Pernod Butter Lobster Tails served with Baked Saffron Rice & Butter Lettuce Hearts with Lemon Cream
Ingredients
Serves 4
½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp (45 ml) white wine or champagne vinegar
3 tbsp (45 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup (60 ml) Pernod
1 tbsp (15 ml) fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 whole Atlantic lobster tails, about 6 oz (170 g) each
lemon wedges, to serve
FOR SAFFRON RICE:
3 tbsp (45 ml) unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced
2 bay leaves
4 to 5 large pinches saffron filaments, or to taste
2 cups (500 ml) white basmati rice
½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine
3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
FOR BUTTER LETTUCE HEARTS WITH LEMON CREAM:
1 medium garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp (5 ml) finely grated lemon zest
½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream
3 tbsp (45 ml) light olive oil
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
tender hearts of 2 heads hot house butter lettuce, washed, dried and chilled
small handful fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
Instructions
- To prepare the lobster, in a small pot over medium heat, combine butter and garlic. Cook until butter is melted and garlic has softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add vinegar, lemon juice, Pernod, fennel and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another few minutes. Divide mixture into 2 bowls: ⅓ for basting and remaining ⅔ for serving. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, butterfly lobster tails. Using kitchen shears, cut down center of each shell lengthwise, starting from the end opposite the tail fin, continuing down until you reach the tail, but do not cut through the tail. Use your thumbs and fingers to spread open the shell on top, being careful of sharp edges. Gently pull lobster meat upward, separating it away from bottom shell, leaving the end attached to the tail fin. Re-form empty shell underneath and arrange the row of meat on top. Generously brush lobster meat with reserved basting butter and season with salt and pepper. Transfer lobster tails to a small heavy baking sheet or heavy‑duty heatproof baking dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
- Preheat broiler to high and remove baking sheet or dish from refrigerator. Place lobster tails under broiler and cook until meat is opaque and lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- To serve, warm reserved Pernod Butter. Transfer lobster tails to a serving platter and serve with Pernod Butter, lemon wedges and Baked Saffron Rice. There will be enough butter to serve with the rice as well.
- To prepare the saffron rice, preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). In a large ovenproof saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and bay leaves and sauté, stirring, until onion is softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add saffron and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and simmer over moderate heat until nearly absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from heat. Cover with a tight‑fitting lid and transfer to oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from oven and let stand, covered, until ready to serve. Remove and discard bay leaves before serving.
- To prepare the Butter Lettuce Hearts with Lemon Cream, in a small glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine garlic, lemon zest, cream, olive oil, 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to thicken cream slightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Place lettuce in a large bowl. Toss lettuce and mint with remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add a few spoonfuls of Lemon Cream and gently toss to coat. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle a little more Lemon Cream over to taste, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Any leftover dressing will keep for up to 3 to 4 days in refrigerator.
Drink Pairings
Burrata with Warm Tomato & Garlic Confit
Ingredients
Serves 4 - 6
3 generous cups (750 ml) cherry tomatoes, assorted colours
10 to 12 fresh thyme sprigs
6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
⅓ cup (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 x ½ lb (250 g) Italian burrata, preferably from Puglia, drained
2 tsp (10 ml) balsamic vinegar
fresh basil leaves, for garnish
crusty French bread or crostini, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). In a medium roasting pan, combine tomatoes, thyme, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread tomatoes in a single layer and roast until bursting and lightly browned, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Transfer burrata to a serving platter. Spoon hot tomatoes, thyme, garlic and all of the liquid from pan over and around burrata. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately with bread or crostini alongside, if desired.
Drink Pairings
Chocolate Espresso Trifle
Ingredients
Serves 6 - 8
FOR TRIFLE:
1 cup (250 ml) butter, cut into 2-in (5 cm) chunks
6 oz (170 g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2½ cups + 2 tbsp (625 + 30 ml) sugar, divided
½ tsp (2.5 ml) table salt, divided
4 large eggs plus 6 egg yolks, divided
1 tbsp + 1 tsp (15 + 5 ml) vanilla extract, divided
1¼ cups (310 ml) flour
¼ cup (60 ml) cocoa powder
1 cup (250 ml) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
½ cup (125 ml) chopped walnuts (optional)
2¾ cups (675 ml) whipping cream, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) instant coffee powder
2½ cups (625 ml) mascarpone cheese, chilled
3 tbsp (45 ml) Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur (optional)
1 tbsp (15 ml) dark rum (optional)
1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) cream of tartar
Chocolate Bowl Decoration (make ahead, recipe follows), chocolate curls, truffles and/or bonbons, for garnish
FOR THE CHOCOLATE BOWL DECORATION:
1 small latex-free balloon
2 tsp (10 ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (250 ml) finely chopped unsweetened chocolate, divided
Instructions
- To make the trifle, Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease and line bottom and sides of two 8-in (20 cm) square baking pans with parchment paper.
