CURRIED CARROT HUMMUS
Ingredients
Serves 2 to 3
1 cup (250 ml) canned chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) curry powder
4 medium carrots, peeled and steamed
½ cup (125 ml) water
¼ cup (60 ml) tahini
½ lemon, juice only
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- In a food processor, add chickpeas, 1 garlic clove, curry powder, carrots, water, tahini and lemon juice and blend on high until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a small saucepan over high heat, warm oil. Add parsley and remaining garlic clove. Cook until garlic starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Place carrot hummus into a serving dish and drizzle with parsley-garlic oil. Serve with pita bread or crackers. Can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Drink Pairings
CASHEW “CHEESE” WITH DRIED FRUIT AND PISTACHIOS
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 tbsp (15 ml) warm water
½ tbsp (7 ml) agar-agar flakes
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (250 ml) raw cashews, soaked overnight
1 tbsp (15 ml) miso paste
1 tbsp (15 ml) nutritional yeast
4 tbsp (60 ml) vegan cream cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) pistachios, chopped
2 tbsp (30 ml) dried apricots, chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix warm water with agar-agar until dissolved. Set aside.
- In a skillet over medium heat, warm oil. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until soft. In a high-powered blender, add sautéed shallots and garlic, drained soaked cashews, miso paste, nutritional yeast, vegan cream cheese and dissolved agar-agar water mixture. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Line 2 small ramekins or bowls with plastic wrap. Divide chopped pistachios and chopped apricots between ramekins. Pour cashew cheese into ramekins, but do not stir. Place in fridge and allow to set for 8 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, flip cashew cheese upside down into a serving dish and remove plastic wrap. Serve with baguette or crackers. Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Drink Pairings
MUSHROOM WALNUT PÂTÉ
Ingredients
Serves 2 to 4
1 cup (250 ml) water
½ cup (125 ml) dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
4 tbsp (60 ml) vegan butter, divided
1 shallot, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh thyme, stalks removed
2 cups (500 ml) chopped cremini mushrooms
1 Portobello mushroom, chopped
½ cup (125 ml) walnuts
¼ cup (60 ml) dry sherry
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) white miso paste
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan over high heat, bring 1 cup (250 ml) water to a boil then add dried porcini mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and set liquid aside. Discard porcini mushrooms.
- In a skillet over high heat, heat olive oil and 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegan butter. Add shallots, garlic, thyme and chopped mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium and sauté for about 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Add ½ cup (125 ml) of reserved porcini liquid, walnuts and sherry and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a food processor, add soy sauce, vinegar and miso paste and blend on high until smooth. If mixture is too dry, add spoonfuls of remaining porcini liquid until pâté is spreadable. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer mixture to a medium-sized ramekin, press pâté down until surface is flat. Melt remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegan butter. Pour butter over pâté and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Serve pâté at room temperature with bread or crackers. Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Drink Pairings
BEET HUMMUS
Ingredients
Serves 2 to 3
1 large beet, peeled, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) cubes
1 cup (250 ml) canned chickpeas, drained
1 garlic clove
½ cup (125 ml) water
¼ cup (60 ml) tahini
1 lemon, juice only
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Over a pot of boiling water, place beet cubes in a colander with a lid. Steam until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
- In a food processor, add steamed beets, chickpeas, garlic, water, tahini and lemon juice and blend on high until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in a bowl with crackers on the side. Can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Drink Pairings
SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO
Ingredients
Serves 2 to 3
1 cup (250 ml) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
½ cup (125 ml) toasted pine nuts
1 cup (250 ml) fresh cilantro, packed
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Strain 1 cup (250 ml) of sun-dried tomatoes from a jar reserving ¼ cup (60 ml) of the oil.
- In a food processor, add all ingredients with reserved oil and blend until spreadable. Sun-dried tomatoes can be very salty, so taste pesto first before adding any salt. If needed, add salt just before serving. Can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Drink Pairings
TRUFFLE ALMOND “RICOTTA”
Ingredients
Serves 2 to 3
1 cup (250 ml) raw almonds
1 tbsp (15 ml) nutritional yeast
1 lemon, juice only
½ cup (125 ml) warm water, plus more if needed
2 tbsp (30 ml) truffle oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, cover almonds with lukewarm water, set aside and let soak for 8 hours or overnight.
- Strain almonds and add to a high-speed blender with nutritional yeast, lemon juice and water, add water gradually while blending until mixture is silky smooth. Add more water if needed to achieve this consistency.
- Stir in truffle oil and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crackers or bread. Can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Drink Pairings
SPICED NUTS
Ingredients
Serves 2 to 3
2 tbsp (30 ml) tamari sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) sumac spice
1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
1 cup (250 ml) mixed raw nuts
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon zest, for garnish
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh mint, finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F (170 C).
