The ultimate skier’s breakfast

Skiers breakfast at Bighorn Revelstoke

 

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, never more so than if you are fueling for a day skiing Revelstoke’s epic powder. At Bighorn a sumptuous breakfast buffet is laid out each morning, with hot items cooked to order. As part of this feast, the executive chef Peter Hughes has created the ultimate muesli to energise skiers through until lunch. Healthy, nutritious and full of  goodness, we serve it each day topped with really good yoghurt and fruit compote that we make with fresh berries and a reduction of crème de cassis.

The following recipe will keep in an airtight container for up to four months so you can batch prepare and have a tasty, healthy, energy packed, low GI breakfast for the season. Use the best quality ingredients you can find and if possible use organic dried fruits and seeds. The recipe will transform very easily into Bircher Muesli by the addition of grated apple, yoghurt and honey and soaking overnight so that the dry fruit softens and become plump and juicy.

500g Jumbo Rolled Porridge Oats (drizzled with honey and roasted for ten minutes and allowed to cool before adding the other ingredients)

300g Hemp Hearts

300g Pumpkin Seeds

300g Sunflower Seeds

300g Thompson Raisins

300g Dried Mango (finely chopped)

300g Dried Pitted Prunes (finely chopped)

300g Dried Apricots (finely chopped)

150g Dried Cherries

150g Dried Cranberries

150g Dried Blueberries

150g Dried Goji Berries

150g Flaxseed

150g Milled Flaxseed

150g Cacao Nibs

 

So enjoy some health at breakfast and feel the benefit on the slopes!

Christmas Turkey at Bighorn

Christmas turkey at BIghorn luxury ski chalet

 

Let Bighorn’s Executive Chef Peter Hughes take the pain out of cooking the perfect Christmas turkey. Discover how Christmas dinner is delivered at the world’s most exclusive ski chalet.

“First and foremost you must buy an organic, fresh, hormone free, ‘happy’ free-range turkey. No exceptions.

Turn on the oven and preheat it to 300F or 150C. If you are stuffing the bird be sure to do this just prior to cooking and cook for 12 minutes per pound, so for instance a 16 pound bird will take around 3 and a bit hours. If you decide to stuff the cavity add an extra 30 minutes or so to the cooking time.

Here is where I might differ slightly from convention. Turn the bird onto it breasts and with both hands placed flat on top push down really firmly as if you are performing CPR until you hear some cracking of the smaller bones in the chest cavity. This will help the juices in the bones to baste the bird from the inside during cooking.

Roast the bird ‘upside down’ for the first 2 hours on parchment paper to prevent any sticking and therefore preserving the precious skin that will later be crisped and browned before carving.

After two hours or so dice some carrot, leek, celery and onions. Roughly tear some sage leaves, some bay leaves and a few sprigs of thyme and place in the roasting tray. Now flip your bird over, cover the whole turkey in good quality smoked streaky bacon and put back into the oven with the vegetables, having carefully removed the parchment paper.

Be sure to baste regularly with the juices that will after a couple of hours start to form in the pan being sure to coat the vegetables too. This is going to be the basis for really good gravy.

After 2 ½ hours turn your oven up to 450F or 230C, remove the bacon and carefully brown the skin whilst continuing to baste regularly. After 3 to 3 ½ hours depending on your oven check the turkey is just cooked through by inserting a sharp knife just into the thickest part of the dark leg meat. The juices should be running clear at this stage with no traces of bright red blood.

Once you are satisfied it is cooked thoroughly keep the Turkey hot by wrapping in heavy-duty aluminium foil.

Now for the gravy. Deglaze the roasting pan with half a bottle of good quality dry white wine and transfer the contents into a saucepan whilst straining out the roasted vegetables (keep these for making stock later) Up the heat and reduce this stock by half whilst straining off any unwanted fat from the surface. Add a good tablespoon of Dijon Mustard.

