia Child used to cook Coq au Vin might be nice. Of course I would braise the shanks for much longer than I would a Coq, but the sound of shanks braised in wine, cognac with button mushrooms and pearl onions sounds oh so appealing and sultry to me. Am I way off the mark or does this sound like a plausible switch? I will serve garlic mashed spuds, roasted root veg and fennel and blood orange salad as sides. Any advice? Thanks.

    Chef Heidi Fink Says:
    This sounds like a fabulous and drool-worthy menu. Subbing lamb for Coq in Coq au Vin should work fine, with the adjusted braising time you've suggested already. Let us know how the lamb shanks turn out!

    Garrett Schack, Executive Chef at Vista 18 says:
    The only concern I would have is that with the added cooking time you may find that the mushrooms and onions will loose there integrity.
    My suggestion would be to remove the caps and cook the stems in with the shanks to add the flavour. Puree the braisng liquid for your sauce, and add the sauteed caps and pearl onions once you've strained the sauce ! Love the idea and I'm sure it will be a hit.
    Bon appetite!

    Chef Bill Jones says:
    My only concern is that the lamb shank sounds so good no one will want the pork loin.

    In an off the board choice, what about a loin of local albacore tuna, seared on the outside. It would probably work with many of the seasonings you'd add with pork loin and it is really easy and fast to cook. Always a consideration when you are entertaining a group.

80. Rating: +0

    

    Looking for an artisan bread making class? Any ideas?

    Chef Heidi Fink suggested you try Foxglove Farm on Salt Spring Island as they have a great program up there and offer all kinds of courses ranging from mushroom foraging to gardening to bread making. Check their website: http://www.foxglovefarmbc.ca/programs/about-the-centre/. Heidi also recommended a great artisan bread series at Cook Culture with Brad Williams http://cookculture.com/cooking-school/class/3-part-introduction-artisan-breads-pastry-chef-brad-williams. And also French Mint offers course with Mark Sinclair, owner of the Back Home Bakery.

    Jill Thomas says there are a few great artisan bread makers on Salt Spring including Barb Slater (previous owner of an island institution called Barb's Buns) and Heather Campbell who is known on the island as the bread lady. They both teach bread making and if you cannot find a course in Victoria let me know and I will track down their phone numbers. They are listed. We did an article on Island Chef about Heather Campbell - if you do a search on the home page you will find it and her contact information is there as well.

81. Rating: +0

    

    I had a great hot and sour soup today at the Rock Salt Restaurant on Salt Spring island today. Any chance you could share the recipe? I have others but this one was a bit different and had tofu in it. Thanks Nicki "cheers" for the new year!!

    No problem Nicki. Glad you enjoyed it and I posted the recipe today. Look under the soups category. It is a bit different but dead easy to make. We've been making it for years but I think it originally came from one of the Moosewood cookbooks. Happy New Year to you as well.

82. Rating: +2

    

    Hi, Just back from a fabulous dinner at Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe on Salt Spring Island. The Beef Short Ribs in cinnamon & red wine curry we're absolutely to die for. Somebody has a way with ribs there! I would love to be able to try to make this at home in Seattle - take a piece of the island with me. Hoping you can post the recipe with tips on how to get them so tender. - Courtney from Seattle

    Hi Courtney,

    So glad you enjoyed your experience at Rock Salt. I have posted the recipe for you. The key to getting any ribs so so tender is to cook them in adequate sauce for a really really really really long time on a very low heat. Our regular ribs go in the oven at 250 degrees (soaking in beer) for as much as seven hours. If you want you can put them in before you go to bed and get them out in the morning. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. Cheers, Jill

83. Rating: +0

    

    In a newspaper article today, a chef was quoted as saying 'many chefs now employ sous vide techniques, not because it is a new chef's toy but because it is the best way to cook a dish.' What are 'sous vide techniques'?

