Cooking in the time of COVID: Three award-winning capital region chefs share secret recipes

A few prominent local chefs are helping to spice up your at-home food experience at a time when many are missing their brunch, lunch or dinner dates due to COVID-19.

Three Ottawa and Gatiuneau-area award-winning culinary artists are divulging their secret — yet simple — recipes, encouraging home chefs, rather than stepping outside of their home, to push the limits of their comfort zone.

General Blackie’s Chicken

Chef Michael Blackie’s menu at Stittsville based restaurant NeXT comprises the best of his food memories collected over a 30-year international career and he describes his signature dish, General Blackie’s Chicken, as “General Tso's 2.0 minus the broccoli and green peppers because, let's be honest, both of those vegetables are just nasty. It's all about the protein and steamed rice!”  

Currently, Blackie says he’s firing up his burners and is set to offer takeout/delivery starting April 23, while simultaneously working on the opening of two new ghost restaurants within the next month, both of which will offer only takeout via pickup or delivery.

In the meantime, he encourages food lovers to give his signature dish a spin. 

“Anyone who knows my food and cuisine knows [this dish]. It’s what many guests dream of when they think of their favorite thing I have made.”  

Specialty equipment

Granite mortar and pestle  

Ingredients 

Meat

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken leg 

Sauce 

2 cups kecap manis (sweet soy sauce ABC brand from Indonesia) 

1/3 cup kecap asin (salty soy sauce ABC brand from Indonesia)

1 cup hoisin sauce

2 tbsp sriracha hot sauce 

3 tbsp freshly grated ginger  

Batter 

1 cup cornstarch

1 cup all-purpose flour 

2.5 cups iced water  

Garnish 

1⁄4 bunch cilantro (stems and all) 

3 cups cooked jasmine rice 

For frying 

2 liters vegetable oil  

Method

Cut your chicken into thin strips. Reserve until ready to fry. 

Combine all elements for sauce. Reserve until plating. 

To make batter, combine cornstarch and all-purpose flour with the ice cold water and hand mix until fully blended. Don’t worry, lumps are okay! 

Ensure your oil is preset to 375 degrees Fahrenheit; deep fry your pieces of chicken by plunging them into the batter then dropping pieces into the oil one at a time. Once golden brown transfer to a stainless steel bowl. 

Add the sauce and toss until fully combined. 

Garnish with the cilantro. Accompany with steamed jasmine rice. 

Serves 4 to 6 

Marysol Foucault’s Dutch Baby  

Marysol Foucault is the woman behind Chez Edgar, a pint-sized space in Gatineau renowned for its hearty and creative brunch.

Regional winner of the 2013 Gold Medal Plates culinary competition and most recently a judge on Food Network’s Wall of Chefs, Foucault reveals that Chez Edgar will resume offering their inventive and colorful seasonal cuisine via take-out baskets in May.

Says Foucault, “[The Dutch Baby] will now have been on the menu for close to 10 years and there are no odd ingredients — everything should be found easily in a fridge and pantry.”

There are many ways to serve it, she says, including with lemon, cinnamon and sugar, or with yogourt, maple syrup and berries. If you’re feeling ambitious you can serve it like they do at Edgar, with aged cheddar, apples and braised pork belly.  

Specialty equipment 

Muffin tin

Large bowl

Whisk or immersion blender

Ladle 

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

Zest of one lemon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

6 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 cup butter, softened (for greasing)  

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large bowl, mix ingredients with a whisk or immersion blender until smooth.

Generously grease the muffin tins with the softened butter and, with a ladle, divide the dutch baby mixture into the 12 compartments. Place muffin tin on a sheet pan to prevent oven spills.

Cook for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and the dutch baby starts to climb the sides of the tins. The bottom will be pudding-like and the top slightly crispy. 

Pull the mini dutch babies out of the tins and serve immediately. 

Serves 4  

Imrun Texeira’s Indian Ice Cream (aka Kulfi)  

Finding his groove as sous chef at acclaimed restaurant Stofa in Wellington Village, Imrun Texeira created this ice cream to pair with a Mango Souffle before recently leaving to pursue internships in Europe at various Michelin starred establishments.

“For me, this recipe is pure comfort food,” explains Texeira. “I love ice cream in general, and I have very fond memories of the time I have spent travelling through India [where I had] this ice cream numerous times on the beach. [It’s] very nostalgic for me and brings great comfort.”  

Specialty equipment

Ice cream maker  

Ingredients

14oz evaporated milk

14oz condensed milk

1 cup 35% cream

3 tsp ground green cardamom 

2 tsp rose water  

Method

Churn in an ice cream maker and set.