TEQUILA LIME CHICKEN
Ingredients
Serves filling for about 12 tacos
1 lime, zest
½ cup + 2 tbsp (155 ml) lime juice
¾ cup (175 ml) orange juice
¼ cup (60 ml) gold tequila
1 tbsp (15 ml) clover honey
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup (60 ml) roughly chopped cilantro leaves, plus extra for garnish
2 tbsp (30 ml) kosher salt
1 tbsp (15 ml) smoked chili powder
2 tsp (10 ml) ground black pepper
1.5 lbs (750 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) chunks
1 red onion, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) chunks
Instructions
- In a stainless steel or glass bowl, whisk together all ingredients except chicken and red onion until well combined and salt has dissolved. Add chicken and stir to coat in marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Meanwhile, soak about 12 wooden skewers in water.
- When ready to cook chicken, preheat grill over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and save marinade. Place marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for 1 minute before removing from heat.
- Thread chicken pieces onto soaked skewers alternating chicken with a few pieces of red onion. Grill chicken skewers, brushing often with reserved marinade, and turning often until chicken is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a platter, garnish with additional cilantro and serve.
Drink Pairings
SUPERIOR AMARETTO SOUR SLUSH
Ingredients
Serves 1
½ oz (15 ml) Luxardo Amaretto
1 oz (30 ml) Makers Mark Kentucky Bourbon
1 oz (30 ml) lemon juice
¾ oz (22 ml) Simple Syrup (1:1)
1 cup (250 ml) small ice cubes
orange zest, for garnish
cherry, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a blender with ice. Blend well and pour into a glass. Garnish with orange zest and cherry.
Featuring
TOURTIÈRE TARTLETS WITH DRIED CHERRY SAUCE
Ingredients
Serves 24 tartlets or 1 large deep-dish tourtiere
PASTRY:
5 cups (1¼ L) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) vegetable shortening
1 cup (250 ml) lard
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
ice water
FILLING:
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
1 lb (500 g) ground wild boar
1 lb (500 g) ground venison
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups (1 L) cleaned, sliced wild mushrooms
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
1 tsp (5 ml) dried thyme
½ tsp (2 ml) ground cloves
½ tsp (2 ml) ground cinnamon
salt and freshly ground pepper
¾ cup (175 ml) fresh bread crumbs
½ cup (125 ml) chopped flat-leaf parsley
DRIED CHERRY SAUCE:
2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
2 oz (60 g) dried cherries, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup (75 ml) balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- To make PASTRY: Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Using a fork, work in shortening and lard until crumbly. Add enough ice water to form dough. Knead gently and form into a ball. Divide into 2 discs and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- To make FILLING: Heat oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or frying pan over medium-high heat and cook boar and venison, breaking up meat to mix, until no longer pink. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, celery and carrot. Sauté for 10 minutes or until soft and golden brown. Add beef stock and spices. Cover and simmer on low for about 30 minutes or until almost no liquid remains and meat is tender. Stir often. Season with salt and pepper. Add bread crumbs and parsley and stir to combine. Let cool.
- Preheat oven to 425F (220C). Roll out 1 disc of pastry on floured work surface to 1⁄4-in (0.5 cm) thickness. Using 5-in (12 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles and press rounds into muffin tins. Repeat with second disc of dough. Gather up remaining dough and shape into a ball. Set aside. Fill shells with cooled meat mixture.
- Roll out remaining pastry to 1⁄4-in (0.5 cm) thickness. Using a 21⁄2-in (6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out 24 rounds for top of tartlets. Place rounds on top of filling in tart shells. Place tarts on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- While tartlets bake, prepare DRIED CHERRY SAUCE: Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, simmering gently, until reduced by about half. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.
Drink Pairings
STRAWBERRY-PINEAPPLE MARGARITA
Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Cazadores Blanco Tequila
1 oz (30 ml) Cointreau
½ oz (22 ml) lime juice
¾ oz (22 ml) Simple Syrup (1:1)
6 strawberries, reserve 1 for garnish
5 pineapple chunks, 1-inch (2.5 cm)
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a blender with ice. Blend well and pour into a glass. Garnish with reserved strawberry.
Featuring
VEGETABLE NOODLES WITH ROASTED RATATOUILLE
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 medium-sized spaghetti squash
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, divided
4 green zucchini, each 10-in (25 cm) long, divided
1 medium-sized fennel bulb, trimmed, diced
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, cored and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and diced
1 serrano chile pepper, cored and minced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
⅓ cup (75 ml) vegetable stock or tomato juice (optional)
1 cup (250 ml) fresh basil leaves, cut into thin julienne strips, divided
½ tsp (2 ml) fennel seed, crushed
2 medium-sized yellow zucchini
2 tomatoes, diced
½ cup (125 ml) shredded Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Position oven racks in bottom and top third of oven. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Brush flesh with 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place cut-side up in a roasting pan just large enough to hold them side-by-side. Bake on top rack for 50 minutes or until forktender. Remove from oven and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Scrape flesh with a fork to make long strands. Place strands in a large bowl. Set aside.
