NEGRONI
Ingredients
Serves 1
1 oz (30 ml) Gordon's London Dry Gin
1 oz (30 ml) Cinzano Rosso Vermouth
1 oz (30 ml) Campari
orange twist, for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass with cubed ice, combine gin, vermouth and Campari. Stir for approximately 30 seconds to chill and dilute. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with an orange twist.
Featuring
BLOODY MARY
Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Grey Goose Vodka
4 oz (120 ml) tomato juice
½ oz (15 ml) lemon juice
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 pinch each salt and pepper
celery stick, for garnish
lemon wedge, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine all ingredients and gently rotate shaker to mix. Do not shake, as the aeration and extra dilution will change the consistency. Strain over new ice into a chilled hurricane or Collins glass and garnish with a celery stick and lemon wedge.
Featuring
OSMANTHUS JELLIES
Ingredients
Serves 6 jellies
2 tsp (10 ml) Agar Agar powder
2 cups (500 ml) water
2 tbsp (30 ml) osmanthus flowers
3 tbsp (45 ml) honey
1 tbsp (15 ml) goji berries, rehydrated in hot water for 10 minutes then drained
6 shiso leaves, to serve
edible gold leaf, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together agar agar and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Whisk in osmanthus flowers and honey and allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Mix in goji berries.
- Pour mixture into 2¾-in (7 cm) domed silicon moulds and allow to set in refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until mixture is firm and can be turned out.
- Turn jellies out onto a plate. Place each jelly on a shiso leaf on a serving platter and garnish with edible gold leaf, if using. Jellies can be made a day ahead and kept in moulds, or stored in an airtight container. Serve cold.
Drink Pairings
STIR-FRIED RICE CAKES WITH PRAWNS
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
1 tsp (5 ml) cornstarch
1 tsp (5 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) salt, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar, divided
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground white pepper, divided
5 oz (140 g) pork shoulder, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
5 oz (140 g) sustainable prawns, deveined
½ bunch choy sum, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces, blanched and shocked in ice water
15 oz (425 g) flat rice cakes (found at any Asian market)
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) oyster sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine cornstarch, cooking wine, salt, sugar, pepper and pork shoulder. Allow to marinate for ½ hour.
- Heat a wok over high heat. Add vegetable oil and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add pork shoulder in a single layer and allow it to sit until bottom has browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn meat over to cook other side for about 2 minutes.
- Add prawns and choy sum and stir-fry for another minute or two, or just until prawns start to turn pink. Add rice cakes, soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir-fry until everything is combined. Cover with a lid and cook just until rice cakes are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add sesame oil and mix to combine. Serve on a warm platter.
Drink Pairings
LONG LIFE NOODLES WITH MUSHROOMS
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
¼ cup (60 ml) oyster sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) butter
2 tbsp (30 ml) minced garlic
1 cup (250 ml) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
1 x 15 oz (425 g) can straw mushrooms, halved
1 cup (250 ml) Chinese chives, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces
2 tbsp (30 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
1 x 10½ oz (300 g) package yi mein noodles
2 green onions, julienned
Instructions
- Cook yi mein according to package instructions and drain well. Set aside.
- Mix together oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Set aside.
- Heat a wok over high heat. Add vegetable oil, butter and garlic and stir-fry just until fragrant, about 5 seconds. Add shiitake and straw mushrooms and stir-fry until cooked and lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add chives and stir-fry just until chives are cooked, about 1 minute.
- Add cooking wine and mix, then add yi mein and sauce mixture. Stir-fry until noodles are hot and evenly mixed with sauce.
- Transfer noodles to a warm serving platter and garnish with green onions.
Drink Pairings
VEGETABLE SPRING ROLLS
Ingredients
Serves 12 spring rolls
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus extra for deep frying
2 garlic cloves, minced
½-in (1.25 cm) knob ginger, minced
1 carrot, julienned
½ cup (125 ml) julienned green cabbage
1 tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
8 pieces wood ear fungus, soaked for 20 minutes in hot water, then julienned
¼ cup (60 ml) canned julienned bamboo shoots, drained
1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce
3 tsp (15 ml) + 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce, divided
¼ tsp (1 ml) sesame oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 package 8-in (20 cm) spring roll wrappers*
1 tsp (5 ml) rice vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
2 green onions, julienned
1 handful cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a medium frying pan or wok with a lid, stir-fry garlic and ginger in vegetable oil over high heat just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add carrot and cabbage and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add a splash of water and cover with a lid. Cook until vegetables are just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Set aside. Remove lid and continue cooking until liquid has evaporated, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 tsp (5 ml) cornstarch slurry and mix until vegetables are glossy looking. Set remaining slurry aside. Transfer vegetables to a medium mixing bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 1 hour, until vegetables are cold.
