Harriet Clunie, left, has returned to Das Lokal Kitchen + Bar where she served as the executive chef when the Lowertown restaurant opened its door in 2013. But this time, she's making some profound changes in direction, including introducing a plant-forward menu. “We’re making it officially flexitarian,” Clunie says. “We'll have owner of the restaurant, is vegetarian so it fits with her ethos, too. a lot more veggie and vegan options. I've always been about making sure everybody can eat. I grew up with allergies, and my There are touches of Clunie throughout the restaurant, including mom had bad anaphylactic allergies, so I've always been really the planters that surround the patio and serve as a garden for the sensitive to people with dietary restrictions. That’s been part of surrounding community. me as a chef, but I'm also very, very eco-conscious so I'm in the process of slowly greening the restaurant as much as I possibly “Our garden is a community garden,” she says, and adds that can and part of that is meat consumption.” one of her best friends is a gardener and takes care of the planters of everything from herbs and kale to raspberries. “What’s really Clunie, who claims her strangest personal allergy is to apples, cute is little kids who want to pick berries.” The servers give them plans to “flip the script” on Das Lokal’s menu. Whereas most a little cup to fill while they wait for their dinners. restaurants make meat the central focus of the plate, Das will make vegetables the main attraction, sometimes with smaller Early influences and mentors amounts of meat, sometimes without any. “We'll still have meat Clunie says her first food memories are of cooking with her for the people who eat meat and we’ll always have a fish dish mother, Kate Missen, who passed away in 2014. Because of her and a charcuterie board. But we will also always have a vegan own allergies, and those of little Harriet, Missen was a scratch charcuterie board, a couple of vegan mains and always a vegan cook by necessity and liked to experiment with foods from all dessert.” over the world. She admits she’s always been more interested in vegetables — “My parents were excellent cooks,” Clunie says. “I was the weird their versatility, their colours, the way they pop in one’s mouth kid who had lamb curry in my Thermos in fourth grade and — than meat and Fredérique Tsai-Klassen, founder and an knew what a cardamom pod was. My mom was always on the edibleottawa.co 49
For her next passion project — after she gets the mental health group and alcohol-free nights off the ground —Clunie wants to create a restaurant association for progressive restaurants that also focus on sustainable, equitable and ethical practices. forefront of what to eat, what we shouldn't eat and where we know why things work the way they do,” Clunie says. “Many should be going environmentally. She was on about plastic before chefs — I’d ask why they were doing something and the answer she died and that's only become mainstream now. She started was always ‘because I said so.’ Warren would always answer my buying organic food as soon as it was available. I draw a lot of questions and explain why we did things certain ways.” inspiration from her and how she would approach recipes.” Clunie’s restaurant pedigree in Ottawa is long. In addition to Like her mom, Clunie is a voracious reader. Sweetgrass, she worked at Restaurant e18hteen, Oz Kafe, Back Lane Café, Murray Street Bistro, Navarra and at her own “I read a lot of non-fiction books about food, organic farming, restaurant, Beechwood Gastropub, which she purchased as the food politics,” she says, naming Michael Schatzker as her chef from the previous owner in 2017. favourite food author. “One of my favourite books about food is called The Dorito Effect. And it's about how when they process “I like to call that my elite business school of one,” she says of food. They add flavour to things that kind of tricks your brain owning her own business in her early 30s and closing it fewer and you don't get satiated in the same way, so you end up eating than two years after she took over ownership due to chronic more.” understaffing and burnout. Clunie names chef Warren Sutherland as her biggest professional “I learned a lot,” she says. “I wouldn't trade it. I lost a lot of mentor. She first worked with him at Sweetgrass Aboriginal money, but that's okay. And I gained in knowledge what I lost in Bistro, an Aboriginal-Caribbean fusion restaurant he opened in money. But it nearly killed me. In terms of burnout, I was just the ByWard Market several years ago. destroyed.” “He was probably the first chef who understood how my brain After that, she started a small catering business, which she still worked because he was an engineer so, like me, he needs to loves doing, while also cooking for the Danish ambassador. 50 edible OTTAWA July/August 2021