- In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter and unsweetened chocolate, stirring constantly. Make sure water does not touch bottom of bowl. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in 2 cups (500 ml) sugar and ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt. Stir until sugar is fully dissolved and mixture is slightly cooled.
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together 4 eggs and 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla. Add to chocolate mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
- In another bowl, lightly whisk flour and cocoa together and fold into chocolate mixture. Do not over beat. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared baking pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until skewer inserted in centre of brownies comes out clean. Remove from oven and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, cut brownies into 2-in (5 cm) squares and store in an airtight container until ready to use. Brownies can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in refrigerator in an airtight container.
- In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks, ½ cup (125 ml) sugar and remaining ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt, until thick, pale yellow and increased in volume.
- Warm ¼ cup (60 ml) whipping cream in a small saucepan over low heat, or microwave for 15 to 20 seconds on high, and stir in instant coffee powder until dissolved. Add to egg yolk mixture.
- Set bowl with egg yolk mixture over a saucepan with simmering water, making sure water does not touch bottom of bowl. Whisk constantly, until egg mixture thickens further and reaches 160 F (71 C). Remove from heat and continue stirring to cool slightly. Add mascarpone and mix until smooth. Add Kahlua and rum, if using, and mix well. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream until peaks formed hold their shape. Lightly mix ⅓ of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until no white streaks remain. Fold in rest of whipped cream until blended. Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1½ cups (375 ml) whipping cream, remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar, remaining 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract and cream of tartar until peaks formed hold their shape
- Line bottom of large trifle bowl with brownies. Spread ⅓ of mascarpone mixture evenly over brownies. Spread ½ of whipped cream evenly over mascarpone layer. Repeat layering with brownies, ⅓ of mascarpone mixture and remaining whipped cream. Add one more layer of brownies and top with remaining mascarpone mixture. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Can be made up to 1 day in advance; if making ahead, loosely cover and store in refrigerator.
- To make the chocolate bowl decoration, inflate balloon and knot the end. Place balloon in a cup, knotted end down, to hold it upright. Brush surface with oil.
- In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt ⅔ cup (150 ml) chocolate, making sure water does not touch bottom of bowl. Remove from heat, add ⅓ cup (75 ml) chocolate and stir continuously until all the chocolate is melted and there are no lumps remaining.
- Slowly pour melted chocolate over greased balloon and allow chocolate to set for about 1 hour. Place in refrigerator if ambient temperate is warm or humid and chocolate is still soft to touch.
- When ready to use, cut a small hole near the knotted end of the balloon and control release of air very slowly. Gently remove deflated balloon and use chocolate bowl to garnish trifle. Can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored, uncovered, in a cool, dry place.
- To serve, decorate with Chocolate Bowl Decoration, if using, and/or chocolate curls, truffles and bonbons of your choice.
Drink Pairings
Ginger Yule Scroll
Ingredients
Serves 6 - 8
¾ cup (175 ml) sugar, divided
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2-in (5 cm) cube fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) Ginger of the Indies Liqueur (optional)
3 tbsp (45 ml) icing sugar, divided, for dusting
4 eggs, separated
½ tsp (2.5 ml) cream of tartar
pinch of table salt
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) milk
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ cup (125 ml) cake flour, divided
5 oz (140 g) white chocolate, finely chopped
4 oz (125 g) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar in ¼ cup (60 ml) water. Add ginger and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and allow syrup to steep as it cools. When completely cool, mix in ginger liqueur, if using. Can be prepared 1 day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use. Remove ginger slices before using, or for added ginger flavour, finely chop strained ginger and reserve for step 11.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease and line a 10 x 15-in (25 x 38 cm) jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Place a clean tea towel on counter and evenly dust 1 tbsp (15 ml) icing sugar over it. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until frothy. Gradually add ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar and whisk until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar until thick, pale and fluffy (this is called ribbon stage: when whisk is lifted from batter, it should fall in shape of thick ribbon). Whisk in oil, milk and vanilla until well incorporated.
- Sift ¼ cup (60 ml) flour over whipped egg yolk mixture and gently fold in, then fold in ⅓ of the whipped egg whites. Do not over mix. Fold in remaining whipped egg whites until no white streaks remain. Sift over remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) flour and fold in.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and evenly smooth surface with an offset spatula. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until surface springs back up when lightly pressed.
