Chef Molotov’s Yuletide Feast
Trained in the culinary arts, Fiona brings a passion for fresh, local flavors to every dish. Her childhood in Ukraine and China sparked a lifelong fascination with diverse culinary traditions, which she now weaves together with a focus on foraged ingredients and the magic of fermentation. As Molotov Cuisine, she curates unforgettable dining experiences across Canada, showcasing the bounty of each region while championing sustainability.
SEASONS GREETINGS FROM CHEF MOLOTOV
Cheers to the holiday season! I wanted to share some festive recipes this season, because what is a better way to spread some cheer and joy than a delectable feast? Growing up traveling across continents, we never knew where we would end up for Christmas. We always kept a few traditions alive - cookie decorating and a desperate need for fresh cranberry sauce - mixed into the culture of the country we were living in. These recipes below reflect that, a little blending of flavours and spice to create some unique and vibrant dishes. Serve these up on your dining table and surround yourselves with loved ones and laughter, that’s all I ever need in life!
Mixed Green Salad with a persimmon vinaigrette, granny smiths, and hazelnuts
-Mixed Green of your Choice
-2 Persimmons
-5 tbsp Champagne Vinegar
-2 tbsp Honey
-8 tbsp olive oil
-1 Granny Smith Apple {thinly sliced half moons}
-1/4 cup Hazelnuts {toasted and roughly chopped}
-2 shallots {thinly sliced}
Take off the top of the persimmon, and then quarter it. With a immersion blender or food processor, blend together the persimmons, vinegar, honey & oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss your mixed salad greens (I prefer a blend of arugula and baby spinach, but feel free to pick your favourite!) with the dressing, and top with apples, hazelnuts & shallots. This salad is also fantastic with some sourdough croutons and goat cheese if you’re in the mood!
Crispy roasted potatoes with rose harissa and thyme
-6 Large Potatoes
-2 Sprigs of Rosemary {roughly chopped}
-3 Sprigs of Thyme {picked off the stem}
-1.5 tsp Harissa Spice Blend
-1.5 tsp Caraway Seeds
-0.5 tsp dried & crushed Rose Petals
-Olive Oil
-Salt and Pepper
-1 cup Greek Yogurt
-Zest of Lemon
-Handful of Fresh Dill
-1 Garlic Clove {put through a garlic press}
Preheat oven to 450F. In a medium sauce pan, bring salted water to a boil. Peel and cut your potatoes into bite sized pieces, and through into the water once boiling. Boil until partially cooked, about 5 minutes. The outside will be cooked but the inside is still raw. Drain in a colander, and bounce the colander up and down, hitting the potatoes together. This will “fluff” up the outside of the potatoes, creating a coating on the outside. Leave to dry out for 5-10 minutes. After the wait till, toss together in a bowl the potatoes, caraway, harissa, rose, a hearty amount of olive oil (you want it to be fully coated), and salt and pepper. Spread out onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 45 minutes, take out and mix around and add the rosemary and thyme, and cook another 10 minutes. While potatoes cook - mix yogurt, lemon, dill & garlic. Serve potatoes with the yogurt.
Sage Butternut and orange marscarpone galette
This delicious galette is the epitome of savoury & sweet, with comforting winter flavours & a spark of brightness from the orange. This dish is always a crowd pleaser.
We’ll start with the pastry, a perfectly flaky crust:
-3/4 Cup Cold Butter
-2 cup Flour
-1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Using a cheese grater, grate the butter over top of the flour. Gently fluff the flour around the butter and mix together, making sure to not over mix and crumble the butter. Add the apple cider vinegar & a sprinkle of salt. Turn your tap on cold for running water and wait till it’s as cold as it can be. Start with 1/4 cup of water to your flour and mix, it should form a smooth dough ball. Add more water if needed. Flatten into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum 1 hour.
While the dough rests, time to move onto the filling:
Set oven to 500c.
-1 small Butternut Squash {peeled and cut into 1 inch half moons}
-3/4 cup loosely filled with fresh Sage
-3 small Carrots {peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds}
-2 Shallots {finely chopped}
-1 head of Garlic {broken apart and peeled}
-6 sprigs of Thyme {freshly picked}
-3 sprigs of Rosemary {freshly picked}
-3 Oranges {zested & juiced}
-220g Mascarpone
-2 tsp Coriander
-3 tbsp Maple Syrup
-Salt, Pepper & Olive Oil
-1 Egg
Toss your butternut squash & carrots in a bowl with a few tablespoons of olive oil, a generous sprinkle of salt & pepper, half of the thyme & rosemary, 1/4 of the sage minced, and 2 cloves of the garlic head minced. On a baking tray lined with parchment paper, lay evenly out the mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes until just starting to turn slightly brown.
While the squash mixture cooks, in a small frying pan set to low heat, cook the rest of the garlic {minced} and the shallots. Slowly cooking till slightly caramelized. About 10 minutes. Set aside in a small bowl and add the mascarpone, orange zest, the other half of the thyme & rosemary {minced} and 1/2 of the remaining sage {minced}. Season with salt, pepper, & the coriander. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, add the orange juice and the maple syrup. Bring to a boil and simmer until it becomes a thickened syrup, should only take around 5 minutes.
Turn oven down to 450c. Roll out dough till about 1/8 inch thick, trying to maintain a circle form. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and transfer dough to the parchment. Starting with the mascarpone, spoon it onto the dough, leaving a thick border free around the edges. At least 2-5 inches. Then add the butternut squash and carrots on top. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the filling, overlapping the dough as necessary. Gently pressing to seal the overlapping edges. Pour the maple orange glaze over top of the filling. Beat the egg and brush over the dough. Cook for around 30 minutes, till golden brown. Garnish with remains sage leaves and serve.
Blueberry and mushroom pork tenderloin
A unique spin on a classic dish, this sauce is rich with a deep umami taste.
-Pork Tenderloin
-2 cup Blueberries
-2 cup Red Wine
-1/2 cup Beef Broth
-2 tbsp Porcini Powder
-2 tsp each of Fennel & Coriander seeds {toasted and crushed}
-1 cup Shiitake Mushrooms {quartered}
-Salt & Pepper
-Olive Oil
Set oven to 425c. Take the tenderloin out of the pan & pat dry. Season with salt, pepper, & half of the fennel coriander mixture.
In an oven proof skillet or frying pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the tenderloin, turning and browning on all sides (around 2 minutes each side). Slide into oven and roast for 10 - 20 minutes, depending on size of your tenderloin. Internal temperature should be between 145f to 150f. Take the pan out of the oven, and set the tenderloin aside on a cutting board to rest. While resting, being the same pan to medium heat on the stove top. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned and slightly crispy. Add the blueberries and cook for 3-5 minutes, then add red wine & cook till about half is reduced. Add the beef broth, porcini powder, and the rest of the fennel & coriander. Simmer until reduced by another half and thickened. Salt and pepper to taste. This sauce is great to use as is, but if you’d like a thicker gravy make a rough in a small sauce pan (2tbsp butter to 2tbsp flour) and whisk into the sauce. Slice the pork tenderloin and plate onto your serving tray. Spoon the sauce top & serve.
