Scallops with Pea and Mint Puree (see recipe below)
Summer Spice Delights
by Chef Shannon MacDougall | photography by Clay Dolan
Located in the heart of Owen Sound, Shanny’s Kitchen reflects Chef Shannon MacDougall’s lifelong passion for quality ingredients and culinary arts. Shannon’s gastronomic journey took her to Tasmania, where she mastered seafood preparation by working closely with local fishermen. After meeting her husband Mason in Kananaskis, Alberta, the couple returned to Ontario to plant roots and share their love of fresh seafood.
At Shanny’s Kitchen, Shannon brings exquisite seafood and diverse dishes to a community where such delights aren’t always accessible. Highlights include duck confit, a personal favourite, and her peaches and cream pie, showcasing Ontario’s finest peaches with a signature streusel.
Shanny’s Kitchen is a cozy, welcoming space where guests can enjoy an elevated dining experience. Shannon believes in treating ingredients with respect, adding creativity and love, ensuring every meal is a memorable experience. This summer, Chef Shannon invites you to enjoy her seasonal creations, each dish reflecting her dedication to great food done well.
SCALLOPS WITH PEA AND MINT PUREE
Fresh seafood shines in the summer, with light and delicate flavours. Seared scallops, paired with a vibrant pea and mint puree, creates a dish that’s both elegant and easy to prepare. Perfect as an appetizer or a main course. SERVES 4.
Chef Shannon MacDougall
INGREDIENTS:
• 4-5 U10 or U15 scallops
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups fresh garden peas
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tbsp canola oil, vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
METHOD:
MAKING THE PUREE:
1. Blend the Ingredients: Combine water, cream, peas, and mint leaves in a blender. Blend on high until the puree is shiny and smooth. Use a tamp to help move ingredients around while blending. If the puree is too thick, slowly add water until desired consistency.
2. Serve: To serve warm, heat the puree in a pan on medium heat. Alternatively, serve cold for a refreshing dish.
SEARING THE SCALLOPS:
1. Prepare the Pan: Start with a non-stick or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat. Add a teaspoon of a neutral oil, such as grapeseed, canola, or vegetable oil (avoid olive oil as it has a high smoking point and can leave an unsavoury taste).
2. Prepare the Scallops: Remove the hinge from each scallop (the tough piece on the side that attached itself to the shell). Place the scallops on paper towel and thoroughly pat both sides dry. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Sear the Scallops: Ensure the pan is hot and the oil is loose (the oil will start to roll around the pan more freely when hot). Add the scallops to the pan. Keeping them stationary, allow the scallops to caramelize and develop colour.
4. Add Butter: Once the scallops show some colour, add a teaspoon of cold or room temperature butter to the pan. This will accelerate browning and add flavour.
5. Finish Cooking: Once the scallops have a beautiful crust on one side, flip them onto the other. Turn off the heat and let the scallops sit for 1 minute to allow the residual heat to complete the cooking process. Scallops are best served rare to medium-rare.
6. Rest and Serve: Remove the scallops from the pan and place them on a paper towel covered plate to rest and release any remaining juices. Plate with pea puree, fresh sprouts or lettuce, and lemon. Enjoy!
DUCK LEG CONFIT WITH HEIRLOOM CARROT PUREE
Rich and savoury mains, like duck leg confit, bring a touch of indulgence to seasonal dining. Slow-cooked to perfection, this duck leg confit pairs beautifully with a variety of sides and offers a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth experience. Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS:
• 4 duck legs (about 2 1/4pounds total; 1kg)
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp kosher salt
• 6 large shallots (12 ounces), quartered
• 1 small onion (4 ounces), cut into 2-inch pieces
• 6 medium cloves garlic (30g)
• 1/2 bunch (2 ounces) flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 to 4 cups rendered duck fat (can be found at specialty grocers and butcher shops)
METHOD:
THE DAY BEFORE COOKING CONFIT:
1. Season duck legs evenly on all sides with salt; set aside. This allows the salt to extract excess moisture from the duck skin, allowing it to crisp to its full potential while giving the meat a nice brine.
2. Combine shallots, onion, garlic, and parsley in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not puréed, about 15 pulses.
3. Transfer half this cure vegetable mixture into a baking dish and spread in an even layer. Scatter half the thyme sprigs and peppercorns over the cure mixture.
4. Arrange duck legs skin-side up in an even layer on top, pressing them into the cure mixture. Distribute remaining thyme sprigs and peppercorns over duck legs, followed by the remaining cure mixture, spreading it evenly so legs are well-coated.
5. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
WHEN READY TO COOK:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 225°F (105°C). Melt duck fat, over low heat, in a large (around 3-quart) saucier pot.
2. Remove duck legs from the cure, wiping away as much of the cure mixture as possible before rinsing legs gently under cold water to remove all seasonings; discard cure.
