Chef Challenge 2020 | Recipes Okanagan

Competitor: UBC Okanagan

red fife wheat shortcake filled with whipped goat cheese on a plate. Drizzled with honey, strawberry mead sauce . Garnished with a fresh strawberry and two sprigs of purple edible flowers.

Cook along with Chef Shelley and the team using the recipes below and the video! If you make this dish, take a photo and tag us on social @utownubc and use #UBCchefchallenge, or attach your photo with your online vote for the chance to be featured! 

Menu

  • Red fife shortcakes
  • Whipped goat cheese
  • Local strawberry mead sauce

Recipes - 4 servings

Red fife shortcake 

Ingredients

230g   All purpose flour

230g   Red fife flour

16g     Granulated sugar

1g       Salt (kosher)

20g     Baking powder

240mL Buttermilk

100g    Unsalted butter, room temperature

10g      Basil (Thai or regular), finely chopped *optional

1          Large egg yolk

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
  2. In one bowl mix together all the dry ingredients and basil, if using.
  3. Cut the room temperature butter into smaller bits and crumble it with the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or your hands until pea sized chunks have formed.
  4. Slowly drizzle in the buttermilk, while mixing gently the dry mixture – the dough will look shaggy and just hold together.
  5. Place the dough on the counter and gently pat the dough into a circle. DO NOT knead the dough or work it – the dough should be about 2” thick.
  6. With a 2-3” round cutter, cut out the shortcakes.
  7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place biscuits on tray.
  8. Mix the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the tops of the shortcakes using a pastry brush.
  9. Place the tray in center of oven and bake 14 minutes.

 

Whipped goat cheese filling – makes 300 grams

Ingredients

226g    Carmelis (or other brand) Goat cheese

50ml    Bliss Haskap mead (optional, can also use cranberry juice or Rose)

1 g       Basil, finely chopped

Linden honey (or any liquid honey), to taste

Method

  1. Let the goat cheese come to room temperature for 1 hour, covered in a mixing bowl.
  2. Once soft, stir in the mead, chopped basil and honey using a spatula.
  3. When all the ingredients have incorporated – use a whisk to begin whipping the mixture – continue to whip until aerated, light and fluffy.
  4. Use at once.

 

Strawberry mead sauce – makes 500 ml

Ingredients

1kg      Fresh local strawberries, divide in half

66g      Linden honey (or any liquid honey)

250ml  Bliss Haskap Mead (can substitute cranberry juice or rose)

9g        Granulated sugar

4g        Anise seed

0.5g     Coriander seeds

0.5g ( ¼ tsp) Xanthum gum

Method

  1. Wash, dry, stem, and quarter all the strawberries.
  2. In a pot over medium heat, add 500g of strawberries, mead, honey, sugar, anise and coriander.
  3. Simmer the mixture for 15-20 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and blend the mixture with a hand/stick blender.
  5. Strain to removes the seeds.
  6. Place the mixture back on the heat and add the xanthan gum –whisk the mixture to ensure there are no lumps.
  7. Remove from the heat and allow to cool fully.
  8. In a bowl combine the sauce with the remaining half of diced fresh strawberries

 

To assemble the shortcakes:

  1. Split shortcake in half. Set cut side up on a plate.
  2. Place a dollop of the whipped goat cheese on one half of the cake.
  3. Spoon the strawberry mead sauce over top of the goat cheese filling.
  4. Place the other half on top of the goat cheese.
  5. If desired, top with more goat cheese and strawberry sauce.
  6. Finish with a drizzle of honey.

 

Chef Challenge is brought to you by UTown@UBC, in partnership with UBC Food Services - Vancouver and Okanagan.