    Berenice Balbuena and Rafael Flores, From Rock Salt Restaurant say:
    I really like this technique. Sous vide is vacuumed packed food cooked at a low stable temperature (usually simmering in water). This technique maintains the integrity of the nutrients and you don’t lose the moisture that you lose with other cooking techniques. The key is maintaining a stable water temperature. Some people say sous vide is the twenty-first century version of the bain-marie. The name sous vide means under vacuum.

    Garratt Schack, Executive Chef at Vista 18 says:
    Sous vide is an interesting cooking method. It's quite precise and does require some special equipment. It has many advantages. The idea behind it is that food is cooked under vacuum in sealed bags thus trapping all the natural juices and flavours that would otherwise be lost in conventional cooking methods.

    It also allows you to get exact and even cooking temperatures on meats. For example you could cook a loin of lamb sous vide to a perfect medium from one end to the other, while adding any flavour enhancements along with it like some port or fresh rosemary. The technique applies to vegetables as well once you have the time and temperature figured out its perfectly cooked produce every time.

    Personally I think it's more trouble than its worth, lots of expensive plastic in the garbage and more equipment cluttering the kitchen. I would rather use a good braising pot and a french steel pan any day!

    Chef Jonathon Pulker says:
    I agree with Garrett. A tonne of plastic in the garbage and for what? So you can have the novel experience of food cooked in a bag? If you want bagged foo try camping food.

    This technique involves two basic steps

    1) vacuum pack the food

    2) inmmerse the bag in water bath heated in the correct temperature. (inmersion circulator, combination of thermometer, heater & pump).

    The vacuum pack is not a new technique, comes from early 1970’s & some people says that was a biochemist, and some others says that was a chef who start to experiment with this technique, but the truth is that this technique has been part of the commercial food production since a long time ago, but now is used in fine-dining restaurants.

    If you want to learn more about this topic there are two really good books:

    Under pressure (cooking sous vide) from Thomas Keller

    And, if you can read Spanish: Cocina al Vacio from Joan Roca.

    They both explain really good this technique, and all the investigation and work that is behind this. It is not only vacuum pack and cook, there is lots of things involved.

84. Rating: +0

    

    How do you 'zip up' a pea soup? I used a ham bone, split green peas, carrots and onions. It was 'okay' but not really very tasty.

    Heather Walker, the fresh veggie snob and owner of Makaria farms says: I suspect the peas themselves make a difference. Our sugar snap peas are so amazing that I bet any soup made with them would be astonishing. On the other hand, not-fresh woody shelling peas grown in depleted soil would make any soup gross! Ditto for the rest of the veggies added (carrots, onions).

    Garrett Schack, Executive Chef of Vista 18 Restaurant says: The problem could be as simple as seasoning! We often err on the side of under seasoning soups! This doesn't mean add handfuls of salt but rather making sure that you add enough so that it enhances the dish and taste. You may also want to add some garlic during the sweating of your vegetables. You are part way there by using two of the three mire poix components, try dicing up some celery to tie together the aromatic vegetable base to almost any good soup or stock. I often use smoked ham hock if I'm making a split pea soup in which case there should be plenty of salt but the addition of a fresh bay leaf would add some earthy floral zip. Freshly ground white pepper or a few dashes of Tabasco for a little heat will do wonders as well. Again taste as you go adding a little salt at a time you can always add more but taking it away, well that's another topic altogether.

    Chef Cory Pelan says:
    For great pea soup use good quality ham such as our own Glenwood Meats product. Don't be stingy with it either, there should be a few pieces in every spoonful similar to a stew. I also saute bacon with my mirepoix for added flavour. If you've used enough ham and bacon there should be very little seasoning needed (cracked pepper only) as both products have considerable salt content. I simmer the soup for an hour or more so the ham is tender and almost falling apart, again, like a stew.

