The main focus of this weekend away was twofold: to rent a chalet on or very near a lake and to combine it with a celebration of both summer BBQ and flavors from local restaurants.
After scouring the internet for hours we booked our chalet with Chalets Lac a la Truite in Ste Agathe des Monts.
The chalets were spectacular…clean, spacious and, as requested, right on the shores of the lake with access to a small private beach. They also have an onsite spa, Le Soleil, offering various skin treatments and massage packages.
Each chalet has its own furnished balcony with a propane gas BBQ and inside there is a large fully equipped open kitchen, a huge double whirlpool bath and a private sauna room.
All this at very reasonable rates. What more could one ask for!
(They also have a chalet accommodating 15-20 people that comes equipped with its own private indoor swimming pool!)
They operate during both summer and winter months and the lake, filled with a skein of friendly ducks, does not allow motorized boats so it is very quiet and unpolluted.
As far as the food aspect of our trip is concerned I put together a couple of great ideas for your BBQ, full of bold flavors and very easy to prepare.
The first one using hangar steak, a very under used cut of beef, should not be over cooked, medium rare is best! The chicken should be started on the BBQ and finished in the oven to avoid burning from the marinade.
SPICE RUBBED GRILLED HANGAR STEAK
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. black peppercorns
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
- 1 tsp. whole coriander seeds
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1-3/8 oz. kosher salt (1/4 cup Diamond Crystal or 2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. Morton)
- 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- 1 tsp. cayenne
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 (1-3/4- to 2-lb.) hanger steak, trimmed
Method
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the peppercorns, paprika, cumin, coriander, and chili powder, shaking the skillet occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Grind to a powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in the salt, Old Bay, mustard ,red wine, and cayenne.
Coat both sides of the steak with some of the rub. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour or refrigerate uncovered for up to 48 hours.
HANGAR STEAK SAUCE
Ingredients
Servings: 4
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 red jalapeño, seeded, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- Few dashes of hot sauce
Method
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and chili; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste to saucepan and cook, stirring, until beginning to darken, about 1 minute. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce; simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and purée with ½ cup water until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, if desired. Set sauce aside.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 130° for medium-rare, 8–10 minutes.
Transfer meat to a cutting board; let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with sauce.
Do Ahead: Steak sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.
PIRI PIRI SAUCE
Ingredients
Yield 1 cup
4 tablespoons lemon juice
5 tablespoons olive oil
1⁄4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chili flakes
Directions
Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk together. Marinate chicken in a plastic bag over night with some of the sauce save the rest for basting and serving with the finished product
When it comes to restaurants there is quite a selection serving a wide variety of food within a 30 minute car ride in any direction.
Trolling the internet again we were attracted to a Sunday mechoui served at L’Heritage B&B and Restaurant in Morin Heights.
In business since 1945 Swiss born chef and owner Gerard Herrmann is in charge of the kitchen and cooks all the dishes on an open wood fired stove in front of his customers.
The atmosphere is most assuredly ‘country’ with all the summer seating relegated to a bright and flowery terrasse facing a wonderful country garden and lined overhead with massive grape vines.
The menu at L’Heritage is replete with a wide selection of French and Swiss specialties including such dishes as Racellette, Escargots, Beef Strogonoff and Swiss Fondues.
We chose the table d’hôte selections, starting with a homemade pate and in house smoked salmon (+$16).
The pate consisted of two very thin and sadly very dry slices of pate that lacked the rich and moist consistency of a true country pate. It was served with a welcome loaf of freshly baked warm country bread. The smoked salmon on the other hand was truly out of this world with its delicious spiced crust and silky rich and slightly smoked flesh…I could have made a meal out of it!
For main courses we chose the aforementioned Mechoui ($35) and Pan Seared Lamb Medallions ($35).
The mechoui was delicious, moist and full of flavor, with a serving of a rib and its famous crispy skin. As with all the table d’hôte selections it was served with a scoop of dauphinois potatoes and a sauteed medley of fresh vegetables. The potato, however, lacked proper seasoning and the taste of the usual caramelized onions was hard to detect. The accompanying vegetables suffered a severe case of necrosis and were over cooked beyond recognition. Sad for a country kitchen were vegetables should be the star of any dish!.
My lamb consisted of three medallions pan seared nicely, but cooked beyond my preferred medium rare. The sauce, advertised as a demi glace with a hint of mint. was way too thin , lacked flavor and the mint was undetectable showing up only as a sprig of garnish on the plate. The potatoes and vegetables were identical and unfortunately suffered the same fate.
We accompanied our meal with a light and fruity red wine, Chateau Pierreu ($51).
For dessert we were both served a refreshing and light vanilla wafer cup filled with vanilla ice cream and garnished with local fresh strawberries and blueberries and drizzled with a rich chocolate sauce.
Service throughout was warm and friendly. We were also unexpectedly serenaded by a Swiss piccolo group there for the evening..a nice touch!
Our meal including wine and taxes came to $157
No trip to the Laurentians would be complete without stopping for breakfast at Le Petit Poucet in Val David.
This iconic Quebecoise restaurant has been in operation since 1945 having recently risen from the ashes of a major fire and undergoing a major reconstruction. Its rustic decor is now highlighted by a huge floor to ceiling wooden open fireplace fitting right in with the authentic regional Quebec cuisine they serve.
The food here is definitely robust and most certainly hearty with breakfasts big enough to satisfy the storied ogre who stalked the likes of Le Petit Poucet!
Service here from the moment you arrive is extremely welcoming, friendly and attentive.
The breakfast menu features many different combinations that include your choice of eggs, their famous in house smoked ham, crisp smoked bacon, home fries, a bowl of their homemade beans and a couple of slices of toasted country bead, plus never ending coffee refills.
We chose the Cabane a Sucre Omelette ($15) that included a large fluffy baked omelette, three slices of their famous smoked ham, a pile of crispy smoked bacon, a bowl of beans, home fries and toasted country bread all served with an assortment of jams and jelly and real maple syrup.
I chose the pancakes ($8.70) and a side order of ham ($3), The pancakes were served French style more akin to crepes and were covered with copious amounts of real maple syrup and local fresh berries…Yum!
Our breakfast came to $36 including all taxes
Their breakfasts are available throughout the day along with many other traditional Quebecoise dishes.
Starting the day at Le Petit Poucet certainly filled our ‘tanks’ and offered much needed solace as we drudged our way through traffic back to the sounds and sins of the city . Memories to hold us over until next summer, or maybe even winter. when we could experience a whole new side of this spectacular region of our province.
