Cooks the Books 2019 Silver Winners from Fanshawe College
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Aika See and Christopher Johnson, Fanshawe College
We sat down with Aika and Christopher to find out more about their Silver win at the 2019 Cooks the Books competition.
How were you selected to be on the team?
We were chosen for our excellent kitchen skills and because we both showed a keen interest in competitions.
What were some of the challenges in preparing for the competition?
It was challenging to make time to meet and sit with ideas. And it takes a lot of trial and error to perfect the flavour profiles you want in your recipe. Everything needs to be balanced well and compliment each other.
What inspired the flavours of your dish?
When thinking about “Canada grown”, we thought about Indigenous people and the natural ingredients that grow in this beautiful country.
What’s the one thing you know now that you wish you knew before entering the arena?
Anything can happen. You must be as prepared as if you’re going to cook far out into a field.
What was your first thought when you realized they called your name at the Gala?
It was an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. All the time and hard work that went into preparing for this competition had paid off.
What advice would you offer to the 2020 Cooks the Books competitors?
Be absolutely prepared, know your role, and communicate as best as possible.
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The Winning Dish: Herb Infused Pan Seared Duck Breast with Sweet & Sour Blueberry Sauce, Celeriac Puree and Butternut Squash Foam
Herb Infused Pan Seared Duck Breast with Sweet & Sour Blueberry Sauce, Celeriac Puree and Butternut Squash Foam
Ingredients
Pan seared duck:
- 2 lbs (5 x 180 g. pc.) duck breast, skin on and scored
- 2 tsp. (10 ml) canola oil
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary whole
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme whole
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- Salt and black pepper
Vanilla scented celeriac puree:
- 10 oz. (300 g) celeriac root peeled and chopped into 6 cm. chunks
- 1 1/4 cup (300 ml) 35% cream
- 1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla paste
- 1 tsp. (5 ml) sugar
- salt to taste
- 1/8 tsp. white pepper
Squash milk foam:
- 7 oz. (200 g) butternut squash peeled, seeded and grated
- 2 cups (500 ml) 2% milk
- salt and black pepper to taste
Blueberry sauce:
- 40 g sugar
- 20 ml. water
- 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) maple vinegar
- ½ cup (120 ml) duck stock
- 1/4 cup (25 g) blueberries
Instructions
Pan seared duck:
- Score duck skin by making 3 incisions in horizontal and vertical pattern ( cross hatch) into the skin, about 2-3 mm. deep. Season with salt and pepper just prior to cooking.
- Add oil to a large skillet or frying pan. Add the duck breast, scored skin side down then turn heat on to high until duck starts to sear and brown. Turn heat down to low heat and cook for 8-10 mins. until the fat is crisp and browned, flip, add herbs, then baste with oil and continue cooking until duck reaches medium rare doneness.
Vanilla scented celeriac puree:
- Peel and cut celeriac into chunks and place in a medium saucepan with 35% cream.
- Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer, cook approx. 20 mins or until celeriac root is soft.
- In a blender, blend celeriac, vanilla paste, and sugar until slightly thick, smooth consistency is formed. Season with salt and white pepper.
Squash milk foam:
- Peel butternut squash, cut in half, remove seeds and grate, then place in a medium saucepan with milk. Cook over medium high heat to bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer until soft.
- Blend squash milk in a blender until smooth, pourable consistency then seasonwith salt. Strain through a fine meshed sieve then reheat until it reaches 70C( 160F). Froth squash milk using a hand blender to create foam.
Blueberry sauce:
- Sprinkle 25% of the sugar over the bottom of small sauce pan.
- Over medium high heat, caramelize sugar until just starting to brown and bubble around edges. Gradually sprinkle sugar in stages until all has caramelized, add water to dissolve the caramelized sugar.
- Add vinegar to caramel and reheat.
- Add the duck stock – bring to a boil then turn heat to low to simmer stock. Reduce by 75% then finish with blueberries.
Notes
• With a spoon or spatula smear 2 oz. (60 ml.) celeriac puree across center of the plate and place each half of the duck breast diagonally on puree diagonally, pour .5 oz. (15 ml.) of blueberry sauce over duck breast then finish with 1 tsp. (5 ml.) of squash foam drizzled around the meat. Chef’s Notes:
• Allow duck breast to rest 5 mins. before cutting as the juices need time to settle,in
order to prevent duck breast from drying out.
• For medium rare doneness, meat should be slightly “spongy” to the touch and cooked until internal temperature is 135F/57C, well done 155F/68C
• Celeriac puree can be prepared with other root vegetable such as parsnips, carrots or sweet potatoes.