85. Rating: -1

    

    I am strongly considering entering into the culinary arts and I was wondering if you could tell me which school between North Island College and Vancouver Island College would be better or any pros and cons for either. I have been in the restaurant industry for 14 years as a server and sommelier and have always had a personal passion for food but no professional experience yet. Thank you in advance, Shayla Doyle

    Chef Cristabel Padmore, Co-owner of Little Piggy catering says:
    My husband Patrick is a VIU graduate from many years ago and talks about it like some culinary education holy grail. Similarly, my observation is that he got a very good education. He was also promptly offered an apprenticeship with Delta Hotels in Kananaskis upon his completion. I know a few other VIU grads and they developed into great cooks as well.

    Matt Rissling, Executive Chef at the Oak Bay Marina says:
    I have dealt with a few NIC grads through my work with the Oak Bay Marine Group, as we have resorts in Campbell River, and they have performed well. I have not had much contact with people from VIU at this point, although I know they have a good pastry component and do a lot of community events.

    Garrett Schack, Executive Chef at Vista 18 says:
    I have yet to work with anyone coming from NIC or VIU however the latter of the two seems to be heavily involved in the Island community! I understand as Matt said the pastry program is one of the best around. Either way be prepared to work hard and remember that schooling is only the beginning (but essential) part of the learning curve. Maybe let's us know your which school you choose and why!

86. Rating: +0

    

    What are the two methods for preparing starches so they can be incorporated into hot liquids? Why are they necessary, and how do they work?

    Chef Heidi Fink says: That sounds like a test question!

    Chef Fatima Da Silva says: WHHHHAAAAT are we talking about thickening agents or dumplings?

    Chef Jonothan Pulker says:
    1. A roux which is equal parts flour (starch) and fat cooked together.
    2. A slurry, a loose paste of starch and water.

    Chef Bill Jones says:
    There are many ways for preparing starches. Flour can be incorporated into fat by making a paste (roux) and thinning with liquid. It can also be added directly to hot liquid if you use a modified flour called Blending Flour, Robin Hood makes the commercial version sold everywhere. You can also blend flour with butter (Beurre Manie) and add slowly to a boiling hot liquid. The liquid must be simmered to reduce the raw flavour of flour and thicken the final result. Adding any starch (except modified flour) directly to a hot liquid will cause it to clump in balls - and no one likes lumpy gravy! Add the starch (including regular flour) by mixing it into cold liquid (water, stock, milk or wine to make a slurry (non lumpy, thin paste). Pour the slurry into a hot liquid to thicken the liquid. Flour (particularly) must be cooked to remove the raw flavour but most other starches are instant. Some starches will loose thickening properties as they continue to cook over time.

    My favorite starches are:
    Corn Starch
    Tapioca Flour
    Rice Flour
    Potato Flour
    Wheat Flour
    Wheat Starch
    Yam Flour

    Each has different properties like translucence, holding power, mouth feel, etc. that make them useful for producing a wide range of sauces, binders and coating agents
    both can be whisked in to liquid to thicken.

    Chef Matt Rissling says: I would say slurry and beurre manie. Both these methods coat the starch (pre-gelatinize) allowing you to whisk into hot liquid without clumping. On that note, as a kid no trip to Parksville/Qualicum was complete without a trip to the Sawmill Restaurant, with their delicious lumpy gravy. My mom could never make sense of it - it was so lumpy she figured they must have done it on purpose.

87. Rating: +0

    

    What is the most important ingredient or staple to have on hand?

    Sorry it took so long to answer your question. It was such a good question that we decided to write an entire article about it -http://www.islandchef.ca/2011/03/stocking-an-awesome-kitchen-pantry/ It is currently our feature article by celebrated chef Bill Jones. Good luck stocking your pantry and we would love your feedback. Cheers!

88. Rating: +0

    

    I don't know if this recipe is out there but I was looking for the Salmon and Corn chowder recipe from Barbs Buns on Salt Spring. So yummy!