She continues to do both after being being wooed back to Das food industry folks. She’s candid about her own relationship with Lokal, first in a consulting role and now as executive chef, who is alcohol in an industry where late-night after-service drinking is a working on all aspects of the business. release from all the stress involved in the job. Pandemic kitchen woes She noted that there are plenty of reasons a food service worker In May of this year, Clunie admitted she had just taken six weeks might not drink — it might be a trigger, they might not be able off after again burning out from running a restaurant in COVID. to stop, they might be Muslim or maybe they’re pregnant. She said it wasn’t the stress of closures per se, but rather the stress of rules changing every two to three weeks all year long. “At Das [Lokal,] I made it a big priority,” she says. “There’s a mocktail version of every cocktail, we have non-alcoholic beer, “When [the government] announced something completely de-alcoholized wine. I have lots of friends who don’t drink. It’s different, we’d have to figure it out all over again,” she says. “I’m becoming way more normalized. It gives me hope, but we have to pretty good in a crisis, but with this, I couldn’t control it. I had actively do it. Having kombucha on tap is nice, or giving people to have Plans A, B and C. Eventually, I took a few weeks off for the feeling of the bottle in their hand helps.” self care. I take that very seriously. I knew I wasn’t doing well; I was struggling to get through the day. I was fighting to put the As a woman who’s worked in the industry a long time, Clunie groceries away.” has seen her share of sexism and also racism inflicted on herself and colleagues. The pandemic has put a damper on her activism, Clunie doesn’t just advocate for her own mental health. Pre- but it may also offer an opportunity. pandemic, she had a plan in place to start a mental health group that would give restaurant industry workers “a safe place to talk “I try my very best to be inclusive [at Das Lokal],” she says. “I about shit.” She has another friend who owns a gallery and studio really want us to have the future we’ve been imagining forever and is planning to host a once-a-month alcohol-free event for and we've kind of been given a blank slate [with COVID.] And edibleottawa.co 51
Grilling so many things have been brought to light with the general public, season even just Uber Eats fees. I'm almost now surprised when people don't is here. know that they charge [upwards of] 30 per cent, but now they do know so I feel like there's a huge shift in how people view a restaurant.” And we have you At Das Lokal, she changed the tipping system. covered. “I really gave this one a lot of thought — I’ve worked front of house Dry-aged beef, 25 varieties of and back of house,” she says. “I don’t think eliminating tipping is the sausage, farm-raised poultry, way to go.” game and more. Instead, she instituted a system in which servers get paid full minimum OTTAWA’S 37 FLORA AT BANK wage — usually they get less, but leave with the bulk of the tips — and NEIGHBOURHOOD FLORAHALLBREWING.CA they share half their tips with kitchen staff. BREWERY & KITCHEN “The kind of server who would be happy with that will be a career server,” Clunie says. “People who value their time being paid properly and see that it’s equitable.” Clunie's next project For her next passion project — after she gets the mental health group and alcohol-free nights off the ground, post-pandemic — Clunie wants to create a restaurant association for progressive restaurants. “We’ve all been doing this in our own silos,” she says, naming sustainability as one siloed issue. “There’s enough of us with the same point of view — sustainable, equitable, ethical in our practices — [that we should be able to] come together and face some of these challenges as a group using our lobbying and purchasing power.” She spent a lot of time researching compostable and biodegradable packaging and Das Lokal spends a lot of money on it, but her thinking is that if she bands together with other restaurants, she could buy pallets’ worth and save money for everyone. As she works on this kind of initiative, she’ll also continue to work as executive chef at Das Lokal, serve as chef for the Danish ambassador and run her small catering business known as The Wandering Chef. “I like being part of being part of people’s meals, being able to explain the food, guide them through trying something,” she says. Das Lokal Kitchen + Bar 190 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ont. daslokalottawa.com | 613.695.1688 | @daslokalkitchenbar Jennifer Campbell wants to be a kid again, so she can go pick raspberries at Das Lokal’s community garden while waiting for her flexitarian dinner on the patio. 52 edible OTTAWA July/August 2021
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IN SEASON With blueberries bathed BOUNTIFUL BLUEBERRIES in luscious almond custard on top of almond Sweet and savoury blueberry recipes pastry and finished with to help you make the most of the season. a buttery crumble, this is a rich tart that is easy to RECIPES AND PHOTOS BY HELENA MCMURDO put together. edibleottawa.co 55
Kale and Quinoa salad with pickled blueberries This hearty salad full of bright flavours will keep for a few days in the refrigerator and travels well, making it perfect for a barbecue or picnic. 56 edible OTTAWA July/August 2021