- Remove cake from oven and immediately invert onto prepared tea towel. Gently peel off parchment paper and evenly dust 1 tbsp (15 ml) icing sugar over surface of cake. Starting from long edge of cake, fold tea towel along with cake into a roll. Set aside to cool.
- In a heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan with simmering water, melt white chocolate, stirring constantly. Do not allow water to touch bottom of bowl. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk well until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk cream cheese until no lumps remain. Pour melted chocolate over and mix until fully incorporated. Set aside to cool.
- In another medium bowl, whip cream until soft peaks hold their shape. Fold ⅓ of whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until no white streaks remain. Fold in remaining whipped cream until incorporated. Do not over beat.
- On a clean, dry surface, unroll cake and remove tea towel. Using a pastry brush, evenly brush ginger syrup over surface of cake. Using an offset spatula, spread white chocolate filling over cake in a ½-in (1.25 cm) layer. Reserve and refrigerate any remaining filling. Evenly scatter reserved chopped ginger over filling, if desired. Roll cake back into a log, scraping off any excess filling from edges. Wrap cake in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
- To serve, trim off cake ends. Sprinkle remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) icing sugar over surface of cake and decorate with reserved white chocolate filling and any other decorations, as desired.
Drink Pairings
Fruit Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Serves 10 - 12
¾ cup (175 ml) orange juice (no pulp), divided
1 cup (250 ml) Bacardí Black Rum, divided
½ cup (125 ml) crystallized ginger, chopped into ¼-in (0.5 cm) cubes
¾ cup (175 ml) raisins
¾ cup (175 ml) sultanas
¾ cup (175 ml) dried currants
¾ cup (175 ml) candied lemon peel, chopped into ⅓-in (0.8 cm) cubes
¾ cup (175 ml) candied orange peel, chopped into ⅓-in (0.8 cm) cubes
¾ cup (175 ml) dried apricots, chopped into ⅓-in (0.8 cm) cubes
½ cup (125 ml) dried figs, chopped into ⅓-in (0.8 cm) cubes
½ cup (125 ml) pitted dates, chopped into ⅓-in (0.8 cm) cubes
½ cup (125 ml) prunes, chopped into ⅓-in (0.8 cm) cubes
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground allspice
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (1 ml) ground cloves
¼ tsp (1 ml) ground nutmeg
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground ginger
8 oz (227 g) flour, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) table salt
1¼ cups (310 ml) butter, divided
1 cup (250 ml) brown sugar, packed
1 tsp (5 ml) almond extract
½ tsp (2.5 ml) orange extract
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract, divided
3 eggs
¼ cup (60 ml) molasses (optional)
2 large oranges, zest only
2 tsp (10 ml) grated ginger
2 cups (500 ml) icing sugar
2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) milk
cranberries, currants, oranges, sage, mint, rosemary, cinnamon and/or star anise, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine ½ cup (125 ml) orange juice and ½ cup (125 ml) rum in a large non-reactive bowl. Add crystallized ginger, raisins, sultanas, currants, lemon peel, orange peel, apricots, figs, dates and prunes and mix well. Cover and let sit overnight on counter in a cool, dry place.
- Move oven rack to centre of oven and preheat oven to 325 F (170 C).
- In a medium bowl, sift together ground spices, 7 oz (200 g) flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat 1 cup (250 ml) butter, brown sugar, almond extract, orange extract and ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract until lighter in colour and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until well incorporated. Beat in molasses, if using. Mix in orange zest and grated ginger. Fold in half of spiced flour mixture. Add remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice and mix well. Fold in remaining spiced flour mixture.
- Stir up dried fruit mixture so that everything is evenly incorporated. Sprinkle remaining 1 oz (27 g) flour over fruit to lightly coat. Add fruit to batter and mix until evenly incorporated.
- Grease sides of large Bundt pan (10 to 12 cup/2.5 to 3 L capacity) just before pouring in batter. Bake for 1½ hours, or until skewer inserted into cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes, then invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, slowly drizzle desired amount of remaining rum (up to ½ cup (125 ml)) evenly over cake, allowing liquid to fully soak in.
- Melt remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) butter and let cool slightly. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, icing sugar and remaining ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract. Whisk in 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) milk to achieve desired consistency for sugar glaze. Spoon glaze over cooled cake and decorate with fruit, herbs and/or spices, as desired. Cake will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for 2 weeks.