3. Pat duck legs dry with paper towel, then arrange in a single layer in the saucier with duck fat, making sure they are completely submerged in fat.
4. Cover saucier or a baking dish with a lid or aluminum foil, and transfer to the oven. Cook until duck is completely tender and meat shows almost no resistance when pierced with a paring knife, and skin has begun to pull away from the bottom of the drumstick, 3 ½ to 4 hours.
5. Remove from oven and cool duck to room temperature in its cooking vessel, removing the lid but keeping it submerged in fat. Once cool, cover the container tightly and transfer to the refrigerator, where confit can be stored for up to 1 month.
TO SERVE:
1. In a deep, non-stick, pan, place enough duck fat to cover the duck legs on medium-high heat and add duck legs, lightly moving the legs to ensure the skin is not sticking to the pan, causing tearing.
2. Let the duck simmer for several minutes until the skin is crispy, then carefully turn the duck over skin-side-up and allow the bottom of the leg to simmer for several minutes, allowing the fatty skin on the bottom of the leg to crisp up. (We use a splash screen to avoid catching any fat and moisture strays that tend to pop off when frying off the moisture pockets in the duck leg.)
3. Plate with your favourite potato, salad, or vegetable and enjoy!
NOTE: The amount of duck fat needed for this recipe depends on the size of your cooking vessel. You need enough rendered duck fat to fully cover the legs and keep them submerged throughout cooking.
HEIRLOOM CARROT PUREE
INGREDIENTS:
• 1-pound heirloom carrots (colour of your choice), peeled, ends removed
• ¾ cup water
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp kosher or sea salt, or to taste
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
METHOD:
1. Slice the carrots crosswise about ¼-inch thick.
2. In a medium saucepan, place carrots, water, butter, and salt. Cook over high heat until it starts to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the carrots are tender and soft, about 20 minutes. Make sure to cover the carrots to prevent the water from evaporating.
3. Once the carrots are soft enough to mash with a fork, transfer them to a blender with a slotted spoon. There should be at least ¾ cup of liquid left in the pan. Start by adding ½ cup of that liquid to the blender along with 1 tbsp of lemon juice.
4. Blend until smooth. If more liquid is needed, add the remaining cooking liquid. Taste and season with salt. Add more lemon juice to your preference. Note the difference in acidity between bottled lemon juice and fresh lemon juice.
FRESH PEACHES AND CREAM PIE WITH CHAI SPICE STREUSEL
This pie highlights the sweetness of seasonal peaches, enveloped in a creamy custard filling and baked to perfection. Ideal for any summer gathering, this dessert combines simplicity and flavour for a truly satisfying treat. Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS:
PIE:
• 1 nine-inch pie shell, deep dish (graham cracker crumb or traditional)
• 4–5 large or 7 medium ripe peaches
• 2 cups half & half cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 1⁄₃ cup flour
CHAI SPICE MIXTURE:
• 1 tbsp green whole cardamom
• 3 whole star anise pods
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in pieces
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 4 whole cloves
• 7 allspice berries
• ½ tsp white peppercorns
CHAI SPICE STREUSEL:
• ²⁄₃ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 3 1⁄₃ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 22 tbsp unsalted butter, cool but pliable (1 cup + 6 tbsp)
METHOD:
PREPARE THE CHAI SPICE MIXTURE:
1. Using a chef’s knife, coarsely chop the cardamom and star anise pods. Place in a mixing bowl.
2. Add all the additional ingredients to the bowl with the cardamom and star anise and mix to combine.
3. Working in batches, place the mixture in either a spice grinder or process by hand using a mortar and pestle. Store the ground spices in the pantry until ready to use.
MAKE THE STREUSEL:
1. Combine chai spice mixture, sugars, salt, and cubed butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low until combined.
2. Alternatively, mix by hand: combine all ingredients in a bowl and squeeze in your hands until completely mixed and the mixture clumps together in large clumps. There should be no visible flour.
3. Crumble the streusel onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F while the streusel chills. Then bake for 8-12 minutes or until it is golden brown and the centers of the larger crumbles look matte. The bake time will vary greatly depending on the size of the crumbles.
PREPARE THE PIE:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Peel peaches and slice into thick slices, about 3/4-inch thick, and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the half & half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and flour. Add the peaches and gently mix with a large spoon or spatula until all peaches are coated with the wet mixture. Pour into prepared pie shell.
4. Crimp or flute the edges of pie crust and place foil around them to prevent over-browning. Place pie on a cookie sheet to catch any overflow.
5. Bake for approximately 55-60 minutes until the custard filling is set and peaches are tender. If peaches begin to brown on the edges before the custard is set, cover loosely with a piece of foil.
6. Let the pie cool to room temperature. If not serving the same day, refrigerate the pie (it will keep up to five days).
TO SERVE:
1. Slice and serve the pie at room temperature.
2. Garnish with crumbled streusel, fresh berries, and icing sugar. E