    The chef from Barb's Buns is not one of our Island Chefs - but their food is good eh! Just to make it up to you we shared Peter DeBruyn's recipe for salmon corn chowder. He is the Executive Chef at the Strathcona Hotel. Let us know how it turns out!

89. Rating: +0

    

    Hi, I was recently a guest to your beautiful Island, and had an amazing lunch at the Rock Salt Restaurant on Salt Spring Island. The lovely waitress told me I could email you to get the recipe.... SO,if possible, I would LOVE to have the recipe for the spinach salad with the sweet potatoes,carrots, goat cheese with the yummy lemon vinaigrette. Thank you so much...Beth (Toronto, Ont)

    Hey Beth,
    Glad you enjoyed your time on our lovely island. There isn't a recipe for the salad really. We bake our yams in olive oil, fresh ground pepper and brown sugar until they are soft and serve them warm on the salad. The goat cheese is local - made by David Wood at Salt Spring Cheese Company. The do sell it in Ontario. Check their website for details. You can add any other salad vegetables you like. The recipe for the lemon vinaigrette is already posted on the site under recipes, sauces and dressings. There are two lemon vinaigrette recipes posted, ours and Garrett Schack's from Vista 18. His has thyme. Both would be great - http://www.islandchef.ca/2010/02/lemon-vinaigrette/. Any more questions please do not hesitate to ask!

90. Rating: +0

    

    Please could you send me the recipe for the soup I had on February 6th,2011 at Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe. It was tomato bean squash soup. I have had a rough time with food for over 3 months due to my health and this soup was the first meal that I have been able to eat. It meant more to me than just a very good tasting soup. Please let the chef know. Thank you. Deborad Owen.

    Hi Deborad,

    Sorry it took us so long to answer your question. I will email this recipe to you directly. It took me a while to figure out what happened that day because you were served our butternut and kidney bean squash stew because we ran out of soup. The recipe for that is on Island Chef.ca already -under recipes, soups and stew or healthy. http://www.islandchef.ca/2010/01/squash-kidney-bean-stew/

91. Rating: +0

    

    How do you make soup on a island?

    Are you on a deserted island? Do you have a stove. Need more details. LOL.

92. Rating: +1

    

    What's your fave island oyster? What is your fave way to prepare raw oysters? What drinks would you pair with raw oysters (other than wines)

    I don't really have a favorite oyster. I like 'em all but I think the differences between the varieties are played up a bit too much. Every oyster I've ever had has been a variation on the word "briny". Some are saltier than others, some are sweeter than others, some have a lot more meat, but really at the end of the day it's still an oyster. As to seasonings, I'm a minimalist all the way. Nature has contrived to give us this perfect raw food and we chefs can't seem to leave well enough alone. A squeeze of lemon - sure, if you must. A shot of hot sauce - okay if that's your thing. Anything else really is gilding the lily. I've seen oysters served heaped with so much garbage that you can't find the oyster flavour anywhere on the way down. Makes me wonder what's the point.
     
    As to beverage pairings (and there are so many great wine matches this question just kills) I'd have to go with ice cold sake. Beer is not a friendly match - not even the super dry Japanese styles - and spirits just feel wrong somehow.

    Matt Rissling, Executive Chef at the Marina Restaurant says:

    Wasn't it Oscar Wilde who said that an oyster is like a french kiss that goes all the way? I am with David on this one.  To my palate, raw oysters tend to taste so similar it seems like splitting hairs to say one tastes like melon and the other like cucumber. I have bought, shucked and sold many many oysters over the years and I still think they are pretty great on their own.  For raw consumption, I really like the small ones as they seem to be just a little more palatable.  Less is often more with the raw ones - a little red wine vinegar, or hot sauce, fresh lemon.  Baked is another story and there are lots of classic ways to prepare these.