- To make ratatouille, lightly oil a large baking sheet and set aside. Dice 2 green zucchini reserving remaining 2 for noodles. In a large bowl, combine diced zucchini with fennel, onion, peppers and garlic. Drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to evenly coat and spread out in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake on bottom rack in preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Stir occasionally for even roasting. Ratatouille can be made ahead and refrigerated. It is delicious hot or cold.
- When ratatouille is done, place in a heavy saucepan along with stock, if using, ½ cup (125 ml) fresh basil and all the crushed fennel. Cover and keep warm.
- When ready to serve, cut remaining 2 green zucchini and yellow zucchini into noodles with a spiralizer or julienne using a hand-held cutter. Add to spaghetti squash strands in bowl. Gently toss to blend. (Note: Noodles must be served immediately after cutting as they water out very quickly.) Add a quarter of the ratatouille to noodles, to coat.
- Spoon into serving bowls. Top with additional ladles of ratatouille and scatter with diced tomatoes, remaining basil and fresh Parmesan.
Drink Pairings
THAI-SPICED GRILLED PRAWNS ON CIABATTA
Ingredients
Serves 4 open faced sandwiches
1 star anise
4 whole cloves
2 allspice berries
½ cinnamon stick
1 tsp (5 ml) coriander seeds
1 tsp (5 ml) cumin seeds
1 tbsp (15 ml) salt, plus extra, to taste
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice
12 large prawns, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ pomelo, peeled and pith removed before cutting into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces
¼ English cucumber, cut into thin rounds
2 tbsp (30 ml) roasted peanuts, chopped
2 tbsp (30 ml) small mint leaves
2 tbsp (30 ml) cilantro
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
½-in (1.25 cm) piece of gingerroot, peeled and julienned
1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped lemon grass
1 green onion, finely sliced
½ bird’s eye chili, seeded and finely chopped
2 ciabatta rolls (or small baguettes), halved and toasted
Instructions
- In a small frying pan over medium heat, toast first 6 ingredients until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature before finely grinding in spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Stir in salt and set aside.
- In a blender or small food processor, combine avocado, lime juice and a pinch of salt until smooth. Set aside.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- In a bowl, toss together prawns, oil and prepared spice mix. Grill prawns until cooked through, about 1 minute per side, and set aside.
- In a large bowl toss together pomelo, cucumber rounds, peanuts, mint, cilantro, basil, ginger, lemon grass, green onion and chili.
- To serve, spread each toasted ciabatta half with prepared avocado cream and top with prawns and some pomelo salad. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
VANILLA BEAN PANNA COTTA WITH BOURBON PEACHES
Ingredients
Serves 6
6 sheets gelatin
2 cups (500 ml) half and half cream
2 cups (500 ml) cold whipping cream
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) Madagascar vanilla paste or 2 vanilla pods, seeds scraped
1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter
2 fresh peaches, peeled, stone removed and each cut into 12 thin slices
2 tbsp (30 ml) raw brown sugar
2 to 3 oz (60 to 90 ml) bourbon
1 cup (250 ml) crumbled Amaretti cookies
½ cup (125 ml) fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Place gelatin sheets in a shallow bowl of cold water. Set aside for a few minutes to soften and allow to bloom.
- In a medium-sized saucepan combine half and half cream, granulated sugar and vanilla paste or seeds. Bring to a slow simmer over medium heat. Using your hands, squeeze out excess water from gelatin sheets and add to half and half cream. Raise heat to mediumhigh and cook, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved completely.
- Remove saucepan from heat and strain through a fine-meshed sieve into a large bowl. Slowly stir in ice cold whipping cream using a spoon. Then pour into 6 individual serving glasses. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
- When panna cotta has set and you’re ready to serve, melt butter in large frying pan. Add sliced peaches and cook until pale golden on one side. Then flip slices and add sugar. Toss over medium heat until sugar is melted. Carefully add bourbon as it will flare up. Remove pan from heat allowing flame to burn out. Cool briefly.
- Sprinkle crumbled cookies onto panna cotta and spoon peaches in bourbon sauce over top. Garnish with a few raspberries and serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
STRAWBERRY ALMOND WHITE CHOCOLATE BARS
Ingredients
Serves 42 Bars
2 lbs (1 kg) white chocolate
½ cup (125 ml) freeze-dried sliced strawberries
⅓ cup (75 ml) dried apricots, cut into slivers
⅓ cup (75 ml) unblanched sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Instructions
- Lightly oil a 10 x 15-in (20 x 38 cm) jelly roll pan and line with plastic wrap with edges extending over sides of pan.
- To make bars, coarsely chop white chocolate and place in a double boiler or a large bowl over simmering water. Stir gently as it begins to melt. Remove from heat just before fully melted and continue stirring until smooth.
- Spread plain white melted chocolate out evenly on prepared jelly roll pan, then top with strawberries, apricots and sliced almonds. Gently press into melted chocolate.
- Set bars aside for a couple of hours to slightly firm. Then score the surface into bars before refrigerating for several hours until fully firm.
- Separate into bars and store in a tightly covered container in a cool place until ready to serve.
Drink Pairings
WIENER SCHNITