Cooks the Books 2019 Gold Winners from Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
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Sarah Ayach and Kathleen Williams, SAIT
We sat down with Sarah to find out more about her Gold medal win with Kathleen at the 2019 Cooks the Books competition.
How were you selected to be on the team?
Chef Vanessa Mendoza selected me.
What were some of the challenges in preparing for the competition?
The biggest challenge was synchronizing our timeline to meet and train for the competition, which was especially difficult because Katie and I were in different classes and had different schedules.
What did you learn from having to develop and write your own recipe?
Writing a recipe taught me that having an idea is only a beginning, implementation is the harder part.
What inspired the flavors of your dish?
What inspired us is Alberta. We wanted to represent our province in the best way possible and that’s why we chose beef as our main protein. The prairies and the fall season inspired even the colors of our presentation.
What’s the one thing you know now that you wish you knew before entering the arena?
I didn’t know that the judges would interact directly with us during the competition. I loved it but I wish I knew that before entering the arena.
What was your first thought when you realized they called your name at the gala?
At one point at the Gala I was really nervous, but when they called my name and Katie’s I felt happy with a sense of accomplishment. We as a team worked really hard for this, and I wanted to win to make chef Mendoza proud.
What advice would you offer to the 2020 Cooks the Books competitors?
My advice for any team is PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. Keep your mind organized and your station neat and most importantly HAVE FUN.
What is the first thing you’re going to make with your new Breville SuperQ Blender?
I was extremely happy with winning this blender and the first thing I am going to make is creamy asparagus soup.
The Winning Dish: Duo of Alberta Beef with Fall Vegetables
Photo Cred: Robyn S Russell Photography & Michael Gozum Photography
The Winning Dish: Duo of Alberta Beef with Fall Vegetables
Ingredients
Earthy Lentil Fried Mushrooms
- 2 cups (500 mL) Red lentils
- ½ cup (125 mL) All-purpose flour
- ½ tsp (2.5 mL) Cayenne pepper
- 30 Oyster mushrooms stems trimmed
- 2 qt (2 L) Canola oil for coating and frying
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cold-Pressed Canola Scented Butternut Squash Purée
- 8 cups (1 L) Butternut squash, diced
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) Highwood Crossing cold-pressed canola oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) Water
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) Vital Greens heavy cream (32%)
- Salt to taste
Whole Roasted Leek
- 2 Leeks
- Canola Oil
- Salt and pepper
Oka Tuile
- 30 g (1 oz) Oka cheese sliced thinly
Honey Red Wine Reduction
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) Canola Oil
- ½ cup (125 mL) Shallots, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup (65 mL) Red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) Honey (SAIT)
- ¼ cup (65 mL) Red wine (Summerhill Organic Merlot)
- 1 cup (250 mL) Beef stock
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) Fresh thyme
Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin
- 18 oz (500 g) Beef tenderloin
- 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) Highwood cold-pressed canola oil
- 2 Cloves garlic smashed
- 3 Fresh thyme sprigs
Beef Rillette (Confit)
- 170 g (6 oz) Beef chuck
- 1 cup (250 mL) Highwood cold-pressed canola oil
- ½ Tomato
- 2 Cloves garlic
- 4 Fresh thyme sprigs
- 6 Black peppercorns
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) Red wine(Summerhill Organic Merlot)
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) Sumac
- ¼ cup (60 mL) Fresh cranberries, chopped
- 1 tsp (5 mL) Honey (SAIT)
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) Chives, finely sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Earthy Lentil Fried Mushrooms
- Grind lentils, flour, salt and cayenne in blender until fine.
- Heat oil in a small pot for frying.
- Coat mushrooms in canola oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Dredge mushrooms with seasoned lentil flour.
- Dredge a second time with lentil flour just before frying in canola oil at 218°C (425°F).
- Fry mushrooms for about two minutes or until golden brown and no longer bubbling.
- Place on a tray with clean towel and season lightly with salt.
Cold-Pressed Canola Scented Butternut Squash Purée
- Peel, de-seed and dice butternut squash.
- Add canola oil, water and a pinch of salt to a vacuum bag.
- Cook sous vide at 93⁰C (200⁰F) for 2 hours.
- Remove from circulator.
- Transfer hot squash to high speed blender and purée on high until very smooth.
- Add cream and continue to blend on high speed until emulsified.
- Pass through fine chinois and season.
- Keep warm in a pot over low heat until ready to use, stirring frequently.
Whole Roasted Leek
- Wash leeks thoroughly, keep whole.
- Cut off top green section and root.
- Rub with canola oil and season heavily with salt and pepper.
- Roast at 205°C (400°F) for 30 minutes or until fully tender, flipping half way through.
- Trim ends, cut in half lengthwise, remove outer layer and portion into 12 pieces.
Oka Tuile
- Sandwich Oka cheese between parchment paper and place between 2 half hotel pans.
- Bake for 8 minutes at 205°C (400°F) or until it just begins to turn golden.
- Remove from oven and let cool between hotel pans.
Honey Red Wine Reduction
- Sauté shallots in canola oil until they begin to brown.
- Deglaze with red wine vinegar.
- Add honey and reduce to one quarter.
- Add red wine and beef stock and skim well.
- Reduce and skim for 15 minutes or until it is thick and coats the back of a spoon.
Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin
- Clean and trim tenderloin to 18 oz (500g.).
- Roll tenderloin in plastic wrap and keep in fridge until ready to cook.
- Remove plastic wrap and season tenderloin.
- Add canola oil to hot pan and sear all sides of tenderloin.
- Add garlic and thyme to pan and continue cooking until internal temperature reached 130°F (55°C).
- Place on resting rack with tin foil tent covering for at least 5 minutes before portioning into 5 equal slices.
Beef Rillette (Confit)
- Sous vide beef chuck with cold pressed canola oil, tomato, garlic, 2 thyme sprigs, peppercorns and red wine. Cook at 165°F (74°C) in circulator for 16 hours.
- Remove from bag and separate liquid and oil from meat in two containers.
- Shred meat with knife and break down further by hand.
- Sweat shallots in canola oil.
- Add beef, reserved confit liquid, fresh cranberries, sumac and thyme leaves.
- Finish with honey and chives, season, keep warm shape into quenelles before plating.
Notes
*Butternut squash can be substituted for acorn, red kuri or kabocha squashes.
*If oyster mushrooms are not available, shimeji mushrooms can be used. Larger mushrooms can be cut in half.