Canada is the second largest highbush blueberry 3 cups blueberries, washed producer in the world and first when it comes to 2 cups white vinegar low-bush, or wild, blueberries. Blueberry production 1/2 cup sugar makes up to 59 per cent of all fruit grown in the country each 2 bay leaves year. The lowbush plant itself is native to North America, 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and cut in half again favouring the dry, rich, acidic soils of Eastern Canada, 1 teaspoon whole cloves primarily through much of Quebec and the Maritimes. The 1 teaspoon allspice berries cultivated or highbush varieties, which are hybrids of wild Divide blueberries between 2 sterilized Mason jars. Place plants, were first planted in North America in the early 20th vinegar, sugar, bay leaves, vanilla bean, cloves and allspice century and are predominant on farms and u-picks for the berries in a pan and bring to a low simmer on medium-high easy picking height of the plants and large, plump berries. heat. Allow the spices to infuse for about 5 minutes. Pick out Various studies have linked blueberries to health benefits, the bay leaves and the vanilla bean with sterilized tongs and including increased heart health, reduced growth of some divide them between the jars. Turn off the heat and pour the cancers, increased insulin response and benefits to brain liquid over the blueberries. Let the blueberries come to room health and memory loss. Rich in antioxidative anthocyanins, temperature before storing them in the refrigerator. the pigment responsible for the blue colour, the blueberry Pickled blueberry and blue cheese crostini is also high in vitamin C with a half-cup serving providing A sweet and sour syrup, made by reducing a jar of pickled 10 per cent of the recommended daily dose. Naturally sweet blueberries, gives these crostini a dramatic flavour punch. without being high in calories, they are also an excellent Pickled blueberries, see recipe above source of dietary fibre. 1 large baguette But we like them because of how they taste. Although frozen 4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked locally grown blueberries are accessible year-round, some- 100 grams sharp blue cheese, cut into thin slices thing changes when July comes along and we can drop in to a 1 cup baby arugula grower to pick our own or buy a pint at the farmers’ market. 2 tablespoons walnut pieces We’ve all had that experience of making it home with blue- Olive oil to taste stained hands and only half of our haul left because we were Preheat oven to 350 F. unable to overcome the desire to pop the raw, plump and Drain pickled blueberries and pour liquid into a small saucepan juicy beauties straight into our mouths. For the berries that along with half of the blueberries, the vanilla bean and bay do make it home, we often rely on the comforting and tried- leaves. Reserve the remaining berries and discard the cloves and-tested recipes for muffins, cakes, pies, jams or smoothies. and allspice. Heat the saucepan on medium-high heat and The blueberry is, however, a versatile ingredient just as suit- reduce the liquid by half. Turn off the heat and pour in the able for savoury dishes as for sweet. remaining blueberries and stir. Allow to cool. When cooking with blueberries, keep that natural bloom To prepare the crostini, cut a baguette into 1/2-inch slices and on them by washing only before use. Blueberries can turn lay on a tray. Place in the preheated oven and allow the bread green during cooking, brought on by additions of alkaline to become crispy, but without colour, watching carefully and substances such as baking powder. Besides the fact that turning once. Set aside and allow to cool. lemon zest or juice tastes great with blueberries, the acid Toast walnuts in a hot pan until golden. Set aside to cool. will help bring things back into balance. Making sure any On cooled crostini, lay arugula, small slices of blue cheese and dry ingredients are well mixed will also help. Don’t be afraid toasted walnuts. Drizzle with blueberries and syrup. to experiment with flavours. Blueberries pair naturally with Kale and quinoa salad with pickled blueberries lemon, but bay leaf, thyme, lavender and even basil also bring This hearty salad full of bright flavours will keep for a few days out the best in this berry. And while the classics will always in the fridge and travels well, making it perfect for a barbecue have a place in our hearts, here are some new ways to make or picnic. the most of this bountiful gift. 1/2 teaspoon cumin Pickled blueberries 1/2 teaspoon coriander These puckery sour and sweet berries are great in salads; the 1/8 teaspoon cayenne liquid can be added to a cocktail or dressing or the entire 1/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika mixture can be reduced for a zingy accompaniment to cheese. 1/2 teaspoon salt Makes 2 250-millilitre jars 2 large carrots 1 cup quinoa 2 cups water or stock edibleottawa.co 57
Wild blueberries are smaller than cultivated blueberries but they have an intense flavour and twice the antioxidants of cultivated blueberries. This recipe will work just fine with regular blueberries if you aren’t lucky enough to find some wild ones. If you are collecting wild ones, use caution and do your research as some varieties can be confused with inedible berries. Seared duck breast with wild blueberries 58 edible OTTAWA July/August 2021
