  The delicate texture of Panko crust and the sublime, blueberry vinaigrette of these Divinely Decadent Dumplings sings on the tongue upon contact. (Courtesy of Loblaw Companies) |
Inspired by the untamed wilderness of Quebec, Jean-François Vachon’s (of Montreal's M sur Masson) dumplings caress the palate with pristine and sophisticated flavours. Every tasting note is pronounced, from the sweetness of the blueberries to the crunch of the pine nuts. The delicate texture of Panko crust that envelops each goat cheese packet lifts them to the status of individual masterpieces.
The sublime, blueberry vinaigrette sings on the tongue upon contact – note how the port lends an unexpected depth and warmth. A perfect starter, this dish tempts the palate with the promise of more fresh delicacies to come.
Divinely Decadent Dumplings
Part I: Dumplings
1 cup « Bouc émissaire » goat cheese (or other)
1 cup panko (tempura) breadcrumbs
5/6 cup all-purpose flour
4 whole eggs
½ cup 2% milk
Second part: vinaigrette
2/3 cup port wine
¾ cup wild Quebec blueberries (fresh or frozen)
¼ cup port vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
2 garlic cloves
1 shallot, chopped
2/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup chestnut oil
salt and pepper to taste
250g baby spinach
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup dried wild Quebec blueberries
DIRECTIONS :
Dumplings:
Dice the cheese into cubes.
Put the breadcrumbs, flour, milk and whole egg mixture into three separate containers.
Coat the cheese cubes with the flour, dip in the egg-milk mixture and finally coat with the panko breadcrumbs.
Vinaigrette:
Pour the port wine into a pot along with the wild blueberries and crush them with a fork, cook on low heat for 20 minutes in order to reduce it by 2/3.
Add the vinegar, garlic, shallot and let it cool.
Add the olive oil, chestnut oil and then season, mixing well with a whisk (it’s normal for the oil to separate).
Toss the baby spinach with the pine nuts and a bit of vinaigrette and place a portion in the middle of each plate.
Heat oil in a deep fryer (or deep skillet) and drop-in the panko-crusted goat cheese cubes, fry them for 3-4 minutes. Let them cool slightly and serve on top of the salad.
Decorate the plate with a drizzle of vinaigrette as well as with a few dried wild blueberries.
For more recipes using Quebec wild blueberries visit: www.spbq.ca
*Serves 8
Recipe courtesy of Chef Vachon and Loblaw Companies.
