Ok, so COVID put the breaks on Chef Paul Shufelt’s annual Bacon Day Dinner this fall, but that doesn’t mean his creativity for all things pork should go to waste this year.
Thankfully, Chef Paul has signed up for a special Woodshed Burgers Swine and Dine menu October 26 – 31, 2020 including:
THE SQUEALER – $14 Irving’s farm Fresh bacon & smoked cheddar stuffed beef burger, BBQ glazed, bourbon braised onions, lettuce, bread & butter pickles, Bon Ton Bakery bun
CHOCOLATE BACON BREAD PUDDING – $5
Chocolate bacon bread pudding paired with Pinocchio Ice Cream bacon bourbon ice cream
with chocolate sauce and bourbon caramel sauce.
In honour of their famous Bacon Day rivalry, chef Paul Shufelt and chef Andrew Cowan will go head to head with a special bacon inspired dessert off Oct 26 – 31. Bacon lovers will be encouraged to taste test Paul’s creation, and then visit chef Cowan across the street at Northern Chicken for his swine flavoured dessert.
In July, MEUWLY’S, an Edmonton artisan food market selling house-made charcuterie, sausages, and preserves, opened up in the lower level of 10706 124 street.
While the space to the brick and mortar location was under construction, the crew behind MEUWLY’S – Will Kotowicz, Peter Keith and Glendon Tan – introduced their products and built a loyal following of fans through their Secret Meat Club monthly subscription.
I was lucky to get in on the club on more than one occasion – and like those who tasted their product in those boxes, or in local restaurants around Edmonton, I was eager for their doors to open for daily business. (At a MEUWLY’S event hosted at NAIT I probably ate my weight in pate and ham – I couldn’t wait to buy more of their products).
The trio have been preparing for the doors to open for some time – slowly ageing high-quality cuts of Alberta pork for more than a year. When I popped in earlier in September, the guys had just sliced into a country ham that had been ageing for 16 months. The Bear and The Flower Farm ham was a huge hit; the same is to be expected for the Prosciutto that has been hanging for over a year, and are being rationed for special events.
Will, Peter and Glendon were eager to create an opportunity for urban dwellers to access fresh, local goods. For their pork products, that means always working with fresh, local Alberta Pork. In addition to The Bear and The Flower Farm, MEUWLY’S also sources pasture pork from Spragg’s Meat Shop in southern Alberta, as well as Berkshire pig farmers – Irvings Farm Fresh.
A lunch menu featuring a number of sandwiches – like the mortadella, capocollo, and salami topped sandwich – is helping to introduce customers to ingredients and products that are made and sold in house. Among the assortment of cold-cut deli meats, terrines and pates, along with pickled vegetables, chorizo popcorn and house-made condiments, MEUWLY’s a one-stop shop for the ultimate charcuterie board.
Peter told me they are presently bringing in 5-10 pigs per week, putting 1-2 legs away for slow ageing and curing. In addition to walk-in customers, they produce charcuterie for a growing list of Edmonton eateries including District Cafe, Three Boars, Woodwork, and Clementine.
Pop in for a sandwich or a take-away assortment of their artisanal meats -the quality is a Alberta pork-packed flavour that is unique to the MEUWLY’s brand.
Many Alberta Pork producers across the province also grow pulses, which are high in protein and fibre and low in fat; growing pulses are profitable for our farmers and an essential element in a sustainable cropping system.
Alberta Pulse Growers represents 6,000 growers of field pea, dry bean, lentil, chickpea, faba bean and soybean in Alberta. In addition to being great for the soil and for our bodies, pulses pair deliciously with pork! Over the past few years I have been trying to introduce more Canadian-grown pulses to my diet, but I often get stalled in the kitchen with pulses because of the need to soak dry pulses overnight.
Debra McLennan, food & nutrition coordinator with Alberta Pulse Growers, is a registered dietician who made my life a little easier recently. I asked if there was a nutritional difference between dry beans, lentils, chickpeas, and those that are in a can.
The major difference is the sodium in canned pulses. Canned pulses are convenient as they are pre-cooked and ready to use, but be sure to:
Always drain and rinse well before use.
Drain and rinse regular canned pulses to reduce the sodium content by 40% or try No Salt Added canned pulses.
With that knowledge, along with a cupboard packed with canned white beans and a fridge containing sausages (Fuge Meats Italian Fennel) and some Irvings Farm Fresh side pork I was able to create a one-pot cassoulet backed with Alberta Pork flavour and Alberta Pulse Producers fibre.
One-Pot White Bean Pork Cassoulet
What you’ll need…
500 g side pork or pork belly, cut into cubes
2 large pork sausages (e.g. Italian)
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans of white beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
1 can diced stewed tomatoes
1 cup soup stock (chicken, pork or vegetable)
1 cup white wine (or substitute with more broth if you prefer)
2 tbsp of mixed dried herbs (such as thyme, parsley, oregano, rosemary)
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs, divided
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large oven-proof pot or Dutch oven, brown sausages over medium heat for four to five minutes. Remove to a plate until cooled and cut into 1 cm slices.
Using the fat left in the pot from the sausages, add the side pork and onions and cook until the onions are translucent, approximately 5 – 7 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs; cook for 2 minutes more.
Add the tomatoes, beans, broth and wine. Bring to a simmer and add in one cup of bread crumbs and the sliced sausage. Stir to combine. Top with remaining 1/2 cup and transfer to preheated oven.
Cook for 1 – 1 1/2 hours and the bread crumbs have browned. Enjoy!
* Other combinations of canned pulses would also work with this dish, so get creative with any cans of Canadian beans, lentils or chickpeas you have in your cupboard.
Swine & Dine Edmonton is about to go from the dining room to the kitchen. On Wednesday, April 20th, 2016 – Chef Doreen Prei will be sharing tips and tricks on how to prepare, cook, and elevate your Alberta pork dishes at home when Get Cooking Edmonton hosts Swine & Dine featuring Irving Farms.
Nicola & Alan Irving will be in attendance and be able to educate diners on their farm near Camrose, Alberta were they raise their unique black Berkshire pigs.
Chef Prei was involved in the first Swine & Dine almost four years ago – we can’t wait to see to see what she whips up in the Get Cooking kitchen.
Cost: $95 per person, plus GST. Seating is limited – book your seat now.
