2nd Annual Rampfest

Recently we attended the 2nd Annual Rampfest up in Lanark County. It was a private gathering of Ottawa's finest food lovers - mainly members of a local cooking club and also some of their good chef friends here in town. What an afternoon. I tell you this only so you can salivate over the many uses of ramps and if this word is new to you, hopefully you will take a read on the Internet about this fine wild leek. Here is the menu we enjoyed.



*** APPETIZERS ***





Lobster and Ramp Salad Canapé (My personal favourite!!)





Baked Brie with Caramelized Ramps & Sun Dried Tomatoes





Bacon Wrapped Tart of Ramps, Potatoes and Cheddar





Smoked Salmon Rillette with Pickled Ramp Mayo on Baguette





Tart of Wild Leeks & Mushrooms in Garlic Cream





Ramps with Spicy Shrimp & Gnocchi





Hot Italian Sausage with Pickled Ramps & Dijon



*** MAIN ***



Smoked, Ramp Marinated BBQ Beef Tenderloin on a Bun [no picture]





BBQ Poached Salmon in White Wine & Ramps





Ramp Coleslaw





German Potato Salad with Pickled Ramps



Cheeses with Ramp Jelly & Fruit [no picture].

Odile is Habit Forming

Odile is habit forming.

Day 4 of Odile's opening week and I returned for lunch. If my Saturday brunch visit was any indication, this was going to be memorable. Again.

Odile is Marysol Foucault's second eatery opened 19 months following Edgar's arrival at 60 rue Bégin in Hull. She prepares high quality, local, seasonal food at both locations.




I quenched the high heat of the day with a Pamplemoussi - sparkling water, grapefruit juice and ginger syrup ($3.25) The serving size is substantial.



Then on to the lunch choices.



I picked the seared halibut accompanied with grape tomatoes, tapenade, capers, eggplant fondant, fiddleheads, black quinoa and of all things, daisy buds. ($16)



I had NO room for dessert but hoped to leak the house-made lemon gelato around and through the lunch crevices.

Marysol delivered the bad news that it was all sold out. She insisted that the the tarte tatin must be tried [at least that's how I remembered it ;) ] and I had this treat on the house. Pear and pistachio praline. Marysol whips her cream by hand so with muscles like that, resistance is futile.



I regret that I only saw her Rocket espresso machine as I said my good-byes and thank-you's. That would have made for a fine, fine finish. Next time.

Yep, Odile is habit forming.

Odile
47 rue Montclair (at the corner of Berri)
Hull, Quebec
819.205.4425

Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Three Cheese Tart

Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Three Cheese Tart

7 tomatoes
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3 sheets phyllo
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 oz mozzarella cheese, grated (or slices)
2 oz Havarti cheese, grated (or slices)
1 1/2 oz fontina cheese, grated (or slices)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 225ºF. Cut tomatoes in 4 pies lengthwise. Lay out on parchment covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Slow bake in oven for approximately 3 hours. You want the tomatoes to be reduced in moisture but not dry.



When the tomatoes have completed roasting, increase the heat in the oven to 375ºF.

Mince garlic into 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.

Cut 3 sheets of phyllo lengthwise and place under a damp tea towel.

Lay one sheet of phyllo on another damp tea towel. Brush with melted butter. Lay another sheet of phyllo on top. Using an offset spatula, smear 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard over the second sheet. Repeat with the remaining 4 sheets, ending with mustard.

Lift the prepared phyllo sheets into a long, rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom. Mine is 14" x 4 1/2".

Cover the bottom of the tart with mozzarella, Havarti and fontina cheese.

Lay the oven roasted tomatoes over the top of the cheese. Do not overlap.



Top with oregano and the minced garlic and the garlic flavoured olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes. The cheese should be melted and the phyllo should be golden. The length of time will depend on your oven.



Let rest for a few minutes before cutting. Serve warm.



