Must-Try: The Black Hoof’s drop-in, heart-obsessed Valentine’s Day feast
Must-Try: The Black Hoof’s drop-in, heart-obsessed Valentine’s Day feast
By Renée Suen | February 13, 2014
By Renée Suen | 02/13/2014
For those whose Valentine’s Day plans haven’t quite panned out, take heart—literally. For this weekend only, the offal experts at The Black Hoof are devoting their kitchen to the blood pump. Head chef Jesse Grasso is turning cow, chicken, duck, pig and horse hearts into delicate tartares and crudos, classic bistro plates and even smoked meat. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so it’s first-come, first-served while heart supplies last. Here, a sneak peek at the iron-rich feast.
The Black Hoof , 928 Dundas St. W., 416-551-8854
259888 <strong>Horse Heart Crudo</strong><br /><br />
A tangle of thinly sliced, raw horse heart is dressed with clam vinaigrette and topped with last season’s pickled ramps, fried garlic chips and meaty clams. The plate is finished with crunchy sea salt, grated tuna bottarga and grassy lemon-balm cress. $14. (Image: Renée Suen) Must-Try: Valentine’s Hearts at The Black Hoof https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-4-HORSE-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-4-HORSE.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-4-HORSE.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/must-try-black-hoof-valentines-heart-feast/slide/renee-suen-toronto-life-must-try-feb-2014-tbh-4-horse/ renee-suen-toronto-life-must-try-feb-2014-tbh-4-horse 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
259886 <strong>Pork Heart Pastrami</strong><br /><br />
Grasso takes pork hearts that he’s brined for two days, rubs them with a pastrami spice blend and smokes them over apple wood. He serves the pink slices with lightly pickled cabbage, hot mustard and crispy rye toasts. $11. (Image: Renée Suen) Must-Try: Valentine’s Hearts at The Black Hoof https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-12-PORK-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-12-PORK.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-12-PORK.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/must-try-black-hoof-valentines-heart-feast/slide/renee-suen-toronto-life-must-try-feb-2014-tbh-12-pork/ renee-suen-toronto-life-must-try-feb-2014-tbh-12-pork 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
259885 <strong>Yakitori Chicken Hearts</strong><br /><br />
Skewers of smoky chicken hearts are dressed with tare (a sweet, soy-based sauce), then drizzled with umeboshi purée and squiggles of sweet Japanese mayo. The dish is sprinkled with shredded nori and crispy chicken skin. $8. (Image: Renée Suen) Must-Try: Valentine’s Hearts at The Black Hoof https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-14-CHICKEN-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-14-CHICKEN.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-14-CHICKEN.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/must-try-black-hoof-valentines-heart-feast/slide/renee-suen-toronto-life-must-try-feb-2014-tbh-14-chicken/ renee-suen-toronto-life-must-try-feb-2014-tbh-14-chicken 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
259889 <strong>Duck Heart Tartare</strong><br /><br />
Minced duck hearts are served puttanesca-style (with capers, olives and lots of garlic). The platter is finished with a scatter of Jerusalem artichoke chips and polka dots of anchovy-tomato sauce. $14. (Image: Renée Suen) Must-Try: Valentine’s Hearts at The Black Hoof https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-1-DUCK-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-1-DUCK.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-1-DUCK.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/must-try-black-hoof-valentines-heart-feast/slide/renee-suen-toronto-life-must-try-feb-2014-tbh-1-duck/ renee-suen-toronto-life-must-try-feb-2014-tbh-1-duck 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
259884 <strong>Beef Heart Steak Frites</strong><br /><br />
Grasso relaxes the lean muscle by marinating it for a week in a mixture of olive oil, thyme and garlic. Then, he sears it in a cast iron pan and serves it thinly sliced in a red wine shallot jus. A mound of seasoned shoestring fries and a saucer of Béarnaise turn the dish into a bistro classic. $15. (Image: Renée Suen) Must-Try: Valentine’s Hearts at The Black Hoof https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-18-COW-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-18-COW.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Renee-Suen-Toronto-Life-Must-Try-Feb-2014-TBH-18-COW.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/must-try-black-hoof-valentines-heart-feast/slide/renee-suen-toronto-life-must-try-feb-2014-tbh-18-cow/ renee-suen-toronto-life-must-try-feb-2014-tbh-18-cow 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)