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Saturday, February 14, 2015

Cookbook: Flavours of Edmonton (for our Valentine's entree dish)

 Culina's Grilled Sirloin with Blue Cheese and Red Wine Chocolate Sauce


I am cooking dinner this Valentines and wanted to incorporate an ingredient that is pretty popular on this day: chocolate. In keeping with the chocolate theme, I found this recipe in a cookbook I bought a few years ago for the main entree.  

Flavours of Edmonton is a cookbook that was compiled by CBC Edmonton and Lovoni Walker.  It's a collection of recipes from local restaurants and citizens of Edmonton.  A potluck sort of collection.  CBC Edmonton radio made a call out for any recipe people would want to share.  (I wished I could have sent one if I known sooner)  The proceeds of each cookbook went Edmonton's Food Bank.



Did you know that the Edmonton Food bank was the first in Canada?  It started in 1981, and feeds +15,000 people - 40% of whom are children.  Sad, if you think of it. 

I highly recommend getting this book (if it's still available)  I bought my cookbook at Audrey's Bookstore on Jasper avenue and 107 street.   I just love that bookstore.  The cookbook is a great collection of recipes, including this amazing dish from Culina's restaurant.

I've been to Culina (so YUMMY) a few times, but seem to miss this entree.  It's their grilled sirloin steak with blue cheese and red wine/chocolate sauce.  I guess it's a popular dish, and even made it onto this month's Avenue magazine.   It includes blue cheese, which some people don't like - but luckily my hubby and I love the cheese on steak. To have them share their recipe is awesome.  Maybe, the next time I go to Culina I'll order this dish.  Until then, I'll try the recipe and show you below.


That's medium, I think the red accents are making it look more rare.

The recipe is made for four people, but I sized it down to two, but kept the sauce amount the same.  I just didn't want to mess much with measurements, and I always love sauce.  Oh, and this recipe asks for two wines: red and white.

Ingredients:

4 x 9 oz Beef Sirloin Steaks (I used 2 steaks instead)
Potatoes, cooked and mashed to serve (make your favourite recipe)

Blue Cheese Cream Sauce:
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup creamy blue cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Chocolate Sauce:
1 cup demi glaze* (see note below)
1/4 cup red wine
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp grated dark chocolate (I used only 2 Tbsp)

Tools:  Around four sauce pan/pots, a grill pan, potato masher, spoons, measure cups and spoons, grater, knife, cutting board and a wine opener.

Step 1:
Grill steaks over medium-high until cooked to your likeness.  Cover and set aside.

Step 2: Blue Cheese Sauce
To make blue cheese cream, heat the butter in medium frying pan over medium.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.  Add wine and simmer until wine is reduced by about half.  Add cream and cook until thickened (about 5 - 10 minutes).  Stir in blue cheese, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Keep warm.




Step 3: Chocolate Sauce
To make chocolate sauce, combine demi glaze*, wine, salt and pepper in a medium fry pan over medium heat.  Simmer for 5 minutes to cook alcohol off wine.  Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir to combine.




To serve, place steaks on mashed potatoes.  Drizzle with blue cheese cream and chocolate sauce.
I went a little crazy with the sauce, but this dish is pretty tasty.

All in all, I really liked the recipe, and I think I will do it again (maybe be a bit lighter on the sauce). 
If this recipe doesn't appeal to you, don't give up on the book. There's lots of other recipes you can try.

Note: Demi -Glace (Glaze)
When I first saw this recipe, I honestly had to look up demi-glaze.  I had a feeling it was a gravy - but wasn't sure.  Demi Glace is generally made with beef stock, beef/veal bone broth, butter and flour.  I guess you can make your own, or you can do what I did and buy the packaged style.  I found Knorr package next to the spices and it's really easy, just add water.  




Where did we buy our sirloin steaks?  
Phone: (780) 433-1812
Email: acme.meatmarket@gmail.com
Address: 9531 76 Ave NW, Edmonton

They know their meats and know how to cut/butcher meat.  My hubby and I like shopping here and recommend anyone looking for a special cut of meat.  Give them a call. They are very accommodating.


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