    I think perhaps a drink that plays well to the cold, cucumber/melon side of things would work well.  Hendrick's gin perhaps, ice cold with a muddled cucumber? I bet I could make ice cold Pastis work with this, too.  Licorice/fennel/anise are good flavours with the brine of the oyster.  Perhaps this is too close to wine, but Tugwell Creek makes a great sparkling mead that I can tell you works well with the raw oyster, and clearly many of the products Sea Cider makes could match.  I would disagree with regards to beer - a citrusy wheat beer (Hoegaarden, the un-impressive/pretentious but still delicious Estrella Damm Inedit) could work well.

    I do have a favourite oyster supplier however, and that would be Hollie Wood Oysters out of the Comox Valley. Their Satori oysters are beach grown on Denman Island, and are the epitome of fresh. Hollie and her husband Greg are simply great people, doing the right thing, and are able to get clams and mussels to my door literally days fresher than anyone else, and they carry Island Scallop products as well. The really cool thing about this company is what they do with unsold oysters, that I've never seen before. On Friday, when they are delivered to me, any unsold oysters from the week before are taken back to be 're-seeded' on their beach, allowed to cleanse and grow and are eventually resold as larger oysters. Brilliant, responsible, delicious. This couple has made some inroads on the island, and are seen in the biggest/best kitchens on the mainland as well (Bearfoot Bistro, Joe Fortes, etc). I have ranted and raved about this couple before on this list I think, but they really deserve our support - it's pretty unusual to see a company so responsible as this, and they are a genuine pleasure to deal with. Hollie and Greg are always happy to come down for a wine tasting or other event and chat about their product.

    Chef Jonathan Pulker says:
    Loquacious Matt, well said. "An oyster is like a french kiss that goes all the way" Love it!

    Glad to be hearing this conversation, I thought I must be missing something when I started hearing all these wine-like descriptions for different oysters. But now I can feel confidant when I say I like them when they are fresh (of course) and of an appropriate size for slurping, and that's all that really matters around here. I do however love simple mignonettes made of minced shallot, some cracked pepper in vinegar. wine, champagne, Prosecco, almost any type can work, with raw shucked oysters. I am a big fan of spice, and the acid from the vinegar, plus the savoury bite of raw shallot, mixed in with that salty brine of the oyster makes for a damn well perfectly balanced burst of flavour.

    Christabel Padmore the co-owner and chef of Little Piggy Catering at the English Inn Resort and Chuleta Restaurant says:
    One of the fun things about oysters are the variation in size, flavour and texture - so I have no real preference. If I had to pick though, I'd prefer a smaller oyster for comfortable slurping. As for toppings, I'm also a fan of a nice simple mignonette - shallot and champagne vinegar works for me. For a pairing, a gin martini with a twist is great. For hot oysters, I like a big, plump oyster, baked with bacon and mornay sauce topped with breadcrumbs - yum.

    Peter DeBruyn, Executive Chef Sticky Wicket says:

    I’m personally not an oyster fan, but I do understand that an oyster’s flavor should speak for itself with only a little enhancement.  We are currently cooking the oyster in the shell on the char broiler with a little shallot mignonette as a part of our Dine Around menu.  I guess this speaks to my lack of love for raw oysters, but nevertheless a little different then what most of the oyster bars offer. Since I represent the Wicket, I will have to say that beer goes well with Oyster’s, especially the wheat beers with a lemon squeeze.

     

93. Rating: +0

    

    Do you have a recipe for curried lentil soup?

    I just posted a great recipe supplied by Chef Fatima Da Silva for curriend lentil soup with coconut - look under recipes and soup. Sorry it took us so long. Let us know how it turns out.

94. Rating: +0

    

    Hi We visited Rock Salt Restaurant on Salt Spring Island back in January and had the pulled chicken in Nann Bread, is it possible to get the recip

    I am afraid we do not have a recipe for that because it was a special. However, I can tell you the basics. To make pulled chicken, boil boneless, skinless breasts in slightly salted water. Drain, let cool enough to handle then pull strips off. Pulled chicken is a great addition to any meal withe sauce because the ragged edges soak up the sauce. It is very popular in Mexican food.

    Then we heat the naan bread on the flat top with garlic butter. Heap whatever you like to eat inside - pulled chicken, sauce, vegetables, lots of cheese and then fold the naan over to cover. Grill on one side and then the other until the cheese is melted and everything is yummy and great.

    Good luck and don't hesitate to ask a chef again if you have any further questions.

95. Rating: +0

    

    Hello and thank you to Rock Salt Restaurant at Salt Spring Island for a delicious lunch yesterday. We loved the quesadilla with roasted yams and would love to make this at home. Is the amazing chef at Rock Salt willing to share this wonderful recipe? Julie

    Yes no problem. We've already shared this recipe. It's posted under recipes here http://www.islandchef.ca/2009/12/yam-quesadilla/. Enjoy and we are so glad that you enjoyed your lunch!

96. Rating: +0

    

    I have tried many recipes for tea biscuits and am always slightly disappointed in the results that I get. A lot look very nice but have no flavour. I've heard that there are no tea biscuits like the ones a Rock Salt Restaurant on Salt Spring Island. I'd love a copy of the recipe. Thanks so much

    Your wish is our command. Recipe is now posted - under recipes and quick breads. Let us know how it turns out. If you want more flavor add more cheese, more herbs. Biscuits are supposed to be a wee bit bland though. Meant to be dipped in other stuff.

97. Rating: +0

    

    I'm in need of a wonderful spring rhubarb dessert.

    Your wish is our command! We just posted a recipe from celebrated chef and cookbook author Bill Jones for Ginger Rubarb Upside Down Cake with Creme Fraiche. Look under recipes and desserts. Enjoy and please do not hesitate to ask again if you have another question.

98. Rating: +0

    

    How long does an apple pie last in the fridge

    Funny question. It's pretty hardy stuff and probably won't poison you unless it's really really old. If it smells okay then eat it up is our advice.

99. Rating: +0

    

    Help! We've ran out of our stash of local honey. It's so much a part of our home in many ways. We make our own yogurt (From our jersey cow) and sweeten it with honey. We make a 'sweet tea' that is tasteless when sweetened with sugar instead of honey. It helps my pollen allergies. It's just so darn good! I can't seem to find a place to get a bunch from. They either don't have any or aren't selling any right now. I want more than your little bear full, I need to be able to get 3 kg or so at a price I don't have to sell my first born for. I'm from Salt Spring, so would prefer an around Duncan/Nanaimo/Victoria area. Any ideas?

    Chef Heather Walkers recommends:
    Hardie Honey! It's certified so you don't have to worry about it being mixed with suspicious Chinese honey (this is actually an issue in the honey world, believe it or not), and it's produced in the Cowichan. You can get it at Thrifty's (at least, here in Duncan) and also in bulk at the Old Farm Market on the south end of Duncan. You can call the Hardie family in Cowichan to find a supplier close to you.

    - Heather

100. Rating: +0

     

     I want an awesome, high quality balsamic vinegar. What are your favourite brands?

     Chef Heidi Fink says:
     If you can handle the $70 price tag, Venturi-Schulze Balsamic vinegar (made on Vancouver Island) is the BEST I have ever had. For a decent deli brand ($12 to $30) I've had luck with both Fini and La Molisana. Fini is only about $13 for 250 ml or so and that's the cheapest I would buy to have a decent tasting vinegar (and its not aged very long). Anything cheaper than that is a waste of money - just red wine vinegar with caramel added.

     Chef Cory Pelan says:
     Giuseppe Giusti is very good. It comes in several grades from Condimento to 20+ year old. The older (extra vecchio) is thick like warm honey and wicked on vanilla gelato.

101. Rating: +0

     

     I was wondering if you could provide the recipe for those amazing granola bars at the Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe on Salt Spring Island? They had peanut butter, coconut and other stuff -thanks so much!

