CARBONNADE
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
2½ lbs (1.25 kg) beef chuck, cut into 2 x ½-in (5 x 0.5 cm) pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper
⅓ cup (75 ml) all-purpose flour
6 tbsp (90 ml) butter, divided
5 bacon slices, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 medium cooking onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 bottle (330 ml) Belgian-style ale, divided
1½ cups (375 ml) beef stock
3 tbsp (45 ml) dark brown sugar
3 tbsp (45 ml) apple cider vinegar
4 thyme sprigs
3 tarragon sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 handful, chopped flat leaf parsley
crusty baguette, for serving
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, season beef with salt and pepper. Add flour and toss to coat. In a large Dutch oven over mediumhigh heat, heat 3 tbsp (45 ml) butter.
- Working in batches, add beef, cooking and turning, until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
- Cook bacon until fat renders, about 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining butter, garlic and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are caramelized, about 30 minutes. Add half the beer, cook, scraping bottom, until liquid is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.
- Return beef to Dutch oven. Add remaining beer, beef stock, sugar, vinegar and herbs except for parsley. Season. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 1½ hours. Stir in parsley and serve with a warm crusty baguette.
Drink Pairings
OSSO BUCCO SERVED WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
Ingredients
Serves 4
OSSO BUCCO:
4 veal shanks, cut 1½ to 2-in (3.75 to 5 cm) thick
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour, for dredging
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
1 leek, white part only, rinsed and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into ¼-in (0.5 cm) dice
2 celery ribs, trimmed and cut into ¼-in (0.5 cm) dice
1 small red onion, cut into ¼-in (0.5 cm) dice
1 cup (250 ml) crushed canned Italian plum tomatoes
½ tsp (2 ml) fresh lemon zest
2 cups (500 ml) dry white wine
2 cups (500 ml) veal or chicken stock
1 rosemary sprig
1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh oregano
GREMOLATA:
1 lemon
¼ cup (60 ml) finely chopped flat leaf parsley
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO:
½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, divided
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely sliced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) dice, about 2 to 3 cups (500 to 750 ml)
6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock
1 lb (500 g) Italian Arborio or Carnaroli rice
freshly ground pepper, to taste
⅓ cup (75 ml) freshly grated Parmesan
sifted cocoa, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- Season veal with salt and pepper. Spread flour on a plate and dredge shanks, shaking off excess flour.
- In a heavy-bottomed ovenproof casserole or Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add shanks and cook until lightly browned on both sides, turning once. Transfer to a plate. Remove casserole from heat and carefully clean out.
- Add olive oil to casserole and heat over medium heat. Add leek, garlic, carrots, celery and red onion. Cook until vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, lemon zest, white wine, stock and herbs. Add shanks and bring to a simmer. Cover and bake about 2½ hours or until meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone. Season to taste. Garnish with Gremolata.
- To make GREMOLATA: Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel in long strips from lemon. Mince peel into small bowl.
- Mix in parsley, garlic and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate.
- To make BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO: In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt half the butter along with olive oil. Add sliced onions and shallots to saucepan and gently sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften. Add squash and stir. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until squash is soft and breakable.
- In a large saucepan, bring stock to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer.
- Add rice to onion-and-squash mixture and stir to mix. Add a ladle or two of simmering stock to rice and stir. As soon as rice has absorbed stock, add more, repeating with a little hot stock, as it absorbs. Rice is done when it is al dente, with a bit of bite in centre of grain. Risotto should be thick, but slightly soupy.
- Remove from heat and immediately stir in remaining butter, freshly ground pepper and Parmesan. Transfer to warm serving dishes and garnish with sifted cocoa. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
SHEPHERD’S PIE
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
FILLING:
1 lb (500 g) extra lean ground beef
1 tsp (5 ml) vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
1 cup (250 ml) stout beer
1 cup (250 ml) beef or vegetable stock
2 tbsp (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 thyme sprig, leaves removed and finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) chunks
2 celery ribs, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) chunks
3 tbsp (45 ml) flour
3 tbsp (45 ml) water
MASHED POTATO TOPPING:
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved
½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream
4 tbsp (60 ml) butter
2 tsp (10 ml) salt
1 pinch freshly ground pepper
1 cup (250 ml) grated aged white cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- Put potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add enough salt for water to become slightly salty. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil, then adjust heat so that water is at a medium boil. Cook until potatoes are soft and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Drain water and mash potatoes until smooth. Add cream and salt and pepper to taste. Add half the cheddar cheese and mix through.
- To assemble, preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Divide Filling between four individual-sized oven safe casseroles, or one large 16 x 19-in (40.5 x 48 cm) casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes and remaining cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes for individual sized, or 30 to 45 minutes for large size, or until cheese is golden brown and melted and filling is bubbling.