Now we are going to get a little ‘cheffy’, so bear with me, it’s worth it. To thicken the sauce you are going to ‘mount’ the sauce with something called ‘Monter au beurre’ which is basically a stabilized butter that won’t split with the heat of the sauce and will give you professional, glossy, wonderful gravy. To do this simply heat two to three tablespoons of water whilst whisking in cubes of cold butter carefully and 1 Tablespoon of plain flour so you end up with an emulsification of butter, flour and water. Go ahead and ‘mount’ the sauce with this mix and stir occasionally whilst the potatoes roast, the vegetables steam and the turkey takes a well-earned rest!

So there it is, turkey for another year, done”.

Peter Hughes is the Executive Chef at Bighorn in Revelstoke (www.bighornrevelstoke.com). Check out his website at www.the mountinchef.ca 

 

The Most Luxurious Heliski Lodge in the World

Last week the definitive guide to the most exclusive and indulgent chalets in the world was launched. The Luxury Chalet Collection has named Bighorn as one of the top 20 properties in the world.

The gourmet cuisine and stunning design, coupled with exceptional feedback from guests, were factors in selecting Bighorn to be part of the collection. With first class facilities such as a movie theatre, games room, indoor pool, giant outdoor hot tub, spa and cocktail bar, Bighorn truly is the ultimate ski pad. Offering dedicated service from a team including an award-winning chef and expert housekeeping staff, guests can relax in the lap of luxury.

The private helipad at Bighorn really sets it apart from the competition, providing guests with a unique opportunity. Offering both heliskiing and exciting resort skiing at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, guests have access to the best snow, terrain and scenery anywhere in the world.

The Luxury Chalet Collection featuring Bighorn

 

Gourmet Highlights of the Season at Bighorn

As the Revelstoke heli ski season draws to a close, we have been looking through the Bighorn guest book and selecting some highlights. Bluebird days heli skiing in the A star, the romantic couple that took a private heli for 2, fresh tracks down Greely Bowl and face shots in the trees on Paradiso.

Gourmet cuisine at Bighorn Revelstoke

 

But at Bighorn the phenomenal skiing is enhanced by indulgent service and stunning accommodation. Chef Peter Hughes’ cuisine has been much talked about, from the “Japanese feast cooked up in front of our eyes” to the “incredible beef fillet – the singular best thing I have ever eaten”. One of the most commented-upon treats were the delicious Mini Boeuf Bourguignon Pies: “the ultimate apres ski beer snack”.

As part of our Notes From the Chef’s Table blog posts, we tell you the secret recipe to make them yourself – or book your trip to Bighorn to try them without the effort!

The ultimate apres ski beer snack: Mini Boeuf Bourguignon Pies

Ingredients

2 sheets pre-rolled frozen puff pastry
1 egg for glazing
1.5kg (3.5 lbs) of diced chuck steak or shin beef cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup finely diced onion
1 cup quartered chestnut or field mushrooms
1 cup finely diced smoked bacon (lardons)
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced leek (white part only)
1/2 cup finely diced fennel bulb
1/2 cup finely diced shallots
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup of finely diced fennel bulb
1/2 cup diced shallots
1 tbsp butter
1 bottle of good quality red wine

Preparation

In a large mixing bowl season the beef with flour, salt and pepper and set aside whilst you prep your vegetables.

Finely chop all the vegetable ingredients and smoked bacon and sweat gently in a heavy bottomed saucepan until translucent. Remove from saucepan and keep in a bowl to add later. In the same saucepan as you cooked the vegetables add the seasoned beef and sear whilst stirring continuously to get some good colour on the meat (remember colour is flavour and will make a big difference to the final result).

After ten minutes pour in the wine and marry all the remaining ingredients together in the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir every ten minutes for the first half an hour to avoid a sticky disappointment!

Once the ‘gravy’ has started to thicken and the beef starts to become tender stirring occasionally (this dish is a labour of love and the more you care for it the more you will be rewarded in the finished article) turn the heat down further until a gentle simmer can be sustained in the pan for a further two-three hours depending on the size of your beef if you’ll pardon the expression! Towards the end add the small soaked cocktail onions and simmer for 30 minutes more. Total time simmering should be no more than 3 1/2 hours but if the boeuf still seems a little tough the simmer gently for longer.

