By Nathan Fong
FoodConnect Vancouver
nathan@foodconnect.com

Spinach Raspberry Salad with Roasted Hazelnuts

This is BC at its best with local spinach, raspberries, hazelnuts and goat’s cheese. I love the combination of the sweetness from the raspberries contrasted with the tartness of the vinaigrette and the rich goat’s cheese.

Serves 4

¼ to 1/3 cup hazelnuts
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 Tbsp each chopped fresh parsley, tarragon, chives and basil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ small shallot, minced
¼ cup canola oil
8 cups baby spinach
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 oranges, peeled, membranes removed, segmented
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 2-inch julienne
8 oz fresh goats cheese

Heat oven to 350°F. Toast hazelnuts on a cookie sheet for 5 to 7 minutes, chop coarsely. Whisk together vinegar, honey, herbs, garlic, and shallot. Slowly whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a bowl, toss spinach with 2 tbsp vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with hazelnuts and remaining ingredients and serve.

Maple and Red Raspberry Pancakes with Maple Raspberry Syrup

This simple recipe is adapted from my award-winning New York chef and friend, Michel Nischan who was the executive chef of the W Hotel New York and the famed restaurant Heartbeat. Pure maple syrup is infused with fresh raspberries and orange zest to give a nice twist accompanying warm raspberry pancakes. The infused syrup is also a wonderful glaze for chicken and pork by whisking in a bit of Dijon mustard.

Serves 2 to 3

1 cups fresh orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp grated orange zest
1 cup pure maple syrup
2/3 cups raspberries

2 to 3 oranges
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup homogenized or 2 % milk
1 lg egg, well beaten
2 tsp grapeseed oil
¾ cup raspberries

To make the syrup, combine the orange juice and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes or until reduced to ½ cup.
Add the orange zest and maple syrup and stir to mix. Add the raspberries and mash gently to release the juices. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve. Cover and set aside.

To make the pancakes, grate the zest of 2 oranges; set aside.
Cut the oranges in half and squeeze juice to make ½ cup. If necessary, use the third orange.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the orange zest, milk, orange juice, and egg. Stir the batter until combined but still lumpy (if you overbeat the batter until it’s smooth, you will have tough pancakes)

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, lightly oil the pan by moistening a sheet of paper towel with the oil and rubbing it over the surface of the pan or griddle. Ladle the batter into the pan using a generous ¼ cup for each pancake and spacing the pancakes about 1 inch apart. Scatter a few raspberries over each pancake and cook for about 1 minute or until the tops of the pancakes bubble. Turn and cook for about 30 seconds longer, gently pushing on the pancakes to cook the berries.

Serve immediately with the warm syrup.

Raspberry Duck
This is such a classic pairing of sweet raspberries infused with vinegar and shallots with the richness of a crisp skinned duck breast. Match with a full bodied Pinot Noir.
Serves 6 to 8

4 x boneless duck breasts with skin, 3/4 pound each
salt and pepper to season
6 Tbsp raspberry vinegar (or substitute Balsamic)
1 shallot, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 Tbsp red currant jelly or raspberry jam (melted and strained)
2 to 3 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter
2 to 3 handfuls fresh raspberries

Score the fat side of the duck breasts with a knife. Season the duck breasts well on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet. (Remove fat with low heat method if necessary.

Low heat method: If the fat on the duck is very thick, put the pan on gentle heat and lay the duck in fat-side down. Gently melt the fat off, pouring away excess as it goes. This is called "rendering" the fat and it won't take more than 10 minutes total. You don't want the fat to disappear completely, because it makes the most delicious crisp crust. So, just cook off as much as you think you need to. Then, raise the heat in the pan to proceed with actual cooking.

Sauté the meat until cooked to your liking, 7 to 10 minutes on the fat side, then about another 3 to 5 minutes on the other. Remove to a carving board and let rest.

Deglaze the pan with the vinegar, scraping up the pan juices. Boil to reduce to about a tablespoon, about a minute. Whisk in the garlic, shallot, tomato paste, and wine. Boil to reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the jelly. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the butter a piece at a time to make a glossy sauce. Season. Toss in the fresh berries, reserving a few for garnish.

Thinly slice the breasts and arrange on a platter on a bed of arugula. Spoon over the raspberry sauce and serve.

Rhubarb Raspberry Oat Squares

Makes 8 servings

Traditionally rhubarb and strawberries have always been paired together but this dessert is a showcase for rhubarb and raspberries. The bright red tart filling is baked between layers of crunchy buttery brown-sugar crumb mixture reminiscent of butterscotch and is topped with a raspberry infused whipped cream. Sinsational!

1 lb (4 cups) rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
2 ½ Tbsp cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups fresh raspberries
1 Tbsp framboise or ½ tsp almond extract

¼ lb unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup old-fashioned or quick cooking (not instant) rolled oats
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup fresh raspberries

raspberries for topping

Combine the rhubarb in a mixing bowl with the sugar; cover and let stand for several hours, until the sugar is dissolved and the rhubarb has released its liquid. This can be prepared the night before and refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 325F and adjust oven rack to the middle of the oven.

