www.PassionforPork.com

Swine and Dine at Hart’s Table & Bar

Chef Andrew Cowan was part of the very first Passion for Pork Swine & Dine in Edmonton back in July 2012 when 22 people walked from Zinc to 100 to Moriarty’s for a three-course pork-infused dinner. This summer, he made the move within Century Hospitality from 100 Bar & Kitchen downtown to the new Hart’s Table & Bar in Ellerslie. While I was sad that his charcuterie platter was no longer walking distance away, I am happy to see that Chef Cowan is spreading his love of Alberta pork to a whole new neighbourhood in Edmonton.

Last week Chef Cowan treated Edmonton’s latest band of swine and diners, including S&D newbies YEG food blogger Linda Hoang and gastropost-guru Brittney Le Blanc, to a delicious five-course menu.

First up was Chef Cowan’s house-made multi-grain sour dough bread served with pork and roasted squash butter. I got to sit back and watch my gluten-loving friends devour Chef Cowan’s pork-butter creation; there wasn’t a slice of bread left at the table.

Next up, Chef Cowan explained how our second course was a take on pork tataki. No, he didn’t serve us raw pork. Instead, he served up a sous-vide pork tenderloin with smoked tomato jus and fermented horseradish that was so tender you didn’t need a knife. To add a kick of spice, there were even a few jalapeño slices – the dish was an instant hit at my table for ten.

For our third course Chef Cowan went rustic with barley succotash, cured lardo, late fall vegetables, roasted corn, and mushrooms. My friend Kim said the dish was delightfully creamy (her favourite of the night), while this gluten free girl was given a dish incorporating red quinoa. Chef Cowan played with a variety of seasonal vegetables supplied by a local producer that made each of his pork dishes shine.

For our fourth dish of the evening Chef Cowan brought some more heat to an Irving Farms boneless pork chop served with kohlrabi slaw and a fermented jalapeño hot sauce. The combination of dry-cured pork combined with seasonal vegetables and spicy heat brought a mouth-full of warmth on a cool October night.

Our final dish of the evening was a gluten free, flourless chocolate brownie served with Chef Cowan’s secret bacon butterscotch recipe. Dense and super fudgy, the chocolate dessert was the perfect way to end the night.

If you are sad that you missed Swine and Dine with Chef Cowan at Hart’s Table, don’t be sad, Chef Cowan is always happy to serve up unique off-menu pork dinners. Follow him on twitter, drop him a message, or call the restaurant  – he’ll take care of all your pork cravings.