Ingredients

• 1 lb bison tenderloin
• 4 oz (125 g) chanterelle mushrooms (If you can’t find fresh, use dried)
• 1 cup (250 mL) vodka (use a high-quality vodka like Absolut or Stolichnaya)
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) kosher salt
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) cracked pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh savory (15 mL) or 1 tsp (5 mL) dried
• 1 sweet white onion (Vidalia or Walla Walla would be great. If you can find some locally grown Kelsey, even better)
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) flour
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) canola oil
• Black pepper
• Kosher salt
• 1 tsp (5 mL) truffle oil (substitute a nice nut oil or a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil)

Directions

Place chanterelles in a glass jar that has a tight fitting lid. In a small saucepan, gently warm the vodka to just below boiling; pour over chanterelles. Close lid and let stand overnight.

Clean any silver skin off the tenderloin. Combine salt, pepper and savory. Roll tenderloin in seasoning to coat.

Heat a heavy skillet. Sear tenderloin on all sides. Wrap tenderloin tightly in plastic wrap and put in freezer for about 1 hour. Use plastic wrap to make tenderloin nice and round.

Slice onions paper-thin. Toss with flour to coat lightly. Working in small batches, fry onions in canola oil until brown and crispy. Place on paper towel to drain.

Drain chanterelles, reserving the vodka.

Plating:
Cut paper-thin slices of tenderloin and arrange on plates. Place a small pile of chanterelles in the middle of plate. Top chanterelles with a stack of fried onions. Drizzle bison with a few drops of reserved chanterelle vodka and a few drops of truffle oil. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve with crusty French bread or a hearty European dark rye.

Ingredients

• Pear & Star Anise Chutney

  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) sherry vinegar
  • 1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar
  • 6 pears, peeled, seeded and cut into long wedges
  • 6 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 whole cloves

• Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin

  • 2 pork tenderloins
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) cracked pepper
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) mustard seed
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
  • 1/4 cup ( 60 mL) sherry or white wine
  • 1 cup (250 mL) Pear & Star Anise Chutney
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) cold butter

Directions

Pear & Star Anise Chutney:
In a pot set over medium-high heat, bring sherry vinegar and brown sugar to a boil with spices; cook until syrupy. Add pears to syrup and simmer until pears are tender. Remove from heat and let cool.
Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin:
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Cut silver skin off pork tenderloins. Combine salt with spices; sprinkle all over pork. Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet over high heat; sear pork on all sides. Transfer to oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until desired doneness. Remove pork from pan and keep warm. Deglaze pan with sherry. Stir in chutney and heat through. Swirl in butter to enrich the sauce. Slice pork tenderloin and top with Pear & Star Anise Chutney.

Serves 4

Credit: Alex Svenne

Ingredients

• 2 cups (500 mL) flour
• 1 package fast-rising yeast
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) salt
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) + 1/3 cup (75 mL) lukewarm water
• 2/3 cup (150 mL) lukewarm milk
• 4 cups (1 L) water
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) baking soda
• Coarse sea salt

Directions

Mix the first 5 ingredients together to make a yeast dough. Knead until smooth. Cover and let rise for 2 hours. Stretch dough into strings; you should have enough to make 30 pretzels. Cover and let rise another 30 minutes. Wind dough strings into various pretzel shapes and
let rest for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Meanwhile, in a pot, bring water and baking soda to a boil. Drop pretzels into the water a few at a time, removing as soon as they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serves 6 large pretzels

Credit: Borga Kaltenbach

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 cup (250 mL) water
• 1 cup (250 mL) Western Premium Light beer
• 8 Anjou or Barlett pears
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice
• 4 cups (1 L) fresh raspberries or 2-10 oz (285 g) pkgs frozen raspberries

Directions

In a large skillet, simmer sugar, vanilla, cinnamon stick, water and Western Premium Light for 5 minutes. Peel pears leaving their stems attached. Coat with lime juice to prevent browning. Poach pears over low heat in sugar syrup, turning often. When pears are tender, remove with a slotted spoon to shallow rimmed dish. Set aside. Bring remaining syrup to a boil. Continue to boil until reduced to 1 cup (250 mL); remove cinnamon stick and discard. Add raspberries to syrup and cook until sauce turns red, about 5 minutes. Strain and pour over pears. Cover pears and refrigerate until cold, turning frequently to coat. Place poached pears on individual dessert plates. Garnish with a spoonful of sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 (2.5 cm) pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 (2.5 cm) pieces
• 1 small zucchini, cut into 1 (2.5 cm) pieces
• 1 leek, white part only, cut into rounds
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 8 small broccoli florets
• 1 peeled carrot, cut into thin rounds
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) melted butter
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 2 tsp (10 mL) dried basil
• Splash of dry white wine
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) minced parsley
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). In a large bowl, combine all vegetables and garlic. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, zest, basil and wine, whisking to mix. Add to vegetables and toss to coat. Season vegetables with salt and pepper then spoon into a prepared parchment bag. Seal bag and place onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Open bag and let stand a few minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan; serve immediately.

Serves 4

Credit: Brie Delacruz