Drink Pairings
Chocolate Amaro Cake
Ingredients
Serves one 6" (15cm) cake
½ cup (125 ml) Montenegro Amaro
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (90 ml) brown sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) Grand Marnier
2 tbsp (30 ml) syrup from Amarena cherries
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
¼ cup + 2 tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter, cubed
¼ cup + 2 tbsp (90 ml) best-quality unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract, divided
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp (1 ml) baking soda
½ tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt
¼ lb (125 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup (125 ml) pitted Amarena cherries, coarsely chopped, plus extra whole cherries, to serve
¾ cup (175 ml) pecans, toasted, roughly chopped
¾ cup (175 ml) whipping cream
¼ lb (125 g) best-quality milk chocolate
fresh figs, to serve
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine Amaro and both sugars. Over medium-low heat, stir mixture until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add Grand Marnier, cherry syrup, water, butter and cocoa powder. Mix well to combine and cook until butter is melted, stirring occasionally, until mixture is completely smooth, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely, then whisk in eggs and 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Butter a 6-in (15 cm) round cake pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and bittersweet chocolate. Pour cooled cocoa mixture over flour mixture and whisk until completely smooth. Stir in cherries and pecans, then pour batter into pan. Transfer to oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester placed into centre of cake comes out clean; cake should be just set, not dry. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before removing from pan.
- Meanwhile, make whipped cream. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil over high heat, watching carefully. Immediately remove from heat and add milk chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and completely smooth, add remaining 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla and transfer to a medium bowl. Cover well and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
- When ready to serve, remove cream from refrigerator. Using a hand-held mixer, whip until soft peaks form. Place cake on a serving platter and dollop whipped cream over top of cooled cake. Garnish with figs and cherries, slice into thin wedges and serve.
Drink Pairings
Warm Mixed Mushroom Salad with Hazelnuts & Pecorino
Ingredients
Serves 4 - 6
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely minced shallot
3 tbsp (45 ml) sherry vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
9 tbsp (135 ml) olive oil, divided
1 lb (500 g) assorted mushrooms, such as chanterelle, oyster and cremini, cleaned and roughly chopped into 1½-in (3.75 cm) pieces, divided
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter, divided
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh thyme leaves, divided
¼ cup (60 ml) thinly sliced shallot
6 large handfuls mixed greens, such as radicchio, spinach and/or frisée, washed, dried and chilled
½ cup (125 ml) packed flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
3 tbsp (45 ml) thinly sliced chives
¼ lb (125 g) block Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Reggiano
½ cup (125 ml) toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together shallot, vinegar and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper to make vinaigrette. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then whisk in 5 tbsp (75 ml) olive oil and set aside.
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed sauté pan over high heat for about 2 minutes, or until very hot. Add 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil and 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter to pan. When butter foams, scatter half the mushrooms into pan. Season with 1 tsp (5 ml) thyme and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, adjusting heat from high to medium as necessary. Mushrooms should be tender and a little crispy. Transfer cooked mushrooms to a plate and repeat with remaining oil, butter, mushrooms and thyme. When second batch is done, add first batch back to pan. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes to heat thoroughly, then toss in sliced shallots and cook, stirring, for about 2 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine mixed greens, parsley and chives. Spoon hot mushrooms over salad. Return pan to stove over medium heat and add ¾ of vinaigrette, swirling and scraping up any bits that may remain from mushrooms, about 1 to 2 minutes. Reserve remaining ¼ of vinaigrette for final seasoning as needed. When vinaigrette is hot, immediately pour it over salad and toss to coat leaves and mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper and any remaining vinaigrette to taste, if needed.
- To serve, arrange salad on a large platter. Using a vegetable peeler, shave Pecorino or Parmesan over salad and top with hazelnuts. Serve warm.
Drink Pairings
Roasted Artichokes served with Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
Serves 4 - 6
FOR THE GARLIC AIOLI:
¾ cup (180 ml) best-quality mayonnaise
1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
2 tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium garlic clove, finely grated
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
FOR THE ARTICHOKES:
4 large artichokes, rinsed and trimmed
½ lemon
8 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tbsp (30 ml) salted butter, cut into 8 cubes
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine
Instructions
- To make Garlic Aioli, in a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Mix well to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To make artichokes, bring a large, deep saucepan of well-salted water to a boil. Add artichokes and lemon half and bring back to a moderate boil. Cover saucepan partially and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until bases of artichokes can be pierced with point of a knife. Remove artichokes, lemon and garlic from water and set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, remove and discard hairy chokes from centres and peel off and discard any loose leaves. Arrange artichokes cut side up in an ovenproof ceramic or glass baking dish; they should fit snugly. Slice lemon into 8 pieces. Peel garlic and place 1 clove and 1 lemon piece into centre of each artichoke half. Top each with a cube of butter, drizzle olive oil over everything and season well with salt and pepper. Pour wine into bottom of baking dish, cover tightly with foil and transfer to oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove foil and continue roasting for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until there is no liquid left in bottom of dish.
