Dessert Recipes Vegetarian

Peach and Almond Clafoutis

August 24, 2011

Ah, summer peaches…Is there anything more scrumptious in the summertime than devouring a ripe peach and letting it dribble down your chin?

I just couldn’t resist their attraction on my last trip to the Union Square Farmers Market where they reigned over every stalls and came back home with a dozen beauties.

Peaches

An easy and delicious way to make the most of beautiful summer peaches is with a Clafoutis. A French dessert with a custard-like texture, Clafoutis is one of those simply elegant desserts that never fails to impress and its lightness makes it suitable for any time of day… ideal for a fruit and dessert obsessed like myself!

 Peach and Almond Clafoutis
 (adapted from La cuisine des saisons de Clodine)

 ¼ c roasted almonds
 2 tbsp unsalted butter
 6 peaches, peeled and cut into wedges
 2 tbsp honey
 Pinch of ground nutmeg
 Pinch of ground cinnamon
 4 eggs
 2 tbsp sugar
 1 c milk
 4 tbsp flour
 Powdered sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Roast the almonds over medium heat in a pan with a bit of butter then add the peaches and cook 5-7 minutes with some more butter, the honey, nutmeg, and cinnamon until caramelized.

Peach Clafoutis

In the meantime, mix the eggs, sugar and milk in a big bowl. Add the sifted flour to the bowl and stir until just combined. Butter and flour a pie dish and place the caramelized peaches and almonds at the bottom before filling it with the egg mixture.

Peach Clafoutis

Bake for 45 minutes or until the mixture is set. Generously sprinkle the clafoutis with powdered sugar while it’s still warm.

Peach Clafoutis

Slice and serve warm or at room temperature, on its own or over a bit of slightly sweetened fresh cream.

Peach Clafoutis
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Montreal Restaurants

La Distillerie, Montreal

August 23, 2011

La Distillerie is one of my favorite cocktail bars in Montreal – great atmosphere, fresh ingredients and a gigantic menu! Having made the Mason jar its signature, you can expect alcohol in great quantity as well as loads of originality to fill in these giant jars of goodness.

La Distillerie - Montreal

Now with three different locations, we chose the latest installment (N°3) on rue Masson, in the slowly gentrifying neighborhood of Rosemont/Petite-Patrie.

La Distillerie - Montreal

Our first round – would have been the first of many if we didn’t have dinner plans! Here you have two of the Illegal Alien (Cazadores Blanco 100% Agave, Benedictine, lemon juice, pear puree, homemade hibiscus cordial) and a Mad Man (Maker’s Mark, Sailor Jerry, Courvoisier VS, oranges, Regan’s bitters, Peychaud’s bitters, Angostura bitters, simple syrup, brandied cherry).

La Distillerie - Montreal

Burning Margharita: Hornitos Plata, Triple Sec, angostura flambéed limes, agave nectar, hot chile… tastes as devilish as it looks!

La Distillerie - Montreal

Rock’A’Rula: Amarula, Angostura, egg white, root beer…so good I’d put that in my cereals.

La Distillerie - Montreal

Chasse et Pêche: Canadian Club Premium, Triple Sec, fresh basil, white peach puree, lemon juice, simple syrup… fresh and perfectly balanced.

I hear there’s a bit of a wait on weekends, especially at N°1 which is the smallest, so plan ahead…or do like us and show up when they open at 4pm! 😉

La Distillerie N°3
2656 rue Masson
Montréal, Qc H1Y 1W2
(514)  528-9846
 
La Distillerie N°2
2047 av. Mont-Royal
Montréal, QC H2H 1J7
(514) 523-8166
 
La Distillerie N°1
300 rue Ontario Est
Montréal, Qc H2X 1H6
(514) 288-7915
map
Montreal Restaurants

Le Bremner, Montreal

August 21, 2011

Le Bremner is the latest venture by popular local chef Chuck Hughes, star of “Chuck’s Day Off” on the Cooking Channel and chef/owner of  Montreal’s famous Garde Manger. Opened only a few weeks ago in Old Montreal, this amazing seafood eatery is already showing signs of becoming Montreal’s newest hot spot.

Launched with no fanfare, no publicity, no website, and not even an indication of its location, Le Bremner was packed and buzzing on a Saturday night when we stopped by (after making reservations a few weeks in advance). The cool, hip and relax atmosphere and the menu of haute comfort seafood are a reminder of why food-obsessed Montrealers have grown to adore Hughes’s approach to upscale dining – it’s fun, inventive, comes with excellent background music and tastes amazing!