- Remove cooled vegetables from fridge and mix in wood ear fungus, bamboo shoots, oyster sauce, 1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce, sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste.
- When ready to roll, stir remaining cornstarch slurry. Place 1 spring roll wrapper on a flat surface, so it looks like a diamond, with a corner pointing towards you. Spoon about 2 tbsp (30 ml) filling on wrapper corner closest to you.
- Fold wrapper away from you and over filling, then fold right and left corners towards the centre, over the filling. Continue rolling, away from you, until spring roll looks like an open envelope. Dip your finger into cornstarch slurry and paint top edges with it, like an envelope seal. Finish rolling spring roll away from you and press gently to seal. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.
- At this point, spring rolls can either be cooked, or frozen for up to 1 month. To freeze, arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze overnight, then transfer to a freezer bag. Spring rolls must be fried from frozen; do not defrost before frying.
- To fry spring rolls, fill a small or medium pot with 2 to 3-in (5 to 8 cm) vegetable oil. Heat oil over medium heat until it reaches 325 F (170 C).
- Fry spring rolls in small batches, ensuring they do not touch, or they will stick together. Roll spring rolls over while frying to brown evenly on all sides. Fry until golden brown; time will vary depending on size of pot, but filling is already cooked, so you are just looking for colour and ensuring filling is hot. Once done, remove to a paper towel to drain, and repeat with remaining spring rolls.
- To make dipping sauce, in a small bowl, mix together remaining soy sauce, rice vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Serve spring rolls with dipping sauce and garnish with green onion and cilantro.
- * One package of spring roll wrappers usually contains 24. Recipe only uses 12; however, extras are useful in case a wrapper breaks when rolling.
Drink Pairings
WHOLE STEAMED FISH
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
1 lotus root, for garnish
2 lb (1 kg) whole white fish (sea bass, rock fish or snapper), scaled and gutted
1-in (2.5 cm) knob ginger, peeled and julienned
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
2 tsp (10 ml) sugar
4 green onions, julienned
1 handful cilantro leaves
dried goji berries, for garnish
steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
- Peel lotus root and, carefully using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, slice or peel ten ⅛-in (0.25 cm) slices. Rinse in cold water, then dry thoroughly with paper towel.
- In a small saucepan, deep fry lotus in 1-in (2.5 cm) vegetable oil at 325 F (170 C) until golden brown, flipping halfway through, about 5 minutes total. Remove to paper towel to drain.
- Prepare wok or wide pot for steaming: fill with 2-in (5 cm) water and place a steaming trivet inside. Place a heatproof plate (a glass pie plate works well) large enough to fit fish on the trivet and bring water to a boil over high heat.
- Stuff fish with half the ginger. Place fish on plate, put remaining ginger on top of fish and cover wok. Steam for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
- Just before fish is finished cooking, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering.
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, water, sesame oil and sugar.
- Remove plate from wok and transfer fish to a serving platter. Place green onions on top of fish.
- Carefully pour hot oil over fish, followed by soy sauce mixture. Garnish with cilantro, goji berries and lotus root chips. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
Drink Pairings
CREAMY MUSHROOM AND RADICCHIO RIGATONI
Ingredients
Serves 4
4 strips bacon, chopped
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, divided
4 medium shallots, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups (1 L) cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
¼ cup (60 ml) white wine
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
5 sprigs thyme, leaves only
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb (500 g) rigatoni
1 cup (250 ml) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
½ small head radicchio, thinly sliced
½ lemon, juice only
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until brown and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Reserve 1 tbsp (15 ml) bacon fat in pan and discard remaining. Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, shallot and garlic and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until soft and some moisture has cooked out, about 6 to 8 minutes. Deglaze pan with wine and cook until fully reduced, about 3 minutes. Add cream and thyme and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until cream has thickened. Return bacon to skillet.
