Review! The Kitchen Buffet & Bistro

Recently, I took my wife to the River Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton for the weekend to celebrate her birthday. Yes. I know I am an amazing and thoughtful husband but that is really not the point of this posting. What is the point is the review of one of the restaurants located within the resort...The Kitchen Buffet Bistro. Now I have never formally reviewed a restaurant before so bear with me.

We dined at The Kitchen Buffet Bistro three times that weekend (breakfast buffet was included with both nights of our visit). Twice for breakfast and once for dinner. I'll review these meals separately.

Breakfast: While I am not normally a guy who has a big breakfast everyday I could definitely get behind a spread like this. Omelets cooked how you like, eggs scrambled fresh, waffles cooked on demand,two kinds of bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, pastries, fresh baked muffins...its all there. Both my wife and I had more than our fair share and groaned our way back to the hotel room where we contemplated a nap. Try having them make your scrambled eggs with a big portion of the smoked salmon! Plain scrambled eggs will seem boring after those! I would definitely recommend the breakfast buffet for anyone visiting the hotel.

Dinner: We went on Saturday night which is the theme of "River Cree" for the buffet. Not exactly sure what that entails but the buffet menu highlights consisted of crab legs, mussels, shrimp and then....generous amounts of Chinese food?? Whatever...I ate lots. The mussels and shrimp were nice and fresh and I had no complaints here. One thing that was a disappointment was that the crab legs offered were very small and really not worth the time it took to pry the meat from the shells. They solved that problem by running out which is one way to deal with it. Luckily for me I am a bigger fan of mussels than I am of crab but if you had paid your money hoping to glut yourself on big crab legs you would definitely have a right to be choked. I look forward to trying the other themed buffets nights. (Wed nights...BBQ....drool....)

The service was excellent. We were never wanting for drink refills or to have empty plates taken away. The hostess cruised the dining room floor asking how you were and if there was anything they could do. Top notch.

The dining room itself it lovely and despite its size seemed comfortable and homey. I do however find it almost a touch over crowded. Almost as if there are about 5-6 tables to many on each side of the dining area. If you find yourself sitting in a booth you'd be fine but at a table you might find another patron hovering near the edge of your personal space.

So a couple minor complaints is all I could find wrong with The Kitchen Buffet Bistro. Not too bad in my books. Go and visit the River Cree Resort and try it out and tell me what you think!

Cheers

Park Food Dude

Food Dude's Big 5

This weeks "Big 5" deals with something very near and dear to my heart...The Food Network. That channel has gotten me through some tough times. When my son was eleven months old I took a month off work to be with him and many sleepless hours at night were spent watching cooks and chefs that could cheer me up and keep me awake with creative and fun foods. My son would sleep on my chest and I would watch my favorite shows on TFN. It was a beautiful thing!

Aside from being an entertaining way to waste time TFN can really teach and inspire you to greater culinary heights. I for one learn far better from watching someone do something right in front of me. I am not great at deciphering different techniques from reading cookbook instructions which is why I benefit so much from seeing it done on TV.

I am not big on the food/cooking based reality shows. Although they can be entertaining and you can occasionally glean a recipe or two from them there is too much focus on the "entertainment" aspect of the show. That is not to say I don't like some of them, but I sure would rather learn a little something rather than hear Ramsay call someone a f*%#ing donkey one more time.

So here it is folks the Food Dude's Big 5 Food Network Shows you SHOULD be watching!

#1--Good Eats
Alton Brown is one of the most entertaining hosts on the network. This show is part science and food background that provides solid foundation for cooking techniques on recipes simple and complex. I record all these and go to them frequently for tips. If you only watch one show from my Big 5 it should be this one.
#2--Jaimie At Home
Probably one of the most passionate chefs in the world. His efforts to make the UK skinny are almost ridiculously ambitious and yet he may just pull it off. This show combines a bit of garden growing and cooking with very fresh ingredients. Its hard not to be pulled in by Jaimie's childlike enthusiasm for his trade.
#3--The Barefoot Contessa
I used to laugh when I watched this show because it seemed like every recipe began with a pound of butter, some whipping cream and mayonnaise. But you know what? WHO CARES! Ina Garten is probably one of the best at whipping up great comfort food that anyone can pull off. Sure its not going to make the Heart and Stroke Foundation happy but I'll tell you this....if I was around 40 years ago I would have married this woman for her cooking alone. (sorry Colleen)
#4--License To Grill
A brilliant show on BBQing that usually only runs during the summer here in Canada. Host Robert Rainford is a solid entertainer and shows many recipes exclusively done on the grill. I have greatly expanded my BBQ repertoire by watching this one.
#5--Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
While definitely fluffier than the other shows listed I just can't resist watching this show. Host Guy Fieri cruises the towns of the USA and tours the little out of the way type places that serve up some amazing food. While you may not learn a lot from watching this one (although I have used some of the shows to tweak a few of my recipes) you will see some incredibly interesting places to eat that may come in handy if you do any kind of travelling. This is one show you DO NOT want to watch if you are hungry.

So that's it. Those are the shows that have me constantly tuning into The Food Network. Check these shows out and tell me what you think. Or better yet, post a comment with your own Food Network Big 5.

Cheers

Park Food Dude

Chicken + India = GOOD!

Its easy to be intimidated by Indian cooking. By North American standards the food can seem strange. Strong flavors and strange ingredients that are hard to spell and pronounce! But once you get your mind past the different tastes, Indian food is an amazing experience that can have new flavors and ideas become staples in your kitchen.

I think best way to introduce your family to Indian cooking is to buy the pre-made sauces from grocery stores. They come in a wide variety of flavors and are not too expensive. I once asked an Indian fellow who worked with me at a grocery store how authentic these sauces were. He picked one up and read the ingredients. Aside from the preservatives, he said, it was pretty close. So browse through the Indian sauces and pick a couple that you like. Once you have a favorite or two, look for a recipe to make that sauce from scratch. You'll find these sauces not that difficult to make and the best part is be able to tweak the recipe to suit your tastes. Below are recipes for two favorite Indian chicken dishes...butter chicken and chicken korma.


Chicken Korma

INGREDIENTS
2.5 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup butter
6 medium yellow onions, diced fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbs ginger, freshly grated
2 tsp ground cardamom
5 bay leaves
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp coriander (ground)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1 tbsp medium curry powder (or more to taste)
8 oz plain yogurt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk (sweetened)

Directions: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and set aside. In a big fry pan that has a lid, heat the butter and oil over med-high heat, then sauté the onions and garlic for about 10 minutes, until slightly browned. Add the ginger, bay leaves, and salt.Sauté until the onions are nice and brown, about 5 more minutes. Mix the coriander and red pepper with the yogurt. Add the yogurt to the fry pan, stirring as you pour. When the yogurt is cooked, add the chicken pieces and brown them. Add 1/2 cup water, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and turn off the heat. Let it sit a few minutes to let the flavors come together. Take out the bay leaves. Serve with rice and naan bread. Serves 4.


Butter Chicken

INGREDIENTS
For the seasoning:
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained of juices
3 pounds boneless skin chicken pieces (thigh, breast..etc) into 1 1/2 by 1/2-inch chunks
400g frozen peas (optional)
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:Stir the spice blend ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. Brown chicken pieces in large non-stick skillet with 1tbsp oil until cooked about halfway. Remove chicken. Melt the butter into skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces just begin to turn gold. Add the garlic, tomato paste and spice blend, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir will. Add the chicken pieces, spoon the sauce over the top and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is flavorful, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Add cream to the sauce. If adding peas run hot water over them to thaw and add to pan. Continue simmering until peas are heated through. Serve with naan bread, pita or basmati rice. Serves 6.


See? Not so tough is it? And the best thing is how delicious they taste. Even my 3 year old gobbles down these Indian chicken dishes!

Enjoy

Park Food Dude

Mary Had A Little Lamb.....And He Went To Morocco

A lot of people cringe and snub their noses when they think about eating lamb. Maybe its because of the heavier, gamey taste that can come from some cuts. Or maybe its because they are cute, cuddly looking little creatures. Time to put both of those ideas to bed. Fact #1--Lamb has a stronger taste and needs to be paired with stronger flavors to help carry it. Fact #2--Lambs are actually evil little creatures that kick, bite and would probably kill you for the spare change in your pocket if they knew how. One actually stole my car yesterday. Both reasons are a good idea to have lamb for supper.

As I said before lamb needs big flavors to properly accompany its own strong taste. Classically lamb goes with mint jelly or garlic and rosemary or herbes de provence but I really like the rubs and marinades that originate in Africa. Charmoula is a Moroccan herb sauce that combines several regional ideas into one flavor packed punch and is a great partner for lamb. One of the best things about Charmoula is that it works very well as a marinade, baste and table sauce.

The cut I like best for the grill is a butterflied leg. Butterflying removes the heavy leg bone from the meat and leaves you with a 'open book' looking piece of meat. This increases the surface area of the meat which leads to more flavor penetration when marinading as well as more area to grill a tasty crust onto. You can buy boneless legs of lamb or have a butcher butterfly it for you if you dont know how to remove the leg bone yourself. Once you lay it out on your board make sure it lies as flat as possible. Use a good sharp knife to make more cuts into the meat along the line of the missing bone to make sure it lies flat.

*Prepare your Charmoula sauce as follows:
1/2 cups chopped parsley
1/2 chopped cilantro
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons water

Combine parsley, cilantro and garlic in a food processor and finely chop. Add salt, spices, juice, oil and water and process into a fine puree. Add more salt and lemon juice to taste as this sauce should be highly seasoned. This sauce tastes best when used within a few hours of making so if using it as a marinade and a table sauce you may want enough for a double batch.

Makes about 1 cup.

