No matter how much you like the barbecue, by late summer there are times we all start to crave something that’s not cooked on the grill. That time is now: autumn is here, and it’s safe to cook indoors again.
We asked Daniel Lynn, the chef at Inn at the Falls in Bracebridge, to suggest some dishes suitable for September and October.
Both the lamb and the char can be served with a variety of seasonal vegetables, to take full advantage of all the harvest season has to offer.
Almond Crusted Rack of Lamb
Lighter and crispier than traditional bread crumbs, Panko bread crumbs are available in the Asian food section of most supermarkets. If you can’t get lingonberry jelly for the sauce, other kinds of wild berry jelly can be substituted.
Crust:
1/2 cup almonds
1/8 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp chopped thyme
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
1/4 tsp chopped sage
salt and pepper to taste
Lightly toast the almonds and let them cool to room temperature. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until you have a medium fine ground.
Season a lamb rack with salt and pepper and sear at medium high heat until nicely browned.
Cool the lamb and generously coat the meat with Pommery mustard, or some other whole grain mustard if Pommery is not available.
Dredge the lamb in the almond mixture until the outer crust is dry to the touch.
Roast the lamb in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes.
Sauce:
6 ounces game or lamb jus
1 ounce lingonberry jelly
1 tsp butter
Bring the jus and the jelly to a boil and remove from heat. Add the butter and whisk until emulsified.
To serve: Slice lamb rack into chops.
Spoon some sauce onto a plate, and arrange lamb on sauce. Serve with roasted fingerling potatoes and mixed roasted vegetables.
Serves six.
Pan seared Arctic Char with Caviar and Fennel Frond Beurre Blanc and Potato Croquette
Croquette:
2 cups mashed potatoes
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all the ingredients together and pipe onto a sheet pan using a 1/2-inch tip. Freeze.
Cut the frozen croquette into 1-1/2-inch pieces and bread them with flour, egg and Panko bread crumbs. Keep the croquettes frozen until you are ready to cook. Deep fry them at 375 degrees F. until they are golden brown.
Sauce:
1/2 pound butter
1/4 cup white wine
juice of 1/4 lemon
juice of 1/2 lime
2 medium shallots
1 clove garlic
1 good sprig of thyme
1 tsp chopped fennel fronds
1 Tbsp caviar
salt and white pepper to taste
Sauté the sliced shallots, garlic clove and thyme on low heat until the shallots are soft.
Add the wine and reduce it to syrup, then add citrus juice.
Slowly whisk in the butter over medium heat until it is completely melted. Add salt and white pepper. Strain and add caviar and chopped fennel fronds.
Pan sear Arctic char until fully cooked, cooking one fillet per person. Spoon sauce onto plates, then arrange fish, croquettes and mixed vegetables. For a particularly striking presentation, create towers on each plate topped with the char.
Serves six.
Poached Pear Saladwith Mixed Greens, Toasted Pine Nuts and Stilton Cheese
A simple vinaigrette dressing allows the flavour of the sweet pears to balance the robust flavour of Stilton. This salad is best when the pears are served warm, although they can also be prepared in advance, chilled and brought to room temperature before serving.
Poached pears:
2 cups white wine
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 stick cinnamon
1 star anise
1 clove
1 good sprig of thyme
Bring all the ingredients to a boil and simmer for five minutes. Peel and core six pears, then poach them for about 5 to 7 minutes or until tender.
Salad:
3 cups mixed greens
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped thyme
1/2 tsp chopped marjoram
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces Stilton cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Combine ingredients in a bowl. Prepare vinaigrette of three parts extra virgin olive oil and one part red wine vinegar, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange a serving of salad and one pear on each plate, then serve.
Serves six. BTC
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