- To serve, place artichokes cut side up on a platter. Dollop about 1 tbsp (15 ml) Garlic Aioli into centre of artichoke alongside garlic and lemon and serve remaining aioli on the side.
Drink Pairings
Salt-Crusted Potatoes served with Soft Herb Salsa
Ingredients
Serves 4 - 6
2 lbs (1 kg) small, equal-sized unpeeled potatoes (such as creamers), scrubbed
1½ tbsp (22 ml) fine sea salt
FOR THE SOFT HERB SALSA:
1 medium green jalapeño pepper, seeded, coarsely chopped, or to taste
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup (250 ml) tightly packed cilantro leaves
1 cup (250 ml) tightly packed tarragon leaves
1 cup (250 ml) tightly packed flat leaf parsley leaves
1 white anchovy fillet (optional)
¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus extra to taste
⅔ cup (150 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar, plus extra to taste
2 tsp (10 ml) ground cumin, toasted
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large, shallow pan that will accommodate them in a single, even layer. Add salt and 4 generous cups (just over 1 L) cold water. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat and boil until water has evaporated and potatoes are fully cooked, about 12 to 15 minutes. Decrease heat to low and continue to cook for a few minutes, shaking pan until potatoes are dry and skins are covered with a thin crust of salt.
- Meanwhile, make Soft Herb Salsa. In bowl of a food processor, combine jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, tarragon, parsley and anchovy, if using. Pulse until chopped, then add lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, cumin and salt and pepper to taste, being aware that potatoes are already salted. Process until smooth and taste for seasoning, adding a little extra lemon juice or vinegar if needed. Transfer to a serving dish.
- To serve, pile potatoes onto a serving platter and serve salsa on the side.
Drink Pairings
Prime Rib Roast with Cognac & Green Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients
Serves 4 - 6
4 lb (2 kg) bone-in prime rib roast
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 bunch fresh sage
olive oil, for roasting
6 to 8 large sprigs fresh rosemary
1 onion, unpeeled, quartered
2 heads garlic, halved crosswise
2 tbsp (30 ml) green peppercorns in brine, drained
3 tbsp (45 ml) salted butter
FOR THE COGNAC AND GREEN PEPPERCORN SAUCE
4 tbsp (60 ml) salted butter
4 large garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp (45 ml) green peppercorns in brine, drained, finely chopped, divided
¾ cup (175 ml) cognac
1 cup (250 ml) crème fraîche or whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
3 tbsp (45 ml) strong Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Arrange oven rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 500 F (260 C). Generously season beef with salt and pepper on all sides. Rub sage with a little olive oil and using kitchen twine, tie it to top of beef. Make a bed of rosemary in bottom of a medium-sized heavy roasting pan. Place beef over rosemary, bone side down. Scatter onion quarters and garlic head halves into pan, sprinkle with green peppercorns and dot top of beef with butter. Season everything well with salt and pepper and transfer to oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 F (170 C) and continue roasting for another 75 to 90 minutes for medium-rare. To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into centre of roast; it should read 130 F (54 C). Transfer roast to a cutting board, leaving rosemary, onion, garlic and peppercorns in pan and reserving for sauce. Cover roast loosely with foil and allow to rest while making sauce.
- To make Cognac & Green Peppercorn Sauce, in a medium saucepan, combine butter and garlic over medium heat. Stir in half the green peppercorns and cook until garlic is soft, caramelized and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add cognac, increase heat to medium-high and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add reserved rosemary, onion, garlic and any liquid and peppercorns from roasting pan. Stir in crème fraîche or cream, lemon juice and mustard. Lower heat to medium and cook for about 7 minutes, crushing onions and garlic with back of a spoon. Strain sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing hard on vegetables to extract as much flavour as possible. Discard contents of sieve. Add remaining chopped green peppercorns to sauce, return to a low heat and keep warm while slicing roast.
- To serve, remove kitchen twine and sage from roast. Slice thinly and transfer to a serving platter. Season lightly with salt and pepper and garnish with roasted sage. Transfer Cognac & Green Peppercorn Sauce to a gravy boat and serve alongside roast.