Reserve a small amount of the marinade for basting. Rub the marinade into the lamb with your hands and seal into a plastic bag, squezzing out as much air as you can. Marinade your lamb in the fridge for at least 2hours and up to 8 hours.

Heat your grill to medium high heat. Oil your grill. Place lamb fat side down and grill for 10-15 per side (med-rare). Lamb has a high fat content so watch for burning and flare ups. Move to a cooler part of the grill if it starts to burn. You want a lightly charred crust to form on the outside of the meat. During the last 5 minutes of grilling on each side brush on some of the reserved marinade. Your lamb has reached med-rare when it reads 145 degrees. Transfer to cutting board loosely cover with foil. Let meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly on an angle. Serve with slightly warmed Charmoula sauce. This lamb goes great with grilled squashes, coucous, rice pilaf or bulgar wheat salad.

Try this out and see what you think. I gaurantee you that lambs will no longer be just cute and cuddly in your eyes!

Cheers

Park Food Dude

*Charmoula recipe courtesy of the BBQ god Steven Raichlen

Food Dude's Big 5

Every week on Food Dude I will be doing a `Big 5` posting. The topic will vary but always be food or kitchen oriented. Suggestions for `Big 5` always welcome.

This Weeks Big 5....

You can only have 5 ingredients in your kitchen...what would (or should!) they be?

When I first thought of this topic 4 ingredients came to mind very very quickly and I think most cooks would agree....Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil and Garlic. With those 4 things alone a decent cook can transform just about any type of food into culinary delights. So what would the 5th one be? Its a wild card and I bet almost no 2 cooks would come up with the same 5th ingredient. But I will unveil mine and let you all bask in the brilliance that is my choice...

#1--Salt
#2--Pepper
#3--Olive Oil
#4--Garlic
#5--WHOLE GRAIN MUSTARD!!!!

Strange choice? Not to me. Think about it. Whole grain style mustard is one of the tastiest things you can add for punch and flavor. It is extremely versatile and pairs well with all meats as well as several fish dishes. With it (and even with just the other 4 BIG ingredients) you can create meat rubs, marinades and basic vinaigrette's. Not long ago I did a nice standing rib roast that was seasoned with nothing but those Big 5. Roast was liberally seasoned with salt and pepper. Slivers of garlic inserted at intervals around the roast. Olive oil rubbed all over and whole grain mustard smeared over the cap.

I dare anyone to come up with another Big 5. C'mon, I double dog dare ya.

Cheers

BBQ Chicken

For the last 6 months or so I have been on a serious BBQ chicken jag. At least twice a week, and sometimes three, I am firing up the propane monster and slapping poultry onto the grill. Almost exclusively I am grilling bone in, skin on, chicken thighs. Thighs are, in my opinion, the perfect cut of chicken for the BBQ. A nice mix of dark meat along with ample fat and a thick bone inside leads to flavorful, juicy chicken. Thighs are the choice of BBQ champions that cruise the USA competing in those huge BBQ contests. As a bonus, chicken thighs are one of your least expensive cuts of chicken you can buy. Grilling is simple...1) Preheat on high 2)Oil grill 3)sear chicken on both sides 4) lower heat to medium and grill another 20-25 minutes until chicken reads 180 degrees.

Now is where the fun begins. Your chicken is a blank slate and begging for you to hammer it with some flavor before you take it off the grill. Sauce. Sauce is what your chicken wants now! 5 minutes before your chicken come off the grill is the time to add your sauce. Coat liberally with sauce and lower the lid of your grill. The time it spends on the grill after you sauce it will let the sauce adhere to the chicken nicely before it comes off.

Your choices are endless when it comes to sauce. Your favorite bottled or homemade bbq sauce is a nice choice. Or come up with some newer flavors like the one I used tonight. Thinking of a nice wing sauce I tried recently I mixed equal amounts of honey with Sriracha, a beautiful Thai hot sauce. The result was a tongue tingling slightly sweet punch that I will definitely be doing again. The heat from the grill tamed the heat from the sauce just enough that I was able to eat a whole thigh without taking a swig of beer but left the sauce with enough bite to satisfy my need for heat.


Hit me with your comments or bbq chicken sauce ideas!

Cheers

Park Food Dude

Hello!

Allow me to introduce myself. I am a 35 year old guy from Sherwood Park, Alberta Canada. I started cooking when I was quite young and taught myself through trial and error how to make a wide array of dishes. While fishing and the outdoors are my biggest hobby I find myself around the house so much now with two young children that cooking has become my "stay at home" hobby. I am obsessed with The Food Network and am constantly recording shows to scrutinize later. My collection of cook books grows almost weekly as does my pile of cooking magazines. I work in the grocery business and am surrounded by food and ingredients all day long so my brain is constantly churning with new ideas about food.

This blog will mostly be a running journal about the things I cook, new recipes I try and my general thoughts about food in today's world but I will also try and make things interesting with polls and Q&A.

Please feel free to make any comments and questions.

Thanks

Park Food Dude