Way back in 2011 we fell hard for Elle Cuisine at the Toronto Underground Market (R.I.P), then really hard after chef Lauren Mozer catered an intimate dinner for us. Back then she took us through a decadent seven-course tasting menu, wowing us with her French-influenced dishes. So when the opportunity arose to have her cater another dinner for us five years later, we couldn’t say no.
A quick briefing: Mozer has always had a knack in the kitchen. During her university days at McGill, she threw dinner parties multiple times a week for her group of amigos, undoubtedly earning VIP status pretty darn quick among them. After graduation, Mozer figured it only made sense to focus on her true passion full-time, hitting up George Brown’s culinary management program while simultaneously getting her fledgling Elle Cuisine off the ground. Now Mozer’s a tour de force in the catering world, hosting everything from cocktail soirees for 600 to sit-down dinners for 250 to more intimate eves at swanky Rosedale and Bridle Path homes.
Using the original meal as a guide, Mozer took the opportunity to showcase just how far her skills and approach have matured over the past five years. While still drawing from her French cuisine education and her love for Western Euro flavours and techniques, Mozer has expanded her oeuvre.
“I’ve been heavily influenced by the diversity that the city of Toronto offers,” she says, noting that each member of her team of cooks brings something to the table (such as Korean-style dumplings intro’d by senior chef, Peter Wan Bae).
As our party of six gathered together, famished after the workday grind, we sat down to a first course of ahi tuna ceviche. The fish came marinated in an Asian-inspired sauce of soy, hoisin, chili oil and ginger, and was enhanced by slivers of Asian pear and avocado. Rounds of lotus root chips of topped it off and provided that necessary contrast in texture.
The second course was aimed at hardcore ’shroom lovers. A pan-fried medley of king oyster, chanterelle, shiitake and portobello acted as the base for a 63-degree egg, which was carefully perched on top. The egg, which had been cooking sous vide for a hour, emerged medium rare, just firm enough but still runny. A Parm chip flagged the top.
Up next was sea scallop, which saw Mozer referencing the très populaire dish from five years ago. Ever a fan of the bivalve, Mozer pan-seared them — she says the trick is to never overcook them — and sat them on a bed of sautéed Korean spinach along with a smoked sweet-potato purée. It was finished with a miso dashi broth, and the result was smoky and full of umami.
Referring to her original rainbow beet tartare with goat cheese and walnuts, here Mozer turned out jewel-coloured heirloom beets, which our forks slid through with incredible ease. The roasted rounds were dolled up with tiny cubes of apple, micro Thai basil — for added fragrance — and tempura-fried goat cheese. Mozer notes that her M.O. is to let the ingredients shine through; not obfuscating the flavours with a bunch of sauces, but merely highlighting them. In this case, the spotlight was a lemon balsamic vinaigrette and a drizzle of aged balsamic reduction.
The lobster ’n’ cheese of yesteryear was transformed into a sumptuous lobster-studded risotto for the fifth course (pictured at top). The perfectly done grains of rice were cooked in lobster stock and then dotted with hunks of the tender meat. Centering each plate was a rosy-hued crustacean claw which had just witnessed a light snowfall of Parm. A drizzle of chive and garlic oil finished the dish off. At this point, the pace of consumption had been eased quite substantially, though dishes were still being scraped clean.
The final course before dessert saw slow-roasted beef tenderloin paired with a caramelized onion purée and a butternut squash and celeriac hash. The beef medallion, fork-tender and perfectly pink, was snuggled up to French green beans and a braised beef short-rib croquette — a magical creation. (Warning: said croquette is serious snacking food and highly addictive.)
As the night drew to a close (pants were far tighter than before), we managed to dive into the two desserts. The deconstructed key lime pie was a rectangle of tangy neon key lime curd paired with stylish buttons of meringue, a graham cracker crumble and burnt marshmallow ice cream. Meanwhile, the so-called death by chocolate featured a hunk of flourless chocolate torte paired with choco shortbread and white chocolate ganache. A duet of raspberry sorbet and milk chocolate ice cream prevented the dish from entering too-heavy territory.
And with that, a decadent night came to a close.