Drink Pairings
CHICKEN BREASTS WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 tsp (10 ml) vegetable oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
½ onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 thyme sprigs, leaves removed and chopped
2 cups (500 ml) sliced crimini mushrooms
½ cup (125 ml) white wine
2 tbsp (30 ml) grainy mustard
2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
chopped chives, for garnish
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed frying pan, heat oil over high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper then sear until golden brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Turn heat down to medium, to pan add onion, garlic and thyme and cook for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and season with more salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms have released all their juices and have started to turn golden brown.
- Add wine and cook until pan is dry, then add grainy mustard and chicken stock and stir. Once stock starts to simmer, add chicken breasts and push them down into mushrooms. Cover pan, cook until chicken reaches internal temperature of 155 F (68 C). Remove chicken and set aside.
- Continue cooking sauce until liquid has reduced by half. Add cream and reduce until sauce has thickened. Add chicken breasts back into sauce and reheat.
- To serve, place chicken on a platter and pour sauce over, garnish with chopped chives. Serve with rice or bread and vegetables.
Drink Pairings
APPLE PIE
Ingredients
Serves 8 to 8
FILLING:
FILLING 3 lbs (1.5 kg) firm cooking apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
1 cup (250 ml) brown sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) ground cinnamon
1 tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup
¼ orange, zest only
3 tbsp (45 ml) orange juice
1 pinch of salt
PASTRY:
1 cup (250 ml) + 3 tbsp (45 ml) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes, divided
2½ cups (375 ml) pastry flour
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) to ½ cup (125 ml) ice cold water
2 egg yolks
¼ cup (60 ml) whipping cream
1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, blend 1 cup (250 ml) butter, flour, salt and sugar until mixture is coarse crumbs, the size of a peas. Sprinkle with ¼ cup (60 ml) of cold water and pulse until dough sticks together when squeezed, adding up to ¼ cup (60 ml) more cold water, 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time. It will still look crumbly. Form dough into two balls, wrap with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Remove dough from fridge and let sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Roll each dough ball to 1¼-in (3 cm) thick rounds on a well floured board or countertop. Reserve one round for top crust. Line a 9-in (23 cm) pie plate with one round and add filling. Dot with 3 tbsp (45 ml) butter.
- For a lattice top, cut top crust round into ½- to ¾-in (1.25 to 2 cm) strips. Weave strips on top of pie to resemble a lattice, alternating strips so that they lay over, then under each other. Alternatively, cover pie with round top crust, trim edges and crimp. Extra pie dough can be made into decorations, such as leaves and braids.
- In a small bowl, mix egg yolks, cream and pinch of salt together for an egg wash and brush pastry with it. If the solid top crust was used, cut vents into top of crust. Bake until top crust starts to brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Turn heat down to 350 F (180 C) and bake another hour. Remove from oven and cool at least 1 hour before serving. Serve at room temperature or reheat and serve warm.
Drink Pairings
SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 oz (60 g) pancetta, diced
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter, divided
1 large onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 celery rib, finely diced
½ lb (250 g) extra lean ground beef
½ lb (250 g) extra lean ground pork
2 tsp (10 ml) kosher salt
½ tsp (2 ml) freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
¾ cup (175 ml) Italian red wine
¾ cup (175 ml) tomato passata (crushed tomatoes)
1 cup (250 ml) beef stock
1 cup (250 ml) homogenized milk
8 oz (250 g) dry spaghetti
1 tbsp (15 ml) butter
2 tbsp (30 ml) grated Parmesan
basil, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook pancetta in 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter until fat has rendered. Add onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook until vegetables have softened, stirring frequently, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Turn heat up to medium-high, crumble ground beef and pork into pot. Season with salt and pepper. Break up meat and stir into vegetables. Cook until meat has browned lightly, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and cook until paste has caramelized slightly, about 10 minutes. Add wine and stir to scrape up browned bits from bottom. Add crushed tomatoes, beef stock and milk. Turn heat down to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Sauce should be thick with fat on top.
- Add spaghetti to boiling salted water, and cook according to package instructions. Put aside ½ cup (125 ml) of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to sauce. Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter and Parmesan, toss until pasta is coated. If too dry, add some reserved pasta water. Serve on a platter, garnish with more grated Parmesan and basil, as desired.
