Local Food Dinner Series – Summer 2010

We sit on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and have always found joy in celebrating the bounty of our oceans and sea shores. The people who bring us these products are some our our favourite people. These hearty souls are the living spirit of the honest and hard-working pioneers who help build our coastal communities. They continue to work with respect and honour for our local ocean environments. We present a menu of sustainable seafood, influenced by the flavours of Asia and elevated with the best farm to table ingredients – from our own gardens and the best local producers.

Join us for the next local food feast.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

East Meets West Coast Seafood

Green Onion cakes with house-smoked Sockeye salmon

Spot Prawn rice paper rolls with smoked chili mayo

Handmade Bao (steamed buns) with sweet soy braised Octopus, pickled daikon and carrot Salad

Crispy Quailicum Bay Scallops with dashi-miso vinaigrette and Deerholme salad

Planked Sablefish marinated in Granville Island Sake lees, served with garden vegetable sticky rice

Grilled Nectarines, ginger cake and 5 spice caramel sauce

$90 / person (plus taxes)

upcoming:

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Sublime Vegetarian – Cowichan Style

Lettuce wraps with grilled Eggplant and home-made Hoisin Sauce

Mushroom and caramelized Onion salad rolls with peanut sauce

Stuffed peppers with Fairburn Buffalo Mozzarella and olive caponatta

Heirloom Tomato and Pine Mushroom soup with red wine crème fraiche

Squash Cannelloni with coconut curry sauce and crispy onions

Lemon Verbena panna cotta with fresh Blueberries and mint

$75 / person (plus taxes)

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Italian-style Fall Harvest Dinner

Grilled Pizza with guanciale (smoked pork cheek), porcini and sage besciamella

Bruscetta with roasted tomatoes. olives and basil

Eggplant, Albacore Tuna and Arugula Salad

Barley polenta with wild Mushrooms and Pancetta

Red wine braised Beef short ribs ravioli with heirloom tomatoes and local cheese

Pear custard cake “Palpiton” with a hazelnut zabaglione

$90 / person (plus taxes)

Saturday cooking classes:

July 17– East meets Westcoast Cooking

We put an Asian spin on local seasonal cooking. This is a hands-on exploration of Asian pantry ingredients, local seasonal vegetables and some of the finest Cowichan Valley ingredients. You will make and sample all of the recipes in a fun and unique afternoon of cooking and learning.

Recipes will include:

- soba noodles with kale and mushroom in a sesame sauce

- wok-seared Dungeness Crab with herbs and garlic shoots

- stir-fried chicken with egg and sweet pea rice

- coconut and fresh strawberry tarte.

$100 per person

August 14– Local Sustainable Seafood

In this delicious class we seek out some of the best seafood gems on the island: Dungeness Crab, Sablefish, Octopus and Manilla Clams. We’ll learn about the sustainable choices we can make when shopping for seafood. Tips on sourcing, handling and cooking seafood will be discussed along with a number of fresh and exciting seafood dishes that you will prepare and taste in class. Recipes include:

- planked sake marinated Sablefish with a soy and honey glaze

- Dungeness Crab Cakes with apricot salsa

- Smoked Octopus with olive and potato salad

- Manilla clams with green and black bean sauce

$100 per person