Top Montreal Chef Makes a French Connection with a Wild Ingredient
Chef Jérôme Ferrer is a Montreal chef with a flair for creative, delicious food and a talent for distinctive use of market fresh produce. As Grand Chef at the celebrated Restaurant Europea, a true hot spot of creative, modern cuisine located in a luxurious Victoria Mansion in the heart of the city, Ferrer and his staff of 22 chefs can be found fixing up dishes on the famed menu that provide some of the best edible evidence that food can be turned into art.
The Wild Blueberry Association was fortunate enough to procure Chef Ferrer for some exclusive creations using the beloved wild blueberry as his primary ingredient. The results speak for themselves – they are part of a winning selection of brand new recipes on www.wildblueberries.com.
Want a taste? Chef Ferrer’s distinctive Foie Gras Cutlets with Wild Blueberry Sauce features a generous helping of wild blueberries, along with puréed parsnips and seared foie gras cutlets. His inspired Lamb Bites with Celeriac Bulb & Wild Blueberry Sauce uses the unique flavor of celery root (he transforms it into “fries”, sautés and seasons it) along with the perfect accompaniment: he reduces wild blueberries with lamb stock and wine to create the sauce. Fantastique!
What’s this French chef’s wild blueberry connection? It’s based in part on wild blueberries being a popular indigenous Canadian crop. Lowbush blueberries are harvested only in Maine and Eastern Canada, meaning the versatile ingredient is right at home in Montreal. It’s also a match made in heaven for a chef who specializes in haute French cuisine. French cooking is known for its sweet indulgences – think crème brûlée, parfaits, sorbets, petit fours and marcarons – and the sweet, complex flavor of wild blueberries fits the bill. Ferrer is an expert on the subject – he is the author of Les Secret des Desserts, which reveals his insider info on creating delectable French-themed desserts. One of those strictly-on-the-QT tips? Create your confection using fresh produce and the best local products.
The creative use of wild blueberries is a particularly perfect fit for the Wild Blueberry kitchen due to Chef Ferrer’s dedication to a “from the market” menu at Europea. His efforts to serve food retrieved daily from fresh local providers is clear from his menu. He provides his signature je ne sais quoi to Quebec-raised veal, Appalachian Coast venison, and dishes such as Lobster Cappuccino Truffles, and North Coast Scallop Crèpes.
The Wild Blueberry Association consistently works with renowned chefs in order to develop original recipes that combine the creative ideas with the unparalleled taste and nutrition of wild blueberries. You can enjoy more of the European influence in Wild Blueberries à la Crème Brûlée, a blue take on a traditional French classic, and in Warm Wild Blueberry Petit Fours, a breakfast-inspired interpretation of a fave French treat from the Executive Chef of Kennebunkport’s White Barn Inn, Jonathan Cartwright. In light of all the palate-delighting options, only two words come to mind: Bon appétit!
Discover more new additions to our recipe section! Explore delicious, antioxidant-rich entrée, dessert, snack, and drink options such as Duck, Spinach & Goat Cheese Salad with Savory Wild Blueberry Sauce, Wild Blueberry Clafoutis and Rabbit Stew.