Drain the rhubarb well in a strainer set over a large bowl. Measure juices and add enough water if necessary to make 1 cup. Place the liquid in a saucepan and stir in cornstarch and salt until dissolved. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and boils. When it becomes translucent , reduce the heat to medium low and continue cooking for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and stir in the rhubarb, raspberries, framboise or almond extract. Set aside.

Stir the melted butter with the cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the oats, brown sugar, and flour and stir well to moisten the dry ingredients. Press 2 cups of the crumbs into the bottom of an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Spoon the rhubarb mixture over the crust, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining crumb mixture. Pat the crumbs gently to compact slightly.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the topping is well browned. Cool on a wire rack until warm or at room temperature.

Whip the whipping cream and the sugar until softly thickened. Mash the ½ cups raspberries with a fork just to break them up a bit and add to the cream. Continue whipping until the cream is thick and holds its shape.

To serve, cut the dessert into 9 squares and top each with a dllop of the raspberry cream. Garnish with extra raspberries.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Rose scented Raspberries

Serves 6

I’ve always been a fan of panna cotta, the light silky Italian custard that is served cold. I had this sublime dessert at the wonderful Bill’s in Sydney, Australia several years ago and was intrigued with the fragrant garnish of fresh raspberries scented with a hint of rose water. Still today, it’s one of my favourite summer desserts.

3 tsp gelatine
½ cup half and half cream
7 oz sugar (200g)
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 ½ cups (800ml) buttermilk
½ cup (125ml) whipping cream, lightly whipped

8 oz fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp icing sugar
¾ tsp rose water

Sprinkle the gelatine over 2 Tbsp of water in a small bowl and set aside. Meanwhile, gently warm the cream, sugar and vanilla bean in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved and then remove from the heat. Add the gelatine to the saucepan, stirring until dissolved. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the buttermilk then fold in the whipped cream.

Pour into six 7-oz ramekins and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, place half of the raspberries into a glass bowl and crush with a fork. Stir in the icing sugar and taste for sweetness. Fold in the remaining raspberries and the rose water. Chill until ready to serve.

Top each ramekin with a spoonful of the raspberry mixture.

Raspberry-Almond Financiers

Makes enough for about 21 financiers (6 to 8 servings)

Two of my favourites…butter-rich almond financiers with their golden glow and tender crust with the brilliant red berries. Paired with a light raspberry sorbet, this makes a nice light summer dessert.
The small cakes should be eaten the day they are made and are best served slightly warm.

6 oz (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup ground almonds
1 2/3 cups icing sugar
½ cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt
¾ cup (5 or 6) egg whites
8 oz fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained

21 1 ¾ x 3 ½ inch financier molds or similar silicon mold

Preheat the oven to 450F. With a pastry brush, using a bit of the melted butter, thoroughly butter the financier molds. Arrange the molds side by side, but not touching on a baking sheet. Pl ace the baking sheet in the freezer to re-solidify the butter.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the almonds, sugar, flour, and salt. Mix to blend. Add the egg whites and mix until thoroughly blended. Add the remaining melted butter and mix until thoroughly blended. The mixture will be fairly thin and pourable.

Spoon the batter into the molds, filling almost to the rim. Place the baking sheet in the centre of the oven. Bake until the financiers just begin to rise, about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully arrange four raspberries in a single row down the centre of each. Reduce the heat to 400F and return the financiers to the oven and bake until they are a light, delicate brown and are beginning to firm up, about another 7 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the financiers rest in the oven until firm, about 7 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the financiers cool in the molds for 10 minutes. Unmold.

Fresh Raspberry Sorbet

Makes 6 to 8 servings, or ½ litre

I love the crisp cold sensuous smooth texture and flavour of a good sorbet. After a memorable meal, there is nothing better than a simple ‘boule’ of a fresh fruit sorbet. When in season, I like to freeze fresh raspberries so that I can have the taste of summer throughout our dreary and sometimes endless winters.

6 to 8 Tbsps sugar
2/3 cups water
1 pound (about 4 cups) fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water, bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool down to room temperature.

In a food processor or blender, puree the raspberries. Add the cooled sugar syrup and lemon juice. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove the seeds. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Fresh Raspberry Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

When fresh raspberries are in season, prepare some batches of this wonderful sauce and freeze some for the coming winter months. It is a great accompaniment for any chocolate dessert and will spruce up any dull dessert plate.

1 pound fresh or frozen raspberries
1 Tbsp icing sugar
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a food processor or blender, combine the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice and puree.

Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve set over a large bowl to remove the seeds. Transfer to an air-tight container and seal tightly. The sauce may be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days, or frozen for up to 6 months.

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