Show Length

30 Minutes

Join Barb Lee and  some of Centre Wellington's best chefs as they prepare delicious meals with fresh local ingredients.

Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
Fridays at 7:00 p.m. 
Saturdays at 12:30 p.m.

Episode 1

Chef Derek Roberts
Fraberts Fresh Food, Fergus
www.frabertsfreshfood.com

 
Cabbage Rolls               
(Makes 15 cabbage rolls)

 

One of the best things about this recipe is that you can prepare the filling and the sauce a day or two in advance of the day you actually make the cabbage rolls. See my tip about preparing the cabbage will save you even more time.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 Large Head Cabbage

 

Tip: Freeze your cabbage well in advance for several days. Thaw in refrigerator a few days ahead of preparing cabbage rolls.  The freezing process breaks down the veins of the cabbage just the way boiling it does, without the fuss. You can add remaining cabbage in soups or stews.

 

Filling	Sauce
1 cup long grain rice – cooked	2 (28 ounce) canned tomatoes, crushed
1 tbsp dried basil-add to rice while cooking	1 cooking onion minced
2 lb lean ground beef, chopped fine	1 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, minced	½ tablespoon sugar
1 tbsp Lawry’s season salt	¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper	6 cloves roasted garlic
6 cloves garlic, minced
	1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

 

Directions 

• Cook rice until well-done and let cool. (If not cooked long enough it will be crunchy)

• Filling: In a large bowl mix all the ingredients from the Filling Ingredients together thoroughly.

• Sauce: In pot add all the Sauce Ingredients and cook on low heat stirring occasionally

• Core cabbage. Gently unfold as many leaves as you will need and set to one side

• Fill the cabbage leaves with filling mixture: folding the rolls at both ends and place seam down. Continue to roll the pigs until you have enough for your casserole.

• Take a foil roaster or glass bake pan, and cover the bottom with ½ the sauce

• Lay the cabbage rolls in side by each leaving a little space in between each

• Cover with remaining sauce and the diced tomatoes

• Cover with food grade plastic wrap and then tin foil (shiny side down) and cook at 300 F for about 1 hour.

Viewer Response

Episode 2: 

Chef Thomas Hewer
Goofie Newfie Pub & Grill, Fergus
www.goofienewfie.ca

Lasagna (Makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

 

1 lb lean ground beef, chopped fine	8-10 fresh local plum tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil	OR 1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
8 + cloves of garlic	salt & pepper to taste
1 large onion, minced	2 containers of ricotta cheese
1 carrot	1 package of lasagna noodles
1 stalk celery
½ bottle red wine	Fresh parmesan cheese for grating
3 small  bunches of fresh basil

Directions
  

• Brown meat in the olive oil on medium high heat in a pot with a thick, heavy bottom.

• Peel and trim onion, garlic carrot and celery in a food processor and add to the meat.

• Sauté for a few minutes until veggies have softened.

• Deglaze with the wine and cook down for approximately 5 minutes at medium heat.

• Add the diced tomatoes, reserving ½ cup. (If you are using fresh plum tomatoes, peel first, then dice but save all of the juice.  You may need to add a little extra tomato juice or water to keep the mixture moist.)

• Coarsely chop all of the basil.  Add ½ of the basil to the meat and tomato mixture.

• Simmer for ½ hour on low heat.

• Strain the two containers of ricotta cheese in a sieve.

• Finely chop the remaining coarsely basil.

• In a mixing bowl combine the strained ricotta cheese and the remaining basil.

• Preheat often to 350°f.

• Spread the ½ cup of reserved diced tomatoes on the bottom of a deep rectangular baking dish. Then layer uncooked lasagna noodles, meat sauce and cheese mixture until you have 4 layers of pasta, reserving some sauce for the top.

Tip: You can use uncooked dried lasagna noodles! (or fresh if you have them) 

• Grate some fresh parmesan cheese over the top.

• Cover with tin foil (shiny side down) and bake for about 1 hour. Uncover for the last 15 minutes.

 

Viewer Response

---

Episode 3: 

Chef Brian McLeod
Cork Restaurant, Elora
www.eloracork.com

Gnocci

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes (2lbs)

3 large eggs

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 cups of sifted flour, plus extra for dusting

1-2 tbsp of olive oil

4-6 cloves of roasted garlic, crushed

1 cup of 35% cream

Sprig of fresh basil

Directions:

·         Take 4 large potatoes, peel and boil in salted water.
·         Mash potatoes with electric mixer until totally mixed.
·         Let potatoes cool on a baking sheet for 1 hour.
·         Place large pot of salted water on stove to boil.
·         Mix together 2lb of potato's and 3 large eggs salt and pepper in large bowl.
·         Add 2 cups of flour to potato mixture and combine thoroughly.
·         Dust table with flour.
·         Roll out on to work station to approx ¾ in thickness.
·         Slice length wise on table and cut down into 1 inch pieces.
·         Dust again with flour.
·         Place in boiling water for 1 minute.
Tip:  Instead of dropping the gnocchi directly in the water, roll the piece forward around the edge of the inside of the pot at let in slip in.  This prevents getting scalded by boiling water. 
·         Remove from water with fine mesh strainer and place on baking sheet to cool.
·         Heat a non stick fry pan with the oil.
·         When the pan is hot reduce the heat to medium and brown the gnocchi for about 2 minutes, until golden brown on all sides.  If you have a lot only brown as many as the bottom of the pan will hold, then remove with a slotted spoon and continue browning the rest.
·         Add the garlic and stir gently for 1 minute.
·         Add the cream and reduce for a while over medium heat.
·         At this point tear up the basil and add to the pan.
·         Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Pan Fried Bread

Ingredients:

2cups of flour plus extra for dusting

2 tbsp instant dried yeast or 1 oz fresh yeast

2/3 cup warm water

1 tbsp sugar

Salt and Pepper

1-2 tbsp of olive oil

4-6 cloves of roasted garlic, crushed

1 cup of 35% cream

Sprig of fresh basil

 

Directions:

 

·         Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with sugar in a stainless steel bowl.  The yeast should  start to foam as it activates.

·         Add the 2 cups of flour and mix till combined.

·         Add a little salt and pepper

·         Let rest for 20 minutes.

·        Take out of bowl and dust with flour so as not to stick to table.

·         Divide dough into 4 portions.

·         Roll out dough into sizes large enough for your pan. 

·         Heat a non stick fry pan with a little oil.

·         Fry each piece for 1 minute each side. 

·         Pick the bread out of the pan with tongs because there will be pockets of hot air. 

Serve warm, perfect with a salad, soup or stew.

Viewer Response

Episode 4: 

 

Episode 5: 

Every Day Gourmet is brought to you by

PART OF ELORA FERGUS TOURISM

OUR GOAL IS TO PROMOTE OUR LOCAL GROWERS AND PRODUCERS AS WELL AS OUR WONDERFUL RESTAURANTS, CATERERS AND FOOD SHOPS.

IN CENTRE WELLINGTON WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH A GLORIOUS SELECTION OF FOOD, GROWN RIGHT HERE ON OUR DOORSTEP. WE’RE DELIGHTED TO PRESENT DELICIOUS WAYS TO COOK UP LOCAL FARE WITH OUR TALENTED CHEFS.

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SHOW AND THAT YOU’LL BE INSPIRED TO BUY LOCAL!

Savour Elora Fergus