- In a small bowl, mix tamari, sumac and honey. Toss nuts in mixture to coat then spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Toss every 5 minutes to avoid burning honey. Let nuts rest and sprinkle with lemon zest and mint.
Drink Pairings
TUNA AVOCADO TARTARE
Ingredients
Serves about 8 to 10, depending on size of mould
¼ cup (60 ml) finely chopped shallots
1½ tbsp (22 ml) flour
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt, divided
½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil, for frying
⅓ cup (75 ml) olive oil
3 cups (750 ml) sashimi-grade ahi tuna, diced, about ½-in (1.25 cm) cubes
3 medium avocados, diced, about ½-in (1.25 cm) cubes
3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice, divided
½ tsp (2.5 ml) Tabasco sauce
pepper, to taste
¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) rice vinegar
3 tbsp (45 ml) mirin
2 tsp (10 ml) honey
½ tbsp (7 ml) chili oil
micro greens for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, toss shallots with flour and ⅛ tsp (pinch) salt. Toss well. In a small saucepan over high heat, heat vegetable oil. When hot, fry shallots in oil until light golden in colour. Do not wait for deeper colour or it may burn. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Allow to cool to room temperature and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, pour olive oil over diced ahi tuna. Mix well. Set aside.
- In non-reactive bowl, toss diced avocados with 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice and Tabasco sauce. Season with ⅛ tsp (pinch) salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- In a jar, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice, honey and chili oil. Put lid on jar and shake dressing vigorously until well combined, about 15 seconds.
- Spoon avocado mixture into mould of desired shape; about ¾-in (2 cm) to 1-in (2.5 cm) high. Top with tuna, about 1½-in (3.75 cm) high. Lightly press tuna and avocado into mould and slowly lift it to leave a perfectly shaped serving of tuna and avocado tartare. Alternatively, simply spoon tuna over avocado as desired. Drizzle dressing over tartare and spoon some around it. Top with fried shallots and garnish with micro greens, if desired.
Drink Pairings
PRESSED SABA SUSHI
Ingredients
Serves 2 to 4
2 tbsp (30 ml) freshly grated ginger
1 tsp (5 ml) salt, divided
2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) rice vinegar
2 fresh mackerel (saba) fillets, deboned
¾ cup (175 ml) sushi rice
1 cup (250 ml) water
3 tbsp (45 ml) chopped green onions (optional)
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped Japanese pickled daikon (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring ginger, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt, sugar and rice vinegar to a boil. Switch to low heat, cover and let simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Season mackerel fillets with remaining ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt on both sides and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Pat dry and grill on high heat until done or pan fry about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Rinse and strain rice a couple of times. In a small saucepan bring rice and 1 cup (250 ml) water to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed. Alternatively, cook rice as per package directions. Transfer steamed rice to bowl and pour ginger dressing over it. Using a spatula, cut through rice and gently turn over to help rice cool as it incorporates dressing.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap, roughly 16-in (40 cm) wide, on a clean surface. Place 1 mackerel fillet in middle, skin side down. Spoon about ½ of steamed rice over fish to completely cover it. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap to shape into thick bar. Repeat step with second mackerel fillet.
- To serve, remove plastic wrap and cut diagonally. Garnish with chopped green onions and pickled daikon as desired.
Drink Pairings
TEMARI SUSHI
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
2 cups (500 ml) sushi rice
3 cups (750 ml) water
⅓ cup (75 ml) rice vinegar
3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) salt
pickled ginger, to serve
soy sauce, to serve
TOPPING SUGGESTIONS:
strips of nori (seaweed) with thinly sliced
cucumber and carrot
sashimi-grade salmon with thinly sliced pickled daikon
thinly sliced cucumber with shrimp
thinly sliced pickled daikon with fish roe
sashimi-grade salmon with fanned avocado slices
avocado slices with strips of nori and thinly sliced carrot
Instructions
- Rinse rice well, soak for 30 minutes then drain. In a medium saucepan, bring rice and 3 cups (750 ml) water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Transfer cooked rice to a large glass bowl.
- In a medium saucepan, heat rice vinegar, sugar and salt together and stir until sugar has dissolved. Evenly pour hot vinegar mixture over cooked rice and using edge of spatula “cut” dressing into rice. Do not stir to mix. Use a piece of cardboard to fan mixture as dressing is cut into rice to cool it. Flip portions of rice over and continue cutting and cooling rice. Cover with a damp tea towel until ready to use.
- Shape 2 tbsp (30 ml) of sushi rice into a ball and place on tray or large plate. Repeat with remaining rice. Place a piece of plastic wrap on a clean counter, roughly 10-in x 12-in (25 cm x 30 cm). Place toppings of choice (get creative!) in centre of plastic wrap then place a rice ball over it. Gather ends of plastic wrap together and twist to form a tight ball. Repeat with remaining rice balls and toppings. Set aside.
- When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap and serve right side up with pickled ginger and soy sauce, if desired.