Pinch of salt Pat dry two duck breasts and score the skin and fat in a cross- 1/4 cup slivered almonds hatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Season 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided generously with salt and pepper. Lay the duck breasts, skin side 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon) down, in a cold cast-iron pan. Turn the heat up to medium and 2 teaspoons lemon zest (about one lemon) let the fat render slowly. Cook until the skin becomes crispy and 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn the duck over and cook on 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped the other side for approximately 2 minutes. Put the pan in the 4 or 5 kale leaves, ribs removed preheated oven and roast for another 2 minutes for medium- 70 grams soft goat cheese, pulled roughly into small pieces rare, 4 minutes for medium. Remove the pan from the oven, 1 cup pickled blueberries place the duck on a platter. Allow to rest for 10 minutes (be sure 3 tablespoons of pickling liquid from pickled blueberries to save the accumulated duck fat for another use). Mix spices together and set aside. To serve, gently heat the sauce, adding any juices that have Grate carrots on a box grater or run through a food processor. accumulated from the resting duck. Once the duck has rested Mix carrots with half of the spice mixture and set aside. for the full 10 minutes, slice on the diagonal, arrange on a platter Rinse the quinoa in several changes of water and drain. Add the and spoon over the hot sauce. Garnish with additional sprigs of quinoa to a pot with water or stock and bring to boil. Reduce fresh tarragon. heat to low and cook uncovered for approximately 15 minutes, Blueberry lemon loaf until all the liquid has evaporated. At this point, turn off the This one’s a classic. The yogurt in the batter will give the cake a heat, fluff with a fork and allow the quinoa to rest in the pot, tender texture and add tangy flavour. covered, for 5 minutes. Following this period of rest, tip the 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 teaspoon quinoa onto a larger platter or cookie sheet and fluff again. Add 1 tablespoon baking powder the lemon zest, juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with ¼ teaspoon salt the remaining spice mixture, and allow to cool. ½ cup butter, softened While the quinoa is cooling, toast slivered almonds in a hot pan ¾ cup white sugar until light brown. Set aside and allow to cool. ¼ cup brown sugar Wash and dry the kale and chop finely. Add to a bowl with liquid 2 large eggs from pickled blueberries and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with ½ teaspoon vanilla salt and massage kale for a few minutes. Set aside while the 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest quinoa and nuts cool. ½ cup Greek yogurt Add parsley and cilantro to the cooled quinoa and toss together 1 cup blueberries, plus ¼ cup for garnish along with kale, carrots and about 3/4 each of the goat cheese, Cream cheese icing almonds and blueberries. Arrange in a bowl or on a platter and 6 ounces (150 grams) cream cheese, softened garnish with the remaining ingredients. ½ cup icing sugar Seared duck breast with wild blueberries 2/3 cup sour cream Wild blueberries are smaller than cultivated blueberries, but Line a loaf pan with baking parchment and preheat oven to 350 F. they have an intense flavour and twice the antioxidants of Sift together 1¼ cups flour, baking powder and salt and set cultivated blueberries. This recipe will work just fine with regular aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and blueberries if you aren’t lucky enough to find wild ones. If you sugars. Add the eggs one at a time and beat on high between are picking wild ones, use caution and do your research as some additions until the mixture is light and creamy. Add in the vanilla varieties can be confused with inedible berries. and lemon zest and mix until incorporated. 2 duck breasts Turn the mixer to half speed and add the flour in three additions, 1 cup red wine stopping between each addition to add half of the yogurt. Mix 1 cup chicken stock only until the flour has just been incorporated, being careful not ½ cup wild blueberries or substitute ¼ cup regular blueberries to overmix. Turn off the mixer and remove the bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons honey blueberries with a ½ teaspoon of flour, mixing to coat evenly, 1 teaspoon salt and then fold gently into the batter using a rubber spatula. 1 sprig of tarragon, plus additional for garnish Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, approximately 45 Combine red wine, chicken stock, blueberries and honey in minutes. a saucepan and reduce on medium heat until mixture has a Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool while you syrupy consistency. Set aside. make the icing. Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine the cream cheese, icing sugar and sour cream in edibleottawa.co 59
BOOZY CIDER ANd blueberry granita This granita is a highly refreshing adult treat, perfect for those hot summer days. Or make a blueberry lavender version that lies somewhere between a granita and a sorbet. The blueberry-to-water ratio gives it a rich and jammy texture, while the lavender makes an excellent flavour combination with blueberries. 60 edible OTTAWA July/August 2021