Meanwhile in a preheated fan assisted oven at 180c or 350f cook pre-cut oval or round mini discs of pre-rolled frozen puff pastry on parchment paper or baking sheet glazed with eggwash until golden in colour. Allow to cool slightly (these can be pre-made and will keep at room temperature for up to a week in airtight containers).

Assembly

Take a sharp serrated knife and cut the pastry shapes horizontally to create tops and bottoms. Spoon in some of the Bourguignon and top with a lid and serve with beer and smiles!

 

Improve your heliski performance: gourmet ski cuisine at Bighorn

Gourmet heliski cuisine at Bighorn

Bighorn Executive Chef Peter Hughes not only creates dishes to delight the taste buds but  he also knows that at Bighorn food is fuel for a day heliskiing in Revelstoke’s powder bowls. In the latest installment of Notes from the Chef’s Table, we focus on the humble walnut. After reading in Mens Journal that walnuts pack more than double the amount of anti-oxidants than any other nut, Peter decided to do a little research. The micronutrients in walnuts can help with balance and co-ordination as well as boosting blood flow to help your muscles perform harder, longer and more efficiently. It sounded like the perfect skiers nut!

Always thinking of the Bighorn guest experience, Peter is from this moment forth going to pair an indulgent walnut pesto with his homemade gnocchi. Here’s how…

1 large bunch of basil

250g crushed walnuts (fresher the better)

250g Parmesan

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Zest of 1/2 lemon

250 ml good olive oil (cold pressed)

1 punnet of rocket leaves

Blitz all ingredients together and store in the fridge for up to a month in an airtight container. Delicious as an accompaniment to pasta, gnocchi, stirred into hot steamed broccoli or just as a sandwich spread.

More top tips for foodie skiers will follow next week!

Heliski in a Romantic Winter Wilderness this Valentines Day

 

It’s that time of year again – the shops are filled with pink balloons, expensive chocolates and teddy bears. Yes, Valentine’s Day is looming. The team at Bighorn know there is only one place to be in the middle of February however and that is on the slopes, as conditions in Revelstoke are amazing.  With heaps of fresh snow and bluebird skies, guests have been hitting the high alpine and loving the powder, views and awesome terrain.

The Bighorn Chef, Peter Hughes, can create a special Valentine’s menu for any love birds who want the best of both worlds: amazing heliskiing and romantic gastronomy. We’ve got a sneak preview of what he is planning, it sounds delicious even if you’re not feeling romantic! Perfect fuel for another day skiing the dream.

  • Canapé and champagne party
  • Truffled gougeres with dolcellate
  • Oysters Kilpatrick grilled with Canadian Bacon and Worcestershire Sauce
  • Teppanyaki Seared Scallops with Lemongrass and Ginger Infused Miso Broth
  • Frasier River Sockeye Salmon served En Croute and Carved Table Side
  • Chocolate Marquise Kisses with Gold Leaved Strawberry Crostilliant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gourmet Skiing at Bighorn Revelstoke

Private chef at Bighorn in action

 

Allow us to introduce Peter Hughes, the Bighorn Executive Chef who is putting Revelstoke on the culinary map. We’ll be posting regular notes from the Chef’s Table at Bighorn, proving that ski fare can be innovative and delicious as well as satisfying after a day skiing the powder.

Focussing on local provenance and exciting flavor combinations, Bighorn cuisine is executed with flair and finesse.

 

To whet your appetite, here are the chef’s secret menu ideas for breakfast this heliski season…

  • Mango and strawberry smoothies (or green apple, wheatgrass and carrot for those who need a boost)
  • Homemade granola with greek yoghurt made in BC, berries and berry coulis
  • Bighorn Sausages – a collaboration with Barry the Butcher in Revelstoke, we’ve made the perfect breakfast banger
  • Really good double smoked bacon with oven roasted tomatoes
  • Local sourdough bread toasted and topped with scrambled free-range eggs and a grilled portobello mushroom
  • Sweetcorn and bacon fritters with mild tomato salsa and poached free-range eggs

We say that is the best possible way to start the day. No boring cornflakes and congealed eggs in sight. Unless that’s what you like of course, because remember Peter is on hand to cater for any (weird) whims!

Next week, we find out how Bighorn guests will be wooed, via their tastebuds, on Valentines Day.