Recap: Swine and Dine at Bündok

Chef Ryan Hotchkiss and his culinary team were the latest to take on the Swine and Dine challenge – sharing a five-course menu featuring Alberta Pork from appetizer to dessert to a packed house at Bündok last week.

Throughout the event, chef Hotchkiss showcased a variety of Alberta pork producers and artisans. To start things off, chef Hotchkiss featured Secret Meat Club by Meuwly’s Coppa made with Bear and the Flower Farm pasture raised pork. 

For our starter, chef Hotchkiss layered the coppa alongside baby artichoke, hazelnut oil, puffed wild rice, and dressed with a currant vinaigrette. The puffed wild rice added a lovely crunch to our welcome dish which featured a beautifully cured cut from Meuwly’s (which should be opening their store front deli on 124th street any day now).

Our next was one of the best bites of pork belly I have ever had, which is saying something, because I have eaten a substantial amount of pork belly since Swine and Dine started almost six years ago.

Our second course featured a glazed Irvings Farm Fresh pork belly served in a bowl alongside beans and fried leeks in pea broth.

Chef Hotchkiss ladling out my favourite dish of the evening – glazed Irvings Farm pork belly, beans, and fried leeks in pea broth.

I heard from two different guests, that while they normally don’t enjoy pork belly, that the dish was amazing. I would choose this dish again and again should it ever make its way onto the regular Bündok menu. 

Chef Hotchkiss’ gnocchi is a favourite among many of their regular patrons, so I was not surprised to see a handmade pasta on his Swine and Dine menu.


For our pasta course, chef Hotchkiss and culinary team plated a chickpea tagliatelle in a Messinger Meats pork shank ragu with fried chickpeas.

Chef Hotchkiss made me a special gluten-free version of the chickpea tagliatelle, which looked identical to the original. It is the second time I’ve had chef Hotchkiss’ gluten free pasta, and I can easily say both batches made for the best I have had since becoming diagnosed as a Celiac.

I mentioned the glazed pork belly in pea broth was my favourite, but it was a challenge to make that decision as the night went on. The hand-made chickpea pasta was a real treat for me, as was the main course of the evening – a Tonkatsu pork cutlet.

Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish which consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet, which is often served with shredded cabbage. Chef Hotchkiss and his team served a Messinger Meats Millefeuille tonkatsu stuffed with gruyere cheese, grainy mustard alongside cabbage in honey reduction and yeast.

A post shared by Sharman Hnatiuk (@theporkgirl) on


When I arrived at Swine & Dine last week I ducked in the back to see what chef Hotchkiss and his team were up to in the kitchen. At the time, he told me he was most excited for the dessert because he didn’t use bacon. Rather than keep it simple with a candied bacon – the Bündok team got creative.

For dessert, chef Hotchkiss and his crew served up a Saskatoon semifreddo made with whipped @bearflowerfarm lardo and topped with chicharron and candied hazelnuts. The cool smooth texture of the semifreddo against the crunchy nuts and puffed pork skin made for an interesting bite, which also made for a light and refreshing end to our swine and dine indulgence.

My friend Simone most often skips dessert. Conveniently for my boyfriend, she often hands her Swine & Dine desserts for the set-menu dinners over for him to enjoy. This time, she came to apologize to him because she did an unusual thing – she ate every last bite!

If you have yet to experience a meal at Bündok I hope this blog inspires to add it to your restaurant-hit list. Every meal I have had at Bündok from brunch to lunch to dinner have all been exquisite. Chef Hotchkiss has the ability to take seasonal, local ingredients and make them shine on the plate.

Thank you to chef Hotchkiss and his culinary team for sharing their passion for Alberta pork. It was so good they’ll have to do it again – can’t wait to see what you come up with next time! Until then – check them out at:

Bündok
10228 104 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta

Recipe: Garlicky Pork Ragu

Roast Garlic pork ragu recipe

I’m not sure how it happened, but December is just around the corner. Even though we haven’t had nearly as much snow as we usually do by this time of year, that doesn’t mean it’s not feeling a little chilly outside.

This tomato ragu recipe incorporates big chunks of tender pork shoulder and red wine for a finished product that is not only comforting, but great on anything from rice or pasta to roasted root vegetables and mashed potatoes. It freezes well too, so if you’re a big batch cook, this one’s for you!

What you’ll need…

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 4lb bone-in pork shoulder (meat 1″ cubed, reserve bone)

2 cups red wine

1 yellow onion (halved and thinly sliced)

6 cloves garlic (minced)

6 cups canned crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons butter

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper (to taste)

8 cups cooked pasta of choice

Directions:

Heat canola oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. Add cubed pork to the pot and, working in two batches, cook until browned on all sides.

Remove pork from pot and deglaze with a few splashes of red wine. Add onions and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Return meat to pot along with the shoulder bone, remaining wine, tomatoes, butter and spices. Stir well to incorporate and once mixture comes to a simmer, reduce to low heat, cover and let cook for 2 hours or until pork is fork-tender, checking and stirring occasionally.

After 2 hours, remove lid, discard bone and spice sprigs, turn to medium heat and let cook for 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, portion out pasta onto 6 plates or shallow bowls and top liberally with pork ragu. Enjoy!

Serves 6

Total cook time…2 hours, 30 minutes

Recipe: Spaghetti with Porchetta Ragu

Porchetta ragu recipe

I love pasta any time of the year, but during the winter is when I truly find comfort in a big plate of spaghetti. Living in downtown Calgary, I’m lucky enough to be within walking distance to a mix of grocery stores and meat shops that boast a great selection of cuts of pork as well as cured meats. The other day when I decided to suit up and trek through the snow in subzero temperatures for some ingredients (that whole “let’s try and be more active in January” thing, you know?) to make a simple. but make-you-feel-cozy ragu.

This recipe is great for a couple reasons. Firstly, it uses a good chunk of porchetta in an interesting way (i.e. not just shoved between slices of bread with salsa verde) and it also requires some red wine. A splash for the pan, a splash for me. That’s how you guys cook too, right? Right! Anyway, this recipe makes a decent amount of ragu, so make sure to invite some friends over for dinner!

What you’ll need…

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 yellow onions (halved and thinly sliced)

4 cloves garlic (minced)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

750 grams ground pork

2 1/4″ slices porchetta (thinly sliced)

1 cup red wine

1 cup pork broth

4 cups canned diced tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons good quality maple syrup

salt and pepper (to taste)

8 cups cooked spaghetti

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. Once hot, add onions and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add butter and once melted add the ground pork and let cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients to the pot with the exception of the spaghetti. Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce to low heat, cover and let cook for 45 minutes.

Uncover and continue to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let sauce thicken slightly.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm on the stove until ready to serve.

To serve, portion out spaghetti into 6 large bowls and top generously with ragu. Eat and feel immediate comfort.

(note: garlic bread on the side for soaking up any leftover sauce is highly recommended!)

Serves 6

Total cook time…1 hour, 20 minutes