Loblaw makes President’s Choice products the center of holiday recipes

To help bring international flavors to Canadian kitchens this holiday season, Loblaw Companies Ltd., Brampton, Ontario, engaged top chefs and foodies from across Canada to create globally inspired twists on one of the most traditional holiday foods: the turkey. The recipes incorporated a number of Loblaw’s store brand products, the retailer said.

According to Loblaw, the chefs were given complete creative liberty when developing their recipes — their only instruction was to use a President’s Choice Free From Whole Turkey as a base. With this mandate, each chef created exotic dishes that allow consumers to experience global cuisine during the holidays without leaving their homes.

"As a chef who has spent much of my career abroad, I appreciate how President's Choice has brought world flavors to Canadian tables through their authentic products," says Rob Bragagnolo, executive chef, Marben Restaurant. "I am constantly inspired by Canada's diverse culinary landscape, as well as international cuisines, so it was easy and fun to create a global twist on one of Canada's most beloved holiday dishes."

The full recipes and accompaniment suggestions are posted at http://discoveries.presidentschoice.ca, and consumers are encouraged to “join the conversation” via Twitter using the hashtag #pcholiday, Loblaw said. The recipes include:

• Turkey Sous Vide — Dino Renaerts, executive chef and partner of the Bon Vivant Consulting Group, West Vancouver, British Columbia, created a succulent turkey recipe by using the sous-vide cooking technique that originated in Europe as a way for chefs to create gourmet-quality dishes, Loblaw said. To make the turkey extra juicy, he marinated his turkey in a mixture that contained President’s Choice black label Lucques Olive Oil and served it with the new President’s Choice Cranberry with Port Wine Sauce.
• Coconut Curry Turkey Pot Pie — Food writer Dan Clapson created a unique twist on the classic cold-weather comfort food by adding authentic South Indian and Southeast Asian flavors such as curry and coconut milk, as well as seasonal vegetables such as carrots, potatoes and cremini mushrooms, Loblaw noted. He portioned the mixture into ramekins and topped it with the President’s Choice Butter Puff Pastry, creating mini turkey pot pies.
• Morroccan Turkey Tagine with Red Harissa Hummus and Lemon Couscous — Rob Bragagnolo, executive chef at Marben Restaurant, Toronto, integrated global flavors by using authentic North African ingredients such as dried apricots, raisins, olives and almonds, Loblaw stated. He paired his turkey with a zesty lemon couscous that features a generous dollop of President’s Choice Red Harissa Hummus on top. 
• Turkey stuffed with apples, foie gras, wild mushrooms and Victor et Berthold cheese — President's Choice Chef Martin Patenaude gave his recipe French flair by stuffing his turkey with foie gras, a well-known delicacy in France, Loblaw said. For the stuffing, he included wild Quebec mushrooms, President’s Choice black label Onion Cabernet Wine Jelly, Cortland apples, freshly grated nutmeg and roasted hazelnuts.
• Maple Syrup Brined Roast Turkey — Richard Julien, chef and owner of Chef Live! and Eats! Urban Lunch Counter in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, created a “Canadiana” version of the turkey by brining in sweet, 100 percent pure Canadian maple syrup. To accompany the turkey, he created a wild mushroom and sage pan gravy that incorporates President’s Choice black label Wild Mushroom Finishing Sauce. Julien served it with apricot and amaretto smashed mini sweet potatoes that use a combination of the President’s Choice Mini Sweet Potatoes and President’s Choice black label Apricot and Amaretto Liqueur Fruit Spread.