Produce from Quebec

Produce from Quebec

Enhance your menu with fruits and vegetables from Quebec

Available for you to discover from June to October. When the main foods on your menu consist of Quebec products, you will be differentiating yourself with freshness, flavour, and quality.

SQUASH SOUP WITH SOUR CREAM, BACON AND GREEN ONION

Recipe by Chef Ian Perreault

SQUASH SOUP WITH SOUR CREAM, BACON AND GREEN ONION | Mayrand Food Depot
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Servings: ten 300 ml bowls
Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients and cooking utensils

Squash soup

  • 1 kg flesh of squash of your choice
  • 100 ml olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 L water
  • 1 L milk
  • 200 ml cream (35%)
  • 2 g ground nutmeg
  • 2 g ground cumin
  • 100 g unsalted butter
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Sour cream with bacon and green onions

  • 150 g cooked bacon cut into strips
  • 300 ml sour cream or plain yogurt
  • 2 green onions, finely chopped
  • 20 ml olive oil
  • Peppercorns, to taste
Kitchen items

Instructions

Soup
  1. Caramelize onions in olive oil over low heat, ensuring they remain golden.
  2. Add spices until lightly coloured.
  3. Add squash, water and milk and cook until vegetables are very tender.
  4. Puree until smooth, add butter and adjust seasoning.
Sour cream with bacon and green onions

5. Combine all cream ingredients and check seasoning.

Presentation:

6. Serve in a soup bowl. Add a dollop of sour cream and a splash of olive oil.

Ian Perreault | Mayrand Food Depot

Chef's tips:

  • It is preferable to use a heavy-bottomed pot.
  • Pour the vegetable soup through a sieve or double mesh strainer for the perfect texture.
  • Add lemon zest to the sour cream if you like.
Smarter Seafood | Mayrand Food Depot

Sustainable fishing products

Our Mayrand Anjou  and Brossard stores are certified Smarter Seafood (Fourchette Bleue)

  • Discover the products of our Quebec producers who practice sustainable fishing
  • Access little-known species to enhance the originality of your menus
Discover the Fourchette Bleue Certification (Smarter Seafood)
Seasonal fruits and vegetables | Mayrand Food Depot

Seasonal fruits and vegetables

The second half of the summer is the best time for harvesting fruits and vegetables in Quebec.

All restaurant owners are proud of their

  • leafy greens (lettuce, iceberg lettuce),
  • berries (strawberries, blackberries, redcurrants),
  • garlic and onions from Quebec.

Known for their taste, freshness, and quality, these foods are in high demand.

The Quebec advantage: we possess quality water and fertile land, which allow us to maximize production while respecting the environment.

Discover our fresh fruits and vegetables
Root vegetables | Mayrand Food Depot

Root vegetables

Root vegetables are staples of the Quebec diet:

  • Nothing is wasted during cooking or preparation
  • These vegetables are very versatile and can be used in everything from appetizers to desserts
  • Long-lasting

Examples: potatoes, carrots, celery, beets, radishes and sunchokes

The Quebec advantage: our harvests are valued by restaurant owners who are not afraid to think outside the box, not only when it comes to food preparation but also when experimenting with new ingredients and flavours.

See our fresh vegetables

New cultivation methods

New cultivation methods (*)

Quebec is a pioneer of greenhouse cultivation; local fruits and vegetables are grown in Quebec greenhouses for up to 12 months per year. A true testament to technological know-how, fruit and vegetable greenhouse products have two significant advantages:

  1. They reduce, if not eliminate, the use of chemical products and pesticides
  2. They reduce losses of produce associated with regular year-round production.

Quebec’s most well-known greenhouse products are tomatoes and strawberries, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Hydroponics (**)

Hydroculture allows plants to grow in water enhanced with nutrients that favour growth.

Quebec’s need for hydroponics stems from a lack of available land, but it is also a response to the intense cold and lack of light for many months of the year.

The nutritional quality of hydroponic vegetables is comparable to that of organic products. Microgreens are the flagship hydroponic product.

The Quebec advantage: innovation! The extreme weather conditions of Quebec’s long winters drive research into develop new ways of improving food self-sufficiency. Producer-entrepreneurs are innovative and support one another’s new technological capabilities and business models.

Harvest time | Mayrand Food Depot

Harvest time

The ultimate time for sharing and intergenerational get-togethers, the August-September harvest period brings people closer to food producers.

This period is officially kicked off with corn, followed by apples, pears and all other Quebec fruits.

The Quebec advantage: the tradition of transmitting fundamental values from generation to generation.

  • Sharing (families and groups of friends plan their annual outings)
  • Initiation (children discover fresh produce and production sites)
  • Recognition of the heritage of producers (who welcome the general public on-site)

 

Sources 
(*) MAPAQ Serres Québec
(**) Agriculture and Agri Food Canada
© Crédits photos : Audrey Boivin