- In a large pot, bring 8 cups (2 L) water to a rapid boil. Season lightly with salt. Cook rigatoni for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve ½ cup (125 ml) pasta water, then drain rigatoni.
- Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) reserved pasta water into sauce, then stir in rigatoni and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir to coat. If you prefer a thinner cream sauce, add remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) pasta water and stir to coat.
- In a small bowl, dress radicchio with remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Divide pasta between bowls and top with radicchio salad.
Drink Pairings
ALMOND, SEMOLINA AND PISTACHIO CAKE WITH LEMON AND GRAPEFRUIT SYRUP
Ingredients
Serves 1 x 10 in (25 cm) cake
Candied Citrus Slices, for garnish, recipe follows (optional)
1¼ cups (310 ml) salted butter, room temperature, plus extra for greasing
1½ cups (375 ml) almond flour
¾ cup (175 ml) finely ground toasted pistachios, plus extra for garnish
¾ cup (175 ml) semolina flour
1½ tsp (7 ml) baking powder
1½ cups (375 ml) + ⅔ cup (150 ml) granulated sugar, divided
1½ tsp (7 ml) + 1 tbsp (15 ml) finely grated lemon zest, divided
5 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
3 tbsp (45 ml) + ⅓ cup (75 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
⅓ cup (75 ml) freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Instructions
- Prepare Candied Citrus Slices, if using.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line bottom of a 10-in (25 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper and generously butter sides of pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, ground pistachios, semolina flour and baking powder. Set dry ingredients aside.
- In bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand-held mixer, beat 1¼ cups (310 ml) butter, 1½ cups (375 ml) sugar and 1½ tsp (7 ml) lemon zest until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add eggs and vanilla and beat until glossy, about 2 minutes. Add dry ingredients and 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice and beat to combine, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl from time to time. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Lightly press top of cake to test: it should be springy to touch when done.
- While cake is baking, prepare syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon zest, ⅓ cup (75 ml) lemon juice, ⅔ cup (150 ml) sugar and grapefruit juice. Bring to a boil, stirring, then lower heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until syrup has reduced by about ⅓. Remove from heat.
- As soon as cake comes out of oven, spoon and brush syrup liberally over top and edges of cake. Allow syrup to drip down sides of pan. Cool cake completely before turning out. Garnish cake with crushed toasted pistachios and Candied Citrus Slices, if using, reserving any remaining syrup and citrus slices for use in cocktails, baking or salads. Cake will keep, covered, in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Drink Pairings
ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES WITH ORANGES, OLIVES AND FETA
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
¾ lb (340 g) small beets, peeled, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) wedges, steamed until al dente
¾ lb (340 g) small yams, scrubbed, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces
4 tbsp (60 ml) + ⅓ cup (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) finely grated orange or tangerine zest
3 tbsp (45 ml) + ⅓ cup (75 ml) freshly squeezed orange or tangerine juice, divided
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small shallot, very finely minced
1 tbsp (15 ml) sherry vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
2 large pinches crushed red chili flakes
½ cup (125 ml) coarsely chopped, oil-packed pitted olives
3 tbsp (45 ml) finely chopped fresh dill
2 small navel or tangerine oranges, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
2½ oz (75 g) creamy feta cheese
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped mint leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- Place beets and yams in 2 separate bowls. In a measuring cup, combine 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, orange zest and 3 tbsp (45 ml) orange juice, rosemary, thyme and salt and pepper to taste, and using a wooden spoon, muddle herbs into oil and juice. Pour evenly over yams and beets and toss well to combine. Place yams and beets on opposite ends of a large baking sheet, spreading them into 2 even but separate layers. Roast vegetables, tossing from time to time, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until tender and easily pierced all the way through with tip of a sharp knife.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) + ⅓ cup (75 ml) olive oil, remaining ⅓ cup (75 ml) orange juice, shallot, vinegar, cumin, chili flakes, olives, dill and salt and pepper to taste. As soon as vegetables come out of oven, add to bowl and toss well to combine. Add orange slices and stir gently to mix and keep slices whole. Transfer to a serving platter and crumble feta over top. Sprinkle with mint, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.