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In my last column, I wrote about how thrilled I was with the arrival of spring and its fresh greens, asparagus and morels. It is inspiring to cook with top-quality ingredients, and it is even better if they are grown locally.
Because the summer season is so short in Quebec, our producers need imagination and guts to come up with original ideas that will stretch out the season.
At Toqué!, we favour working with local producers as often as possible, such as Paul Legault from Sherrington, who allows us to serve fresh, tasty strawberries from March until the end of October. Yes, strawberries from Quebec in April! He grows them under tunnels, in a greenhouse, or outside during the summer.
We make it a priority to know our producers and the details of what they're growing so we can maximize the potential of the ingredients we serve.
Dacquoise, whipped cream and begonia petals can garnish this sorbet. An icewine will complement the dish. (John Morstad for The Globe and Mail)
There are at least 600 different kinds of strawberries, and probably 40 to 50 of them are available in Quebec. Different varieties offer different possibilities: some strawberries will taste better if they are cooked; others can be used to make chips, sorbet or jam.
When we know what kind of strawberries we are working with we can combine them with other ingredients to produce a sweet-acidic contrast, and create interesting desserts or savoury dishes. Right now I am using the Mara des Bois, Darselect, Cavendish and Seascape varieties.
Regardless of what kind of strawberry you are using, you should know a few basic rules: A strawberry is a fragile fruit (actually, it is a flower, but lets not get into complicated details that have no impact on the taste).
Buy them in small quantities as they will last only a couple of days in your refrigerator. When choosing them, make sure the colour is not dull or too dark.
To wash them, rinse them carefully under running water but only when you are ready to eat them. Do not soak them as it will take the flavour and the vitamins out of the fruit.
Because the official strawberry season in Quebec is only three to four weeks during June and July, a lot of people are tempted to buy - year-round - imported strawberries from Spain or California.
But because the production of the Californian strawberries has increased in the past few years, the flavour is often dull and watery and does not compare with fresh seasonal berries.
And even when they are grown organically, berries from abroad need to be transported, which has a negative impact on the environment.
If you join us in encouraging local agriculture, the increase in demand will permit local growers to be more competitive in the market, and to work on new techniques that will yield even more fresh produce during the cold season.
Head to your local market and get to know your growers. Not only will you meet interesting, passionate and dedicated people, but you will eat better for less.
SEASONAL STRAWBERRIES WITH TARRAGON
AND STRAWBERRY SORBET
Tarragon syrup
What you need
3 ounces sugar
6 tablespoons tarragon leaves
What you do
Boil 100 millilitres of water and sugar until it reaches 110 C. Set aside. Blanche tarragon leaves in boiling, salted water for 10 seconds, then plunge into ice water, wring dry and put in food processor with sugar syrup. Purée and pass through a fine sieve.
STRAWBERRIES
What you need
6 ounces of strawberries per person
What you do
Hull and slice strawberries into quarters, then mix with tarragon syrup and leave to marinate for five minutes. Place in a bowl and serve with a scoop of strawberry sorbet.
One could garnish this dessert with a dacquoise, whipped cream and a few begonia petals.
STRAWBERRY SORBET
What you need
1 pound strawberries
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon lemon juice
What you do
Slice the strawberries in quarters and mix with the sugar and lemon juice. Leave to macerate overnight in the refrigerator. Purée in food processor and pass through a fine sieve. Freeze in ice-cream maker.
Normand Laprise is head chef and co-owner of the restaurant Toqué! in Montreal.
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Beppi's wine matches
A great match here would be cabernet franc icewine from Canada. The rich sweetness and berry character of the wine will complement the dessert's flavours, and the sensuous red colour provides nice chromatic continuity.
Most brands from Niagara are terrific, including Malivoire Cabernet Franc Icewine ($34.10 for 200 millilitres) and Henry of Pelham Cabernet Franc Icewine ($39.95 for 200 millilitres).
A great alternative would be moscato d'Asti, a lightly sparkling white wine from Italy (not to be confused with the fully sparkling asti spumante).
Although dessert wines should always be sweeter than the dessert, this moderately sweet nectar is a classic for strawberries and the light effervescence will cleanse the sugar from your palate and echo the elegance of the classic romantic pairing of strawberries and champagne.
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