     People ask for the recipe for our granola wedges all the time! So they are already posted in our recipe section. Just search for granola wedges. The recipe we posted before wasn't working very well. Something went wrong with the translation from commercial size to household size so I just updated it. Unfortunately is in weight - that's how we do things in a commercial bakery. Good luck. Cheers, Jill Thomas, Owner of Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe.

102. Rating: +0

     

     What gas range would you recommend for home cooking? I've had mostly gas stoves in the past and much prefer them over electric. As someone who likes to cook and bake, I've looked at Viking, Wolf, Fisher & Paykel, American Range, and Kitchen Aid (not as good quality as the others). So far, nothing has really excited me. The reviews online for Viking and Kitchen Aid are discouraging. Any recommendations or suggestions will be welcome. Many thanks for answering a non-recipe question! Sheila

     Chef Christabel Padmore from of Little Piggy Catering at the English Inn Resort and Chuleta Restaurant in Victoria says:

     I have a Kitchen Aid gas range with conventional and convection oven settings. It's great and hasn't had any repairs in it's eight years of fairly intensive use. I also recommended it to friends a few years ago, and they're loving theirs too. The higher end Vikings, Wolf etc.. might be somewhat more powerful and have more stainless steel, but for the price I'm very happy with the Kitchen Aid.

103. Rating: +0

     

     Here in Ontario much of the produce available in the winter comes from Mexico. Lately it has been asparagus and raspberries. Both are very flavourful and in very good condition. Buying local raspberries here in the summer, you have to eat them the same day or they are mushy and mouldy yet these raspberries from Mexico retain their shape, and flavour for at least a week in the house and heaven only knows how long in the store and transit. Can you tell me what these berries have likely been treated with? Does it wash off under the tap? What could be the effects on humans? Thanks Irene

     Chef Jonathon Pulker says:
     It's likely less to do with treating them with something, and more so with growing varieties that ripen in colour but stay firm. I'm sure they are less flavourful than those juicy summer berries from Ontario though. Generally speaking it's varietals chosen for transport. I've seen dump trucks full of ripe looking tomatoes in California, that would be destroyed if they were older types that are sweeter.

     Chef Peter DeBruyn, Executive Chef at the Strathcona Hotel says:
     Shelf life is more to do with variety as well as harvesting and storage methods. They grow varieties that will last longer after picked and will transport over a longer period of time. After picked they are vacuum cooled to take out the field heat quickly. This extends the shelf life and prevents breakdown and mold.

     Most growers fruit is certified for sale going through 3rd party audits in the U.S.Then the Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulates and checks for residuals from fungicides and pesticides. Most are water based that would dissipate over a fixed period of time before harvesting.

     Her scenario with  raspberries is similar to local strawberries here. The variety is very different from our California product. Very sweet but only have about 1 day shelf life. California has a very uniform shape and appearance but less flavour.
     They also do not remove any field heat locally.

     I hope this helps!  

104. Rating: +0

     

     I wonder if I could have the recipes for the berry sauce and the homemade salsa served at the Rock Salt Resteaurant on Salt Spring Island. I was there last week and really enjoyed both of these! Thanks so much! Kathy

     No problem Kathy they are both posted on the website. Look under sauces in Recipes or search for 'Basic Salsa' and 'Berry Sauce'. Enjoy and we are glad you enjoyed your time on Salt Spring. Hope to see you again soon.

105. Rating: +0

     

     Good morning, our organization makes fund raisers and we have to cook a meal- I make the roasted potatoes I have a great recipe but our commercial oven does not cook them. We put them in commercial pans but the head cook insists put 1 pan on top and 1 on the bottom of the stove- from 4 pm to 7 pm they are still 3/4 cooked - we have tried to preboil them but they turn black after the final roasting. We have also tried every type of potatoe - we are going to make something else but I being stubborn am trying to find out what we are doing wrong- pls help we did 40 lbs of potatoes well seasoned and used olive oil lemon little h2o but shud we have foiled them in the begining - its embarrassing because we charge for the meal and we are not pros but turn out a pretty good roast pork and need some help thks Donna

     Matt Rissling, Executive Chef at the Marina Restaurant in Oak Bay says:
     I would suggest pre-boiling the potatoes and then allowing them to cool completely. Once cool, they can be tossed with whatever seasoning you like and roasted in the oven. They should take approximately 1/2 hour at 400 degrees in a non-convection oven. If they are turning black after boiling it simply means they have not been cooked through and need to go a little longer. They are cooked when a knife slides into the middle with no resistance.

