October food events in Vancouver cover Thanksgiving and more

On The Coast's Urban Foodie Anya Levykh says there's more to dining out in October than turkey dinners and Oktoberfest events.

Of course, lots of places are doing special menus for Thanksgiving on the weekend; Levykh singled out Railtown Catering in Gastown, L'Epicerie Gourmande on Granville Island and Yew Seafood and Bar downtown as highlights.

But if you want to check out food events in the city that are a little different, there's plenty to experience this month, including Taste of Yaletown.

• On The Coast's Urban Foodie talks German food
• On The Coast's Urban Foodie has this fall's restaurant trends

During the event, over 25 Yaletown restaurants will be offering a $25, $35 or $45 prix fixe menu. The event runs from Oct. 15 to 29.

"A portion of proceeds will be going to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank," Levykh told On The Coast's Stephen Quinn.

"The dining festival has raised more than $100,000 for the food bank to date, and I know they're hoping to add another significant amount this year."

One restaurant that is participating in Taste of Yaletown is Minami. This week's recipe comes from their Taste of Yaletown menu.

Taste of Yaletown Surf & Turf

Recipe courtesy of Minami chef Alan Ferrer

Sake kasu Saikyo Miso-baked sablefish

Marinated Japanese eggplant, baby watercress, shoga-wasabi relish, yuzu sakekasu-miso reduction

Sake kasu Saikyo Miso marinade:

• 2 pcs (4 oz) scaled skin on sablefish portions
• ½ cup sake kasu
• 2-½ cups Saikyo Miso paste
• 1 cup mirin
• 2 cup sake
• 1 tsp tamari soy
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Method:

1. Combine the sake and the mirin in a sauce pot and burn off the alcohol, then remove from the heat and add the sugar.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with a whisk until emulsified and no lumps are present.
3. Remove 2 tbsp. of the marinade and place in a small mixing bowl for the sauce.
4. Salt and pepper the sablefish portions and then place in the marinade, ensuring that all sides are covered with the marinade. Cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator. Let marinate at least overnight.
5. Bake in a 375°F oven, skin side up for 10–12 minutes until the flesh starts to flake a little, then broil on high until the skin is crisp.

Yuzu Sake kasu miso reduction

• 2 tbsp sake kasu saikyo miso marinade
• 1 tbsp yuzu juice

Method:

1. Add the yuzu juice and mix thoroughly.
2. Taste and set aside for final plating.

Marinated Japanese eggplant

• 1 whole Japanese eggplant
• 2 cups Shiragiku vinegar
• ¾ cup  granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp pickling spice
• 1 pinch chilli flakes
• 3 pinches kombu
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp Fuji soy
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sake

Method:

1. Cut the eggplant lengthwise and then place flat side down and score the skin ½ centimetre apart on a bias.
2. Cut into 3 inch sections across, then turn lengthwise and cut into 3 even pieces.
3. Flash fry in a fryer at 375°F until light golden brown, then remove from the oil and set aside on a paper towel-lined tray.
4. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with a whisk until all the sugar has been dissolved.
5. Place the eggplant in the marinating liquid and let marinate for at least an hour. To achieve the full bold flavours, it's best that you let it marinate overnight.

Shoga-wasabi relish

• 1 piece shoga-pickled young ginger root
• 1 tsp wasabi pickles

Method:

1. Chop the shoga then add the wasabi pickles.
2. If you can't find shoga then you can use natural pickled ginger and chop into ½ centimetre pieces.

Fraser Valley pork duo

Braised pork cheek, crispy kakuni pork belly, rapini, maple-miso asahi black glaze, Aburi corn-bell pepper salsa

Pork Cheek Braising Liquid

• 2 pieces (2 oz) rind-on pork belly
• 4 pieces pork cheek meat
• 1-¼ cups water
• ¼ piece jalapeno
• 1 cm piece ginger, sliced
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1-½tbsp GF Kikkoman soy
• 2 tbsp Fuji vinegar
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 pieces bay leaf

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a braising pan, then place in the pork cheeks and the rind on pork belly, cover tightly with foil.
2. Place in a preheated oven at 250°F for 30 mins or until fork-tender.
3. Once done, remove the pork belly pieces from the braising liquid and pat dry, then place back in the oven and switch the setting to high broil.
4. Broil in the middle of the oven until the skin has puffed up and is crispy, and set aside for the final plating.

Aburi corn-red bell pepper salsa

• 2 tbsp GF Kikkoman soy
• 1 head fresh corn
• 1 whole roasted red bell pepper, small dice
• ½ head red onion, small dice
• 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tbsp mirin
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 pinch Kosher salt
• 1 pinch fresh cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Boil the corn until fully cooked, once done, remove from the boiling water and cut off the kernels, then marinate with the soya sauce in a mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Dice the roasted red bell pepper fillets and the red onion into the same size pieces and then add to the marinated corn.
3. Fine chop the fresh basil, add to the remaining ingredients and season, and then mix until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.

Maple-miso Asahi Black glaze

• 2 tbsp Maple syrup
• ¼ bottle Asahi Black beer (355 mL)
• 3 tbsp pork braising liquid
• 2 tbsp Saikyo miso paste
• 3 tbsp mirin
• 3 tbsp sake
• 1-½ tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp tamari soy
• 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp xathan gum

Method:

1. In a sauce pot strain 3 tbsp of the braising liquid in and then add then remaining ingredients but the beer.
2. Then whisk until no lumps are present over medium heat then add the beer last mix and then turn off the heat and set aside for plating.

Rapini

Blanch the rapini in hot salted water for about 45 secs to 1 min, then set aside for plating.

Final plating

1. Place 3 pieces of the eggplant on the right middle side of the plate and then place the sablefish on top.
2. Spoon 1 tbsp of the yuzu-miso reduction on top of the sablefish, then a tsp of the shoga-wasabi on top of that.
3. Place a ball of the baby watercress beside the sablefish.
4. Place the rapini on the left of the sablefish with the top of the rapini pointing down.
5. Submerge the pork cheek in the glaze, lift it out and let the excess glaze drip off before plating on top of the rapini, then spoon on the corn-bell pepper salsa on top of the pork cheek.
6. Place the crispy kakuni pork belly on the left side of the pork cheek with the crispy skin on the top.
7. Finish with a sprig of Italian parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.