It can make for a light meal, served with a handful of mixed greens, tossed in a mild vinaigrette.



CHEF'S TIPS:
You may not need all of the slices of oven roasted tomatoes. Feel free to freeze the remainder for another recipe. How many tomatoes you need, depends on the size of the tomatoes. Plum tomatoes are my usual choice.

Use any combination of the cheeses if just want to use what you have on hand.

You can adjust the amount of garlic, oregano and cheese, depending on your tastes.

You can cut up the tart into 4 pieces for an appetizer plate or cut small squares for an hors d'oeuvres platter.

I will make oven roasted tomatoes in big batches and store in the freezer. That way you can just take them out as you need them. Saves a lot of time prepping for a dish such as this one. Minimizes the use of the oven on a hot day too.

This recipe was inspired by one I saw in Canadian Living's Country Cooking Cookbook by Elizabeth Baird from 1991 called Easy Cheesy Tomato Pie.

Fontenelle Restaurant

If you wait long enough, your mid-century modern sense of decor will come back into vogue again. Well, at least the formica table tops, vinyl-covered booth seats and sit-up counter stools. I am not sure that the velvet wall art will ever be more than kitsch.

Such as it is at the Fontenelle Restaurant on 55 Montreal Road, across from the Bingo Hall. Frozen in time.



Breakfast starts at 4 am and the place closes up at the end of lunch hour at 3:00 pm. It is open 7 days a week.

Although, not quite 60's pricing, they are one of the cheaper breakfast deals in town. This morning, we were the only newbies. The regular patrons were given a familiar greeting when they made their way to their preferred pew.

I was charmed by the waitress's casual way of collecting all the order details without pen and paper, let alone repeating it back. She seems like the kind of gal that will ask me next time if I want the usual. Me thinks she has worked here a while.



I chose the one egg option with one meat (choice of bacon, ham, bologna and sausages) and two sides (choice of home fries, tomatoes or beans). It comes with a refill of coffee, toast (white or brown) and a jam. All for $5.60. I hear that if you want onions in your home fries, you just need to ask.



The plates arrived within minutes. (Crikey. An hour on the parking meter was way over estimating this visit.)



You won't find them on the internet. No website. No Facebook. No Twitter. None of that stuff was invented back then. So how are they still doing a steady business? The mid-century modern way - good old-fashioned word of mouth.

Fontenelle Restaurant
55 Montreal Road
Ottawa, Ontario
613.749.0332

Mon - Sun: 4:00 am - 3:00 pm

Vegetable Strudel

Vegetable Strudel

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup spring onions, chopped
2 garlic, minced
1 1/4 cup celeriac, finely diced
3/4 cup zucchini, finely diced
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
salt and pepper
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1/2 cup roasted orange peppers, diced
1 1/2 cup asparagus, chopped and steamed
140 grams chèvre goat cheese, softened
1 egg
8 sheets of phyllo
1/4 cup of melted butter
3 tablespoons bread crumbs

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook spring onions, zucchini, celeriac, garlic, marjoram, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper, stirring often until softened. Approximately 5 minutes. Add roasted peppers and asparagus. Take off the heat.

In large bowl, beat eggs and cheese until smooth. Stir into vegetable mixture.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo, with long side closest, on damp towel on work surface, keeping remainder covered with another damp towel to prevent drying out. Brush lightly with butter; sprinkle lightly with some of the bread crumbs. Repeat layering with 7 more sheets.

Arrange vegetable mixture in strip 2 inches from long side of phyllo and leaving 2-inch border at each short side. Fold long border over filling; using towel as aid, roll up pastry, folding in sides. Place seam side down, on greased baking sheet. Brush with butter. (Make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)

Cut 7 slits in top of each strudel. Bake in centre of 400ºF (200ºC) oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Slice each strudel into 8 servings.

This recipe was inspired by one I saw in Canadian Living's Holiday Best Magazine 1999.