     Garrett Schack, Executive Chef of Vista !8 Restaurant at the Chateau Victoria says:
     Just to add to what Matt suggested I would try putting less on each tray -40 lbs spit into two trays seems like a lot. Too much per pan won't allow for even cooking ! If you reduce the amount per tray you should be able to cook them right thru in the oven without par boiling, and in less time. Good on you for being stubborn and not giving up. Let us know how it goes.

     I recommend using a small red or yellow potato for this and boiling them whole. No russets!

106. Rating: +0

     

     After you brine a pork roast, can you cook it in a crock-pot?

     Chef Matt Rissling, Marina Restaurant in Oak Bay says:

     Indeed, as a proud owner of a crock pot, it's pretty important to brown the protein before cooking. I've never tried brining meat before cooking in my crock pot, but suggest it wouldn't hurt, and in fact could yield some really delicious results. However, it's important to monitor other additional salt in the recipe when brining meat, as it's already been seasoned through and through. I've brined and then braised many a pork shoulder, and find the process to be worthwhile. However, in a large commercial kitchen brining is a much, much simpler process across the board than it is at home and I am not sure it's an entirely worthwhile use of space and energy at home.

     Garratt Schack, Executive Chef at Vista 18 Restaurant in the Chateau Victoria says:

     Most crock-pot recipes suggest you brown your protein before adding all the other ingredients. I feel like this important step shouldn't be skipped especially if you have brined the meat! The caramelization will add a lot flavour to your dish. However as a side note brining meat for a crock pot is a bit redundant. Crock pot cooking is a low and slow process, with moist heat cooking methods you are really packing in the flavour, tenderizing and avoiding moisture loss which is the purpose of brining. So although you can do it, likely it is not necessary.

107. Rating: +0

     

     Hi. I'm making one of the Rock Salt recipes, and it calls for tamarind. Where do I get it on SSI? Or is there a suitable substitute? Thanks!

     Admirals was the place to get this stuff on Salt Spring but they are closed now. The only possible place is Thrifty's - ask them or look in the Asian food section. Otherwise pick some up off island. It will last a long time in your fridge. Get the paste that comes in a brick or a jar. Sometimes it has chunks of the plant in it and in that case you should boil it and strain. The stuff in the jar is pre-strained. There isn't really a great substitute for tamarind. It has a bitter taste so a bitter fruit puree of some kind might work. If you are making the BBQ sauce check out the new recipe on our website. We changed our BBQ sauce recipe, deleting the tamarind and substituting espresso. Good luck.

108. Rating: +0

     

     Hi, there. I would like to make real German Pretzels, which requires a lye solution for dipping prior to baking that seems to be very hard to find in North America. Any idea how I could get my hands on it? Thanks so much! Silke

     Christabel Padmore co-owner and chef of Little Piggy Catering at the English Inn Resort and Chuleta Restaurant in Victoria says:

     Once I found it at Safeway, but that was years ago. You can get it in Chinatown, but you might need to ask around to identify the packaging. Alternately, you can use a baking soda solution.

     Chef Zoe O'Doherty, Chef and General Manager of La Piola Restaurant says:
     If you can't find lye you can use a solution of baking soda, water and salt. Dissolve 2 Tbsp of baking soda, 1 Tbsp salt into 3 cups of very hot tap water, and let it cool to room temperature. It's not exactly the same, but it will work well enough.