RECIPES
All recipes were created by our consulting chef, Murray Bancroft, and inspired by the award-winning dishes. The original competition wine pairings are included here.

King Crab Coconut Lemongrass Soup
Wine pairing: 2006 Tantalus
Vineyards Riesling

2008 Canadian Culinary Champion
Melissa Craig
Restaurant
Bearfoot Bistro, Whistler, B.C.
Winning Ingredient
King crab served three ways: crab leg in a small cone, as a croquette and in a coconut-milk soup
Signature Move
Explodes off the blocks: soy-sauce “pop rocks,” accompanying the crab cone, that erupt in the mouth

2 legs King crab
1 tbsp shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 fresh bird’s eye chili, sliced lengthways
2 stalks lemongrass
2 inches galangal (young Thai ginger), grated
2 litres crab stock
2 litres coconut milk
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 lime, juiced
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, rolled and sliced thinly

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, sweat shallots, garlic, chili, lemongrass and ginger. Add crab stock, bring to boil then turn down heat to low and simmer for half an hour, until volume of liquid is reduced by half.
In a separate pot, cook coconut milk over medium heat until reduced by half. Strain crab stock into coconut milk and simmer over low heat for half an hour.
Just before serving, add fish sauce, lime juice and lime leaf. Separate crabmeat from legs and divide among bowls. Pour soup over meat. Serves 6 to 8.

Tuna and Golden Beet Tartare
Wine pairing: 2001 Tinhorn
Creek Vineyard Merlot

2007 Canadian Culinary Champion
Makoto Ono
Restaurant
Dakota Prime, Hong Kong;
formerly of gluttons,
winnipeg, and makoto, beijing
Winning Ingredient
Tuna: tea-smoked, olive oil poached and in a tartare
Signature Move
The sharp break: a piece of Kalamata olive “candy” garnishing his oil-poached bluefin tuna

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, chilled
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 lb sashimi-grade tuna
2 golden beets, washed and trimmed
2 serrano chilies, seeded and minced
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro stems, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 tsp wasabi powder
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
Sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grate ginger into cold oil and set aside for 1 to 2 hours to infuse.
Cover beets with 1/2 cup salted water, cover and bake in oven for 1 hour or until beets can be pierced easily with a knife. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature, then slide skins off and refrigerate.
With sharp knife, dice tuna into 1/8-inch pieces and place in bowl. Dice chilled beets to same size and combine with tuna, chili, shallot, cilantro, lemon juice, wasabi powder, sesame seeds and salt.
Just before serving, strain ginger-infused oil and gently mix with all ingredients.
Serve with crisp crackers or tortilla chips. Serves 4.

Sake-Braised Shortribs
Wine pairing: 2005 Sumac Ridge
Private Reserve Merlot

2009 Canadian Culinary Champion
Hayato Okamitsu (centre)
Restaurant
Catch, calgary
winning ingredients Beef shortrib, foie gras, lobster bisque and B.C. spot prawn
Signature Move
The crunch: a bacon and thyme crisp on gnocchi, oatmeal-
crusted trout and a sesame wafer on lobster bisque

2 lbs beef short ribs
4 cups mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine)
1 cup sake
1 cup soy sauce
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped

Combine all ingredients and marinate overnight. Strain vegetables and meat from marinade and reserve everything.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Place a large, oven-safe, heavy-bottomed pot with lid on high heat. Sear beef on all sides to create a dark crust. Remove beef from pan. Turn heat down to medium and add vegetables. Cook until tender.
Add marinade juices and warm mixture. Add meat back to pot, making sure liquid covers beef (add more water if necessary). Cover and place in oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until meat is soft and tender. Remove meat from cooking liquids and keep warm.
Strain 2 to 3 cups of the liquid into a pan and reduce until it thickens slightly. Serve with mashed potatoes drizzled with sauce. Serves 4. wl

Thanks to Whole Foods Market for supplying all recipe ingredients (Cambie location, 510 W 8th Ave., Vancouver, 778-370-4210, wholefoodsmarket.com).