This Father's Day, I decided to introduce you to mine, and as a bonus, his famous stuffed calamari. My father is the best cook I know (and I know some not-so-great ones). So here's the recipe for creating an amazing dad.
When Pierre left home at 17, he worked a series of odd jobs until he landed at the Sainte-Gertrude brewery. It's 1974, the Gentilly power plant is under construction, and local people are flocking there with the promise of work.
Among these pilgrims is Florent, a slightly older cook who befriends Pierre. The two curious souls share the kitchen of this modest place until Florent introduces Pierre to L'Accueil , the region's high-end restaurant. It serves classics like pepper steak, lobster thermidor, and the famous perch fillet.
Pierre enjoys it, experiences a culinary awakening and develops a new passion.
The friends then decided to enroll at the Trois-Rivières Hotel Management School to further their education. The following year, they completed the program with honors and even received job offers as teachers! But youth being what it is, Pierre was too curious to settle a few kilometers from the family home: he had to travel.
After a classic Eurotrip , he spends some time in the kitchens of a ship where he faces the dark side of the job: rotten working conditions and disrespectful customers. Homophobic and racist "jokes" are common and Pierre cannot tolerate this kind of atmosphere.
His decision is made: he wants to open his own restaurant. Pierre wants to cook whatever he wants, in a healthy work environment.
It was on December 9, 1980, when all the newspapers in the world announced the death of John Lennon, that Pierre left the ship and went into business.
The two friends move to Montreal and decide to open a clandestine, top-secret restaurant, without a license or a name. A restaurant for adventurous gourmets.
This restaurant, with about thirty seats, offers a fixed tasting menu, punctuated by the seasons. The place is a hit with Montreal's elite. Two other Pierres were often found there: Foglia and Elliott Trudeau, who often visited to sample the menus of the young chefs.
Florent and Pierre are living a waking dream until the day a journalist spoils their well-kept secret. The authorities are alerted and the team is forced to close the restaurant.
I will leave Mr. Foglia to express his indignation on the subject.
A few decades later, in 2020 and in the midst of a pandemic, it was Pierre's son (me) who decided to open a new kind of restaurant. Like my father, I want to share gastronomy and my love of food.
Despite going to the Jean-Talon Market every morning and preparing a different meal for every day of the year, Pierre hadn't set foot in a professional kitchen for 30 years... Until the day I forced him to work with us. He became Menu Extra's first employee!
During the initial stages, Pierre came to help the small kitchen team: Francis & Camilo. Eternally curious, he learned every step of the famous duck pithiviers and koulibiac. The young chefs were inspired by his attention to detail and patience. Thus was born the legend of Pierre Demers, the sexiest man in town.
One day, the 30-seat gourmet restaurant will return, and the most important Pierre will eat like a king.
Kisses Dad,
Alexis.
Stuffed squid, Demers style
Ingredient
10 squid
Ground pork
6 green onions
Sriracha sauce
Ginger
Parsley
Coriander
Chives
Tomato coulis
Fish stock or clam juice
50 ml sesame oil
50 ml of soy sauce
100 ml fish sauce
Methodology
Take a dozen squid from Shamrock, already gutted.
Remove the heads from the squid and chop. Weigh the same weight in pork and mix.
Add 6 chopped green onions.
Add sesame oil, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Add chopped ginger and chopped parsley.
Add sriracha sauce or any other hot sauce.
Mix with a hand blender until you get a ball-like texture.
Shape into small balls and cook in a pan, then taste.
Adjust the seasoning.
Place the mixture in a pastry bag.
Stuff the squid but leave space so that it can be closed with a toothpick.
Place in a fish stock and tomato coulis (tomato sauce) to cover ⅔ of the squid
Bake for 45 minutes at 350°F.
Take the cooking juice, add the chopped coriander and adjust the seasoning and consistency.
Eat with grilled vegetables, a fresh salad and a glass of cold sake.