the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until thoroughly mixed. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the edge of the tart is golden- Refrigerate until you are ready to serve the cake, at which time brown and the berries are juicy and bubbly. Remove the tart you can spoon onto the top of the cooled cake. Garnish with from the oven to cool before serving with softly whipped additional fresh blueberries and slice to your desired thickness. cream. Blueberry custard crumble tart Boozy cider and blueberry granita With blueberries bathed in luscious almond custard on almond A highly refreshing adult treat, this granita is perfect on a hot pastry and finished with a buttery crumble, this is a rich tart that summer day. is easy to put together. 3 sprigs thyme Pastry base 1/2 cup sugar 1½ cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup water ½ cup almond flour ¾ cup blueberries 1/3 cup sugar 2 cups hard cider ¾ cup butter, cut into cubes and at room temperature Place an 8-by-8-inch square metal cake pan in the freezer to 1 egg yolk chill while you make the granita mixture. Crumb topping In a saucepan, cook thyme, blueberries, sugar, water and cider ¾ cup sugar for about 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Turn off the heat ¼ cup butter and allow the mixture to cool completely. Remove the sprigs ¾ cup flour of thyme. Blend mixture in food processor and strain, pressing Pinch of salt the solids through a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve the solids that will Custard filling not pass through the sieve for another use. Freeze the strained 1 egg liquid in the chilled metal baking dish. Every 40 minutes to ½ cup whipping cream an hour, scrape the surface of the granita with a fork. After ¼ cup sugar about 5 hours, once the granita has reached a frozen yet soft 1/8 teaspoon almond extract consistency, scoop into individual glasses and serve. Pinch of cinnamon Blueberry lavender granita 2 cups blueberries This version lies somewhere between a granita and a sorbet. Preheat the oven to 375 F. The blueberry-to-water ratio gives it a rich and jammy texture, Prepare the pastry by mixing the sugar, almond and all-purpose while the lavender makes an excellent flavour combination flour together. Add the butter with your hands until the mixture with blueberries. resembles breadcrumbs. Beat the egg yolk and add it into the 1 cup water mixture, working the dough together, kneading it with your 3/4 cup sugar hands until it binds together smoothly. Wrap and refrigerate the 1 tablespoon culinary-grade lavender dough for 30 minutes or until firm. This can be done in advance. 3 cups blueberries Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature 1 tablespoon lemon juice and then roll the dough to fit a 9-inch tart shell. The dough Place an 8-by-8-inch square or 8-inch round metal cake pan in is soft and can crumble, but holes can be easily patched with the freezer to chill will you make the granita mixture. extra pieces of dough. Once you have the dough nicely in the Make a lavender simple syrup by bringing the sugar, water tart shell, prick a few times with a fork, cover with parchment and lavender to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat and fill with pie weights or beans to blind bake. Bake for 15 and simmer on low for about 2 to 3 minutes until sugar is minutes, then remove the paper and weights and bake for completely dissolved. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture another 5 minutes. to cool. After about 20 minutes, strain the lavender and add the While the pastry is baking, prepare the crumb topping. Rub syrup to a pot with the blueberries and lemon juice. the sugar, salt, butter and flour together until it resembles Bring the blueberry mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 to 7 breadcrumbs. Set aside. minutes on medium heat until the blueberries are soft and Prepare the custard by whisking together the egg, cream and start to burst. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool sugar. Add the pinch of cinnamon and the almond extract and completely. Blend in a food processor and press the resulting set aside. liquid through a fine sieve to strain the solids. Discard the solids, Remove the tart shell from the oven and allow to cool slightly. pour the strained mixture into the chilled metal baking pan Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Fill the shell with the and place in the freezer. Every 40 minutes to an hour, scrape blueberries, then pour the custard mixture evenly over the the surface of the granita with a fork. After about 5 hours, once berries, allowing it to settle to the bottom of the tart. Top the the granita has reached a frozen yet still soft consistency, scoop berries with the crumble mixture. into individual glasses and serve. edibleottawa.co 61
BLUEBERRY LEMON LOAF with cream cheese icing This one's a keeper. It's a classic lemon loaf studed with blueberries and topped with a not-too-sweet cream cheese icing. The yogurt in the batter will give the cake a tender texture and added tang. Recipe on page 59.
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At Joe’s Italian Kitchen, our team is Almonte Location: committed to weaving life, community, and 7 Mill Street, Almonte good food together to create memories that last a lifetime. 613-256-4033 Wellington Location: As the first certified Pinsaria in Canada we 1323 Wellington St. W, Ottawa take pride in cultivating authentic modern Pinsa Romana. Inspired by an ancient 613-798-1111 roman recipe, modern Pinsa Romana is KIN Vineyard Location: lighter, healthier, and much easier to digest. 2225 Craig’s Side Rd, Carp Come join us on our patio overlooking the 613-519-1621 Almonte Falls, in the bustling Wellington West neighbourhood or dine in wine joesitaliankitchen.ca country at KIN Vineyards. @joesitalkitchen 66 edible OTTAWA July/August 2021
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