Le Bremner - Montreal

No signage other than ‘Restaurant’ alerts pedestrians of the wonders lurking behind the double doors…

Le Bremner

Creamy burrata with sea salt, orange zest and olive oil – this tasty appetizer came with pickled vegetables and homemade chips, yum!

Le Bremner

Raw striped bass with pickled radish, mint and pistachios was a unique and successful take on carpaccio.

Le Bremner

Scallops tartar…simply sublime!

Le Bremner

Oysters of course were a must…one of Chuck’s favorite food and mine as well!

Le Bremner

Duck fat roasted new red potatoes

Le Bremner - Montreal

Gratinees garlic mussels.

Le Bremner

Cornbread with broiled garlic shrimps.

Le Bremner

Asparagus, poached egg and confit tomatoes.

Le Bremner

Last treat of the night…homemade jelly donuts with chocolate, strawberry jam and lemon curd, perfect ending to a perfect meal!

Le Bremner

We ate on the cute covered terrace in the back with its own bar, intimate lighting and loads of leafy plants – the ambiance was spot on. We had cocktails before dinner that were as creative as the food we ate and all homemade (syrups, juices, flavored liqueur, etc.) and the wine list is also pretty comprehensive. I honestly can’t recommend this place highly enough if you’re looking for a top restaurant experience – go now!!

Le Bremner
361 St. Paul East
Montreal, QC H2Y 1H2
514-544-0446
map

 

Montreal Restaurants

Burgundy Lion, Montreal

August 21, 2011

The Burgundy Lion is a modern take on a traditional British Pub with fancier grubs and an impressive whiskey list. Located close to downtown in the Little Burgundy neighborhood, the ambiance is loungey and more relax than your typical pub – a classic Montreal feel.

Burgundy Lion - Montreal

A large terrace greets you at the entrance in the summer but we opted for the smaller, cozier terrace inside. To help soak up the alcohol they offer a familiar and hearty menu of fish and chips, bangers and mash, burgers, and a few more original items such as Manchester curry, samosas, chicken tikka masala, roast beef poutine (obviously!), and cucumber and tuna sandwiches.

We only stopped there for a few drinks and appetizers so I can’t speak for the main dishes but the starters were what you’d expect from this kind of establishment – decent in size, OK in taste, just some good honest food to get you drinking more…! We shared the scotch eggs, vegetarian samosas and Oxfordshire green salad (lettuce, pears, walnuts, stilton) with a few Pimm’s Cups and pints of their own Burgundy Lion Ale.

Burgundy Lion - Montreal

The place gets busy though with the additional terraces in the summer there’s more than enough space for everyone. Overall a good stop for casual drinks with friends and the occasional soccer/hockey game watching in good company.

Burgundy Lion
2496 rue Notre-Dame Ouest
Montreal, Quebec
Telephone: 514-934-0888
map

 

Montreal Restaurants

SwUrl Frozen Yogurt, Montreal

August 21, 2011

There seems to be a craze recently for self-serve frozen yogurt places as witnessed by the multiplication of them in New York city, and it looks like Montreal has caught on it as well with the opening of SwUrl on Crescent street.

Swurl Montreal

The concept is simple – you grab a bowl, fill it up with your frozen yogurt flavors of choice, load on your favorite toppings, weigh it, and pay! There are always 8 flavors being served,  four traditional and four flavors of the week. The traditional flavors are plain, vanilla, chocolate, and pomegranate. When I visited the flavors of the week were green tea, taro, lychee, and raspberry. They have served up some pretty original flavors in the past such as bacon, lucky charms, and sriracha hot sauce so if I’d live nearby I’d make sure to pay a regular visit!

The toppings include the traditional stuff like candies, chocolates, and fresh fruits,  as well as a few surprises like wasabi and ruffles chips! I ate a trio of the pomegranate, lychee and green tea flavors with a sprinkle of crushed sugar cones and fresh raspberries and it was deliciously satisfying for such a healthy treat! The lychee particularly was so fresh and tasty I could have had a second serving.

Swurl Montreal

Located in one of the busiest areas of the city, this place is sure to attract its fair share of attention and I’d recommend anyone visiting Montreal to check it out – it’s a lot of fun!

SwUrl Frozen Yogurt
1464 rue Crescent
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Telephone: 514-439-8096