For Café Boulud's third Guest Chef dinner in its #CBDinnerSeries, chef Tyler Shedden (@tylershedden) teamed up with chef Carl Heinrich (@chefheinrich) of Richmond Station (@richmondstn). Together the two chefs presented a six-course Vancouver island inspired dinner.
(Photo by @cafebouludto)
Below is a recap of the collaboration dinner. Can you guess which chef prepared which course?
CHARCUTERIE
Duck Liver Pate, Strawberry-Rhubarb Chutney, Pain Perdu
Capicolla
Veal Piedmontaise Salami
Pate en Croute, Sweetbreads & Morels
Saucisson Sec au Patis
Foie Gras Terrine, Huckleberries
Blue Moountain Brut NV, Okanagan
CHAR-GRILLED SPOT PRAWNS
Liquorice Root, Nori Cracker, Porcini Mushroom, Dashi
Momo Kawa Junmai Ginjo, Oregon
MOREL MUSHROOM SALAD
Wild Leeks, Fermented Garlic Aioli, Baby Greens, Grand Fir Oil
2010 Meyer Family 'Reimer Vineyard' Pinot Noir, Okanagan
ROSEMARY SMOKED RAINBOW TROUT
Green & White Asparagus, Lemon Verbena Hollandaise, Potato Croutons
2010 Hidden Bench Tete de Cuvee, Niagara
PACIFIC HALIBUT
Oyster & Confit Pig's Tail, Lovage Tortellini, Chanterelles, Summer Truffle
2009 Cassini Maximus, Okanagan
BAY LAUREL CAKE
Green Apricot & Geranium, Fromage Blanc, Poached Rhubarb, Puffed Quinoa, Almond Ice Cream
2008 Castelnau de Suduiraut Sauternes, France
With both chefs growing up in British Columbia (Heinrich from Sooke, Shedden from Quadra Island) this spectacular collaboration dinner naturally focused on the Pacific Ocean's bounty that one will find on menus around the region - fresh seafood. My favourite dishes that evening were the Char-Grilled Spot Prawns, Morel Mushroom Salad, Rosemary Smoked Rainbow Trout and the Bay Laurel Cake dessert.
No fuss or frills stood in the way of the perfectly char-grilled spot prawns which had the most amazing texture and richness (they had a combination of natural unctuousness of dungeness crab and the bite and density of a lobster tail). The umami-rich broth enhanced the natural sweetness and creaminess of the meat while the cracker gave crunch and texture to the plate. This was a perfect dish in my books! What followed was a delicious rustic salad composed of fresh morel mushrooms and leeks, and I absolutely loved the robust earthy flavours here. The fillet of Rainbow Trout, with a subtle pink blush, was delicate and buttery smooth, and the lemon verbana hollandaise sauce complemented the fish nicely. Two of the most talented pastry chefs in the city, Saeko Nemoto of Café Boulud and Farzam Fallah of Richmond Station, worked together on the Bay Laurel Cake. There are many components to the dessert but to sum it up, this plate was essentially a delicious edible art piece comprised of vibrant colours, intriguing flavours and delectable textures. Brilliantly done.
So Who Made What...?
Charcuterie: Richmond Station - Duck Liver Pate, Strawberry-Rhubarb Chutney, Pain Perdu | Capicolla | Veal Piedmontaise Salami. Cafe Boulud - Pate en Croute, Sweetbreads & Morels | Saucisson Sec au Patis | Foie Gras Terrine, Huckleberries.
Char-grilled spot prawns: Tyler Shedden
Morel mushroom salad: Carl Heinrich
Rosemary smoked Rainbow Trout: Carl Heinrich
Pacific Halibut: Tyler Shedden
*This meal was complimentary. The opinions and views expressed on this post are my own*