Making the most of those fall root vegetables

Food — By admin on October 9, 2011 9:01 am

Ratatouille with Grilled Chicken

Recipe provided by Bistro Provence, Okotoks

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini (cut in half lengthwise)

1 medium Japanese eggplant (cut in half lengthwise)

1 red bell pepper (cut into 1 inch wide strips)

1 red onion, peeled (cut into ½ inch wide wedges, leave root end intact)

2 medium tomatoes (cut in half around middle)

2 tbsp olive oil

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

⅓ cup thinly sliced basil

1½ tsp red wine vinegar

 

Method:

• Prepare barbecue (medium to high heat).
• Place first 5 ingredients in large bowl.
• Drizzle oil over and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss well to coat.
• Grill vegetables until tender and slightly charred, about 3 to 4 minutes for peppers and 6 to 7 minutes for other vegetables. Transfer to cutting board.
• Place chicken breasts in same large bowl, turning to coat with any remaining oil in bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Grill chicken covered, until cooked, about 6 minutes per side.
• Let stand 5 minutes.
• While chicken grills, coarsely chop vegetables and fill a large clean bowl.
• Add basil and vinegar and toss to coat, season with salt and pepper.
• Slice chicken diagonally into ½ inch thick slices.
• Serve with ratatouille.

 

 

Salmon Fillet with Fennel and Pernod

Recipe provided by Bistro Provence, Okotoks

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1½ teaspoons crushed fennel seeds

¼ cup butter (room temperature)

2 tbsp finely chopped shallots

1 large fennel bulb (quarter bulb, then cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices)

2 tbsp fennel fronds chopped, divided

 

Salmon fillet preparation

2, 6 – 7 oz salmon fillets

2 tbsp Pernod or other anise-flavoured liqueur

 

• Stir fennel seeds in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 ½ minutes and place seeds in small bowl to cool.
• Mix in butter, shallots, and 1 tbsp fennel fronds, season butter mixture with salt and pepper.
• Melt 1 tbsp butter mixture in the same large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
• Add sliced fennel bulb and ¼ cup water to skillet.
• Cover and cook until fennel is crisp-tender, about 7 – 8 minutes.
• Uncover skillet and sauté until fennel begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer fennel to plate.
• Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper.
• Add 1 tbsp butter mixture to same skillet and melt over medium heat.
• Add salmon and cover, cook 5 minutes.
• Turn salmon over and add ¼ cup water to skillet.
• Cover and continue cooking until salmon is just opaque in center, about 5 minutes more.
• Slide salmon to one side of skillet and return fennel to pan.
• Add Pernod, 2 tsp butter mixture, and remaining 1 tbsp chopped fennel fronds and stir to heat through.

Divide fennel mixture between two plates and top with salmon.

Spoon all remaining butter mixture over salmon.

Ed Povhe has always dreamed of owning a restaurant, a small business of his own, a place his whole family could grow with. Ed, along with his wife Marcella, originally from Saskatoon, purchased Bistro Provence in Okotoks in February 2011. Bistro is a new challenge for both of them, with three children in school full time.

The bistro has been a staple of fine French cuisine in Okotoks for over 30 years with Nicolas Desinai as executive chef for the last six years. Originally from Brittany, France Nicolas, has over 20 years of international culinary experience. The Povhe family is proud to continue to offer traditional fine French cuisine in Okotoks.

Tags: bistro provence, Okotoks, okotoks french restaurant, ratatouille, routes, routesmagazine, salmon