Tag: pork liver mousse

Recap: Swine and Dine at RGE RD

Posted on by Sharman

This past week, Edmonton’s RGE RD played host to not one, but two nights of back-to-back RGE RD Swine and Dine dinners. While regular service was taking place in the main restaurant, twenty plus diners each evening were treated to whole hog menu introduced course by course by owner and chef Blair Lebsack in The Butchery that featured Nature’s Green Acres Alberta pork from table snacks through to dessert.

Chef Blair Lebsack has built the RGE RD brand on introducing diners to nose-to-tail cuisine, so it was no surprise to see a wide representation of piggy parts in his Swine and Dine menu. The restaurant’s nightly Questionable Bits plate is described as utilizing whole animal cooking, and often features off-cuts and offal. For their Swine and Dine menu, chef Lebsack and chef-de-cuisine  Davina Moraiko were sure to include some house favourites.

In fact, the challenge for chefs Lebsack and Moraiko was narrowing down their all-pork menu – they had too many ideas. While some people may seem challenged to incorporate Alberta pork into each course, chef Moraiko told me pork is so versatile, she could have created an entire menu with just pork liver.

The menu the duo shared included pig skin, pork liver, smoked jowl, pig face (headcheese), belly, cotecchino sausage, loin wrapped in more belly (porchetta), lard (pig fat) and even pig blood – proving that Alberta pork farmers have so much more to offer than just pork chops and tenderloin.

RGE RD
SWINE AND DINE MENU

TABLE SNACKS
Spicy Chicharrones | Smoked Corn Dogs | Pork Liver Mousse Donuts

 

FIRST COURSE
Naanwich
Smoked Pork Jowl | Smoked Charred Aioli | Pickled
Cayenne | Pickled Apple | Crackling

Last month, chef Moraiko created this dish, but on a bao for a collaboration event at Baijiu. For Swine and Dine, chef Moraiko and the RGE RD culinary team swapped the bao out for naan bread. The sliced smoked pork jowl was incredibly flavourful, especially paired with the tart pickled apple; the smoked charred aioli should be bottled and sold at the RGE RD monthly Butchery off – sales. After introducing the dish, chef Lebsack gave strict instructions this dish was to be eaten with our hands.

 

SECOND COURSE
Deep Fried Headcheese
Rhubarb | Radish | Greens | Chimichurri

Chef Lebsack explained that people coming to RGE RD, particularly for a Swine and Dine dinner, need to try their headcheese. The pig-face terrine was then breaded and deep fried and served alongside rhubarb, radishes, greens and chimichurri.

 

THIRD COURSE
Pork Belly & Potato Perogies
Cotecchino | Carmelized Onion | Beurre Blanc |
Creme Fraiche | Fermented Ramp

Chef Moraiko is Ukrainian, and she certainly brought some of heritage and upbringing to the plate for our third course. While she upgraded the potato filling with pork belly, she decided to serve her perogies classic by boiling and then giving them the RGE RD upgrade by bathing them in beurre blanc. While the restaurant normally serves perogies pan fried, that was the leftover way of eating perogies in her home growing up.

The dish was elevated from the homestyle variety with slices of cotecchino, a sausage chef Lebsack explained is made in house by first boiling the skin of pig. They grind it and add to sausage, which adds a silky texture. The sausage is then dry cured, which helps it develops all the flavours of dry curing, but then slowly poached, which helps firm up the sausage before serving.

FOURTH COURSE
Wood Roasted Porchetta
Nigella Seeds | Compressed Pear | Fiddleheads |
Asparagus | Hollandaise

 

You won’t find porchetta on the regular menu at RGE RD, chef Lebsack explained that they only share their pork loin wrapped in crackling topped pork belly for large group special events. Our dish was served with seasonal aspargus and fiddleheads, compressed pears, and bright yellow Hollandaise sauce. The nigella seeds were served table side by Chef Lebsack.

FIFTH COURSE
Pork Blood Ice Cream
Pork Lard Pastry Gallette | Saskatoon Berry

 

Chef Lebsack wanted his Swine and Diner to try a little bit of the whole pig, so they served a chocolate pork blood ice cream for dessert. Chef Moraiko explained that it was not that scary – and the chocolate ice cream was flavoured with lovely spices. The ice cream topped a Saskatoon berry pork lard pasty gallette. There were a few nervous people at my table, but after a few hesitant bites, many of the dessert plates were licked clean.

A special thanks to RGE RD owners Cailtin Fulton and chef Blair Lebsack for hosting back-to-back Swine and Dine dinners, to chef Lebsack and chef Moraiko for sharing their passion for pork, and the staff for serving up our Swine and Dine feast.

Whole-hog dishes featuring Nature’s Green Acres Alberta pork will always have a prominent place on the menu at RGE RD. While this Swine and Dine menu is no longer available, many of the bites and dishes will continue to make an appearance on the regular menu or on nightly specials. Try the nightly kitchen board, questionable bits, or experience the RGE RD Road Trip – a multi-course dining experience like Swine and Dine – ideal for those who want to take a hands off approach to dinner.

RGE RD – Eat off the beaten path
10643 – 123 Street
OPEN MON – SAT: 5PM TILL LATE

Recap: Swine & Dine at Tzin Wine & Tapas

Posted on by Sharman

On Tuesday May 30, Tzin Wine & Tapas played host to Edmonton’s latest Swine & Dine. The intimate wine bar on 104th set the table for 36 patrons spread across two seatings; however, the wait list surely would have filled at least another two seatings.

