Go from testy to tasty: Take your people out of the pressure cooker, and plan a cooking event to promote teamwork, camaraderie and the social side of working together.
From cooking schools to conference resorts, we asked experts to share these five favourite recipes designed to stir-up teamwork.
1. Buffalo Style Chicken with Blue Cheese Dip
— Nicolette Novak, The Good Earth Food and Wine Co.
“We have done this recipe with hands-on groups as an appetizer. It’s a sophisticated and fun take on pub-style wings and pairs most wonderfully with a nice little glass of icewine! We use breast meat instead of wings. Instead of the traditional garnish of celery and carrot sticks, we make up bamboo skewers with small slices of carrots, celery, red pepper and a pickled onion, to add a sense of playfulness. The blue cheese “dip” is presented as a “smear” on the plate.”
2. Carrot Ginger Soup
— Julie Burke’s Tall Order
“This tastes and looks different every time. Most groups never read the procedure to the end of the page and end up wasting a lot of time being efficient. The soup is eventually pureed but very few peel and cut random small pieces to be cooked. Instead the perfect size of each carrot slice slows down the whole process. For example, IT groups are especially finicky about perfection!”
3. Beef Roulade
— Andrew Exel, General Manager, Silver Springs Retreat
“Cooking together leads to talking, laughing and sharing, which is what every great team-building event should deliver! Pounding out the beef and rolling and tying the roulades is always a group favorite of this classical French recipe.”
4. Maple Orange Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Julie Burke’s Tall Order
“This recipe is especially interesting when a small group of four share their opinion on how the pork loin should be cut. This seems trivial but the discussion can take over five minutes and then there’s the decision on what knife should be used and who will do the cutting. The cut has a lot to do with the final flavor profile. Simple in theory but interesting in behaviour.”
5. Individual Molten Chocolate Cakes
— Jane Langdon, Wine Country Cooking School
“This is one a real favourite with groups and tastes divine. You don't have to be an expert cook to be successful and cooking with colleagues promotes camaraderie both in the kitchen and at the table (we match the chocolate cakes with a big red wine or Icewine). Rich, intense ‘fallen’ chocolate cake -- with a slightly undercooked and gooey centre -- not only tempts the senses, it also alleviates the worry about knowing exactly when the cake is set.”
The Recipes
Buffalo Style Chicken with Blue Cheese Dip, The Good Earth Food and Wine Co.
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 lbs boneless skinless breast cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (or other preferred hot sauce)
- 1/2 cup butter, chilled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup 35% cream
- 1 shallot, peeled & coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp Niagara Icewine
Preparation
1. In a food processor combine cream, shallot, icewine, and half the blue cheese. Blend until smooth. Add remaining cheese and stir to incorporate in a ‘controlled’ chunky dip.
2. Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a deep narrow pot to 360F degrees. Toss chicken wings (or chunks) in flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper until lightly coated.
3. Fry in small batches until golden and crisp. Repeat allowing the oil to come up to the proper temperature, which will ensure that chicken is not greasy. Drain on paper towel or wire rack.
4. Meanwhile, in a double boiler (or microwave) heat the hot pepper sauce. Slowly whisk in the butter and remove from heat. The butter balances some of the heat from the pepper sauce.
5. Toss the chicken in hot sauce and serve with the blue cheese dip and lots of napkins.
Carrot Ginger Soup, Julie Burke’s Tall Order
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups butter
- 4 onions, chopped
- 6 pounds carrots, peeled and cut
- 2 small arms ginger, or 10 tbsp peeled and finely chopped
- 2 garlic heads, crushed and chopped
- 4 litres chicken stock
- 3 tbsp dried thyme
- 8 tsp ground pepper, or to taste
- 8 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
- 250 ml plain yogurt, at room temperature for garnish
- 1 bunch parsley - chopped finely for garnish
Preparation
1. Melt butter in large soup pot over high heat. Add chopped onions and sauté stirring often, until golden. Add carrots, ginger, garlic, herbs and broth. Bring to boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium-high. Partially cover until the carrots are very tender, 20-30 minutes. Remove bay leaves.
3. Purée soup with a hand blender and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with a spoonful of plain yogurt and garnish with chopped parsley.
Yields 32
Beef Roulade, Silver Springs Retreat
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Top Round or Rump Roast (enough for 8 slices)
- 8 cornichons (gherkins)
- 4 thick slices of Bacon
- 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 medium Onion julienned
- 1/4 cup each of diced onion, celery
- and carrot
- 1 bottle of beer
- 2 cups of beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Butcher String
Preparation
1. Select a roast uniform in shape and ask butcher to cut it into 8 slices, about 1/4-inch.
2. Pre heat oven to 325 degrees F.
3. Put beef slices between two layers of plastic wrap and pound to tenderize meat into a rectangle about 5- by 7-inches
4. Lay each slice out, season with salt and pepper and then brush with mustard. Cut bacon into 8 equal slices and lay one on the long edge of the beef. Cut the cornichons in half. Lay them along the bacon and top with onion julienne.
5. Roll beef into a cigar shape and tie with two pieces of string.
6. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add about 2 tbsp olive oil. Brown roulades then remove them from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add diced onion, celery and carrot. Cook until the onion starts to brown.
7. Add the beer and boil for a few minutes. Put the roulades back into the pan and add enough beef stock to just cover. Cover the pan and put it into the oven for 1-1/2 hours. Check after about an hour and add more stock if required.
8. Place the finished roulades on a warmed platter and cut off the strings.
9. Reduce sauce by boiling for a few minutes and pour over the meat to serve.
Maple Orange Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin, Julie Burke's Tall Order
Ingredients
- 8 pounds pork tenderloin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 7 tbsp flour
- Olive oil as needed
- 1-1/2 pounds diced tomatoes
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
For the glaze:
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 6 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons rosemary
Preparation
1. Slice pork tenderloins crosswise into 1- to 2-inch rounds. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper; press both sides of medallions into flour.
2. Put enough olive oil in a large skillet to coat the bottom of the pan; heat over medium heat. Add the pork medallions and brown on each side. Remove to a holding container.
3. In the same skillet add diced tomatoes and green onions until tender. Add the glaze ingredients and pork and stir to coat all the pork.
4. Transfer to a 350F oven on convection until cooked.
Serves 28
Individual Molten Chocolate Cakes, Wine Country Cooking School
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 6 oz (6 squares) bittersweet chocolate
- 2 oz (2 squares) semi-sweet chocolate
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1 tablespoon flour
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Generously butter 6 (4-6 oz) ramekins.
2. Cut butter in cubes and place in medium saucepan. Coarsely chop chocolate and add to butter in pan. Heat over low, stirring occasionally, until melted (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool; stirring from time to time.
3. Place eggs, vanilla, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer on low speed, beat to combine. Increase speed to highest speed and beat 5 minutes. Mixture should be light coloured and batter will drop in a smooth, thick stream. Add cocoa and flour to egg mixture; using low speed on mixer, beat to combine. Add melted chocolate and beat 2 minutes more. Batter can be refrigerated at this point if desired and cakes baked later but increase baking time by 3 minutes.
4. Spoon batter into buttered ramekins. Place on tray in middle of oven and bake for 11 - 12 minutes; until cake is firm on outside and centre is still jiggly.
5. Remove from oven and cool on rack 7 to 10 minutes. Run knife around edge of ramekins and turn upside down onto serving plate. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
Makes 6 servings.