Drink Pairings
STRAWBERRY BARBECUE PORK
Ingredients
Serves 4
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh rosemary leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 pork tenderloins, about 1 lb (500 g) total
1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil
1 large shallot, finely diced
2 tbsp (30 ml) canned tomato paste
¼ cup (60 ml) water
1 tbsp (15 ml) light brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp (2 ml) cayenne pep
½ tsp (2 ml) sweet smoked paprika
2 cups (500 ml) diced strawberries, plus extra for serving
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- In a blender, mix first 5 ingredients until well combined. Place pork tenderloin in a resealable plastic bag and pour in blended mixture. Refrigerate at least 2 hours up to overnight.
- Preheat grill over medium-high heat.
- Remove tenderloin from marinade and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat grapeseed oil. Add shallots and sauté until starting to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, water, sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire, cayenne and paprika. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently for 10 minutes. Stir in strawberries and lemon juice and continue to cook until strawberries have softened and sauce is thick yet pourable, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Place pork on grill, and cook, turning frequently, until an instant-read thermometer reads 140 F (60 C) at tenderloin’s thickest point, about 12 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
- To serve, slice loin into medallions and transfer to a platter. Top with some strawberry barbeque sauce before garnishing with diced strawberries, if desired. Serve while warm.
Drink Pairings
HALIBUT WITH SPICY STRAWBERRY SALSA
Ingredients
Serves 2
2 cups (500 ml) strawberries, trimmed and diced
¼ cup (60 ml) diced red onion
⅓ cup (75 ml) loosely packed basil leaves, chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) loosely packed mint leaves, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1 tbsp (15 ml) white wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
2 x 6 oz (180 g) halibut fillets, skin-on
1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
1 lime, halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- In a medium bowl, stir together strawberries, onion, basil, mint, jalapeño, vinegar and olive oil. Set aside.
- Pat fish dry with a paper towel and season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat grapeseed oil in a heavy-bottomed, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Carefully lay fish in pan, skin side down. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until a golden brown crust forms on skin, about 1 minute. Flip fillets over and cook for another minute before placing in oven to roast until fish is opaque in centre and flakes easily, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove fish from oven and add to stovetop over medium-low heat. Add butter to pan and allow to melt while squeezing lime over fish. Using a spoon, baste each fillet with buttery juices for about 1 minute. Transfer fish to serving plates.
- Season strawberry salsa to taste with salt and pepper before spooning over fish.
Drink Pairings
STRAWBERRY, SPINACH AND GOAT’S CHEESE TART
Ingredients
Serves 6
3 large eggs, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
1 lb (500 g) ready-made puff pastry, thawed
1 tsp (5 ml) grapeseed oil
5 oz (140 g) baby spinach
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large egg yolk
¼ cup (60 ml) crème fraîche or sour cream
4 oz (125 g) goat’s cheese, crumbled
4 to 8 large strawberries, halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, make an egg wash by whisking together 1 egg and water until well combined. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll puff pastry into a 9 x 9-in (23 x 23 cm) square and place on prepared baking sheet. With a sharp pairing knife, score a ½-in (1.25 cm) border inside from edge of pastry, taking care not to cut completely through. Prick pastry all over inside border with fork. Brush surface of pastry with a light coating of egg wash and bake until puffed and starting to brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Gently push down base inside border and set pastry shell aside while making filling.
- Warm oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add a handful of spinach and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until just wilted. Continue adding handfuls of spinach, until all spinach is wilted. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 2 eggs, egg yolk, crème fraîche and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in wilted spinach before spooning mixture into pastry, taking care that filling does not flow over pastry boarder. Arrange chunks of goat’s cheese and strawberries over filling. Return tart to oven and cook until filling is set, 15 to 20 minutes. Let tart cool for 10 minutes before slicing and dividing among serving plates. Enjoy warm.
Drink Pairings
ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND STRAWBERRY SALAD
Ingredients
Serves 6
3 x ½-in (1.25 cm) thick slices of pancetta, diced
1 tbsp (15 ml) orange marmalade
2 tbsp (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
30 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
salt and pepper, to taste
½ lb (250 g) strawberries, trimmed, thinly sliced
4 oz (125 g) crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil and set aside.
- Place pancetta in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Don’t clean out frying pan.
- Add marmalade to frying pan and place back over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until marmalade is melted. Add balsamic vinegar and stir to release any brown bits from bottom of pan. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil and tarragon until dressing is emulsified. Thin with a teaspoon of water, if desired. Set aside.
- Spread asparagus in a single layer on prepared baking sheet before drizzling with remaining oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast asparagus until crisp-tender, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Toss strawberries in dressing to coat. Set aside.
- Transfer asparagus to a serving platter. Spoon strawberries over asparagus and drizzle with any remaining dressing. Garnish with pancetta, feta cheese and a good pinch of pepper. Serve while warm.