Recipe For Change Recap

Foodshare‘s fabulous Recipe For Change event migrated to the North St. Lawrence Market this year, allowing for more space, which in turn allowed for more chefs and more guests. I love that organizers make a point of not overselling the event, so it’s never packed; line-ups at food stations are short or non-existent and there is no sense of frenzy involved.

Recipe For Change is FoodShare’s annual fundraiser in which they raise monies directed toward their Field to Table Schools program which teaches school children about where their food comes from. Everyone I talked to on Thursday night considered the event a great success; hats off to Adrienne De Francesco and everyone at FoodShare for a fantastic time.

Below, check out some of the offerings from participating chefs. We didn’t try everything (and I somehow missed most of the desserts, which has got to be a first), but everything we did have was wonderful.

Above: Chickpea polenta topped with ratatouille and fresh mozzarella from Chef Marc Breton of the Gladstone Hotel.

A light fluffy waffle topped with pear puree from Ontario’s Own.

Chef Mark Cutrara of Cowbell always has something interesting and this dry-aged Dingo Farm beef tartar on gaufrette potatoes was nicely balanced.

I tried to keep track of everything we sampled (and FoodShare provided every guest with a map and guidebook detailing the food at each station) but this one is not on the list. It’s a handmade tortilla with a bean and mole spread and caramelized onions… and I don’t know where it’s from. Chocosol and Xococava were side by side, so I know it’s from one of them, but I’m not sure which. In any case, we really liked it.

This chilled cucumber  yogurt soup from Chef Oliver Li at The Chef’s House was topped with mint foam and garnished with smoked trout, making for a lovely, refreshing sample amidst the other hot food.

If you only know the folks from Magic Oven by their pizza, you’re missing out. Abby Sabherwal runs the catering arm of the company and her Indian food, like these vegan, gluten-free pakoras, is awesome.

Chef Rocco Agostino of Enoteca Sociale and Pizza Libretto offered chicken, rolled and cooked porchetta style. This was really good!

Pangaea offered up one of the most elegant dishes of the evening, serving spot prawns on asparagus with olive oil Bearnaise sauce and Acadian sturgeon caviar with chevre.

A sunchoke espresso bisque from Chef Tim Palmer at Epic at the Fairmont Royal York was garnished with sunchoke chips.

How’d they do that? Housemade pork sausage en brioche served with chocx croute, pickles, mustard and preserves was on the menu at FRANK at the AGO.

At Mildred’s Temple Kitchen they were serving curried cauliflower with quinoa and pressed yogurt.

Chef Fabio Bondi of Local Kitchen and Wine Bar offered what was simply called “pasta with spring vegetables” but these light fluffy little pasta pockets were packed with flavour.

Chef Steffan Howard of Palais Royale gave guests a taste of Acadia with this rabbit and jerusalem artichoke bondinette. It’s a fluffy little rabbit meat dumpling, topped with rabbit pate and a blueberry reduction, sourced from an old Acadian cookbook.

This oeuf Benedictine en croustade from Didier was so elegantly pretty. (And tasted great.)

Our favourite of the night came from Miriam Streiman of Mad Maple Farm. She offered up a red fife wheat pancake, topped with Mad Maple duck, apple slaw and candied walnuts.

I heard someone say that Quince makes the best gnocchi in the city. After eating these, I’d say they were right.

Many of the chefs who work at FoodShare were also involved in cooking for the the event. From Jesus Gomez, the Colombia bunuelos filled with beef and red kidney beans, and also, from Tony Metatawabin, cranberry bannock (okay, it was sort of like a muffin).

I’m not a huge fan of lamb, but this mini lamb burger from Le Select Bistro was laced with Moroccan spices, and so tasty.

And finally, my only dessert of the evening was the maple-glazed cream puff from Chef Anthony Rose of The Drake Hotel. Greg and I try to share each sample, and when we cut into this one, the filling went on the attack. But it was a sweet way to end a lovely evening.

FoodShare offers a variety of programs to the community including the Good Food Box, community gardens and of course, the Field to Table Schools program. Even if you couldn’t make it out to Recipe For Change, please consider giving them your support.