For the event, Chef Corey McGuire created an eight-course dinner featuring Irvings Farm Fresh Alberta Pork from amuse-bouche to dessert.

The evening kicked off with a Smoked bourbon Old Fashioned featuring smoked bourbon, bacon simple syrup, crabapple bitters and topped with a sinfully delicious candied piece of Irvings Farms bacon. The Irvings were on hand to talk to diners at both seatings, explaining that their partnership with Chef McGuire has spanned over eight years, and that his braised bacon dish has certainly led to customers seeking them out at the local farmer’s markets.

The first course of the evening was a Pork Liver Mousse accompanied by a hemp seed cracker and pickled shallots.

If you’ve ever been to Tzin you have seen just how tiny the open kitchen is. On several occasions I have compared it to the size of a food truck – I am always blown away by how much Chef McGuire does with such an intimate space to work with.

Our second course featured a Pork Jowl Croqueta. Sadly, this gluten-free girl couldn’t experience this dish, but I heard from the table the bite was just enough to leave them wanting more (and wishing there were a few more on the plate).

Chef McGuire sourced ingredients from Rob with Effing Seafoods to create two back-to-back surf & turf dishes on his Swine & Dine menu.

A post shared by Effing Rob Tryon (@effingrob) on

For our third course, Chef McGuire and his team served a Roast Pork Belly.

The Irvings Farm pork belly was served alongside a pork and shrimp bisque and a humpback shrimp salsa; yet another dish that left several at our table wanting more.

Throughout the evening, Tzin’s co-owner Glenn Quinn was on hand to help serve up the eight course Swine & Dine – offering suggestions to pair the menu with the restaurant’s unique wine menu.

Up next, Swine & Diners were treated to a Braised Pork Shoulder Ragout served with steamed clams, peppers & onions, and a cornbread waffle.

It was apparent that it was becoming more and more difficult to pick a favourite dish, as Chef McGuire plated the dishes in a way I felt they were getting better and better with each course.

 

The photo credit on the next picture goes to Little Miss Andrea. While I know she enjoyed the Grilled Pork Loin served with tater tots, butter cheese and pork gravy, I know she was not-so-secretly hoping Chef McGuire’s braised bacon would show up on the menu.

Our seventh course of the evening, and last savoury dish of the night, was a beautifully presented paella with smoked pork hock, herbed pork sausage and an apple aioli. 

Although not a classic paella one might find in Spain, the two Spaniards at my table enjoyed Chef McGuire’s dish, and we all did our best to score a crunchy bit, also known as the socarrat.

For dessert, Chef McGuire kept things simple with a Bourbon Butter Cake drenched in caramel and topped with bacon – the sweet and savoury dish completing our eight course Swine & Dine menu.

I would like to thank owners Kelsey Danyluk and Glen Quinn as well as Chef McGuire and the rest of the culinary team for hosting our latest Swine & Dine. In the end – I don’t think I could pick a favourite dish; however, I would gladly do it over if Chef McGuire offered the same menu again.

For those who couldn’t make it or score a seat, Chef McGuire always has a selection of dishes featuring Alberta Pork on the menu; just follow his instagram account for a selection of drool-worthy photos. From his legendary Irvings Farm braised bacon to his selection of house-made sausages, pork lovers can always enjoy a bite at Tzin Wine & Tapas.

Tzin Wine & Tapas
10115 104 St NW, Edmonton
(780) 428-8946

Swine & Dine at Tzin Wine & Tapas May 30

Posted on by Sharman

It is clear that Chef Corey McGuire at Tzin Wine & Tapas has a passion for pork. His braised bacon dish featuring a maple balsamic apple compote, apple mayonnaise and served on a crostini with a calvados gastrique routinely makes it on Edmonton’s top dish lists – I’m pretty sure there would be a revolt if he ever tried to take it off the menu.

Last month, I received a call from co-owner Glenn Quinn telling me it was time Tzin hosted a Swine & Dine; I couldn’t have been happier.

Somehow, in a kitchen smaller than the space inside some food trucks, Chef McGuire produces some of the most exquisite and beautifully plated dishes I’ve eaten in Edmonton. Chef McGuire has long been a supporter of Irvings Farm Fresh Alberta Pork, making Alan & Nicola’s Berkshire pork shine.

For Swine & Dine, Chef McGuire has created an eight course tasting menu featuring Irvings Farm Alberta Pork from amuse to dessert:

Amuse
Smoked bourbon old fashioned
Smoked bourbon | bacon simple syrup | crabapple bitters

Pork liver mousse
Hemp seed cracker | picked shallots

Pork jowl croquetas
Roasted garlic aioli

Roast pork belly
Pork & shrimp bisque | humpback shrimp salsa

Braised pork shoulder ragout
Steamed clams | peppers& onions | cornbread waffle

Grilled pork loin
Tater tots | buttercheese | pork gravy

Paella
Smoked pork hock | herbed pork sausage | bomba rice
Apple aioli | green onion

Bourbon butter cake
Bacon caramel

There will be 2 seatings, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm & 8.00 pm – 10:00 pm. Tickets are $55.00, price does not include tax and gratuity, and wine/spirits/beer will be sold separately. Owners Kelsey Danyluk and Glen Quinn as well as Chef McGuire and the rest of the culinary team are sure to make it a memorable evening. Tzin is an intimate wine bar with limited seating. Swine & Dine is already at capacity, but those interested in attending can still contact the restaurant directly at (780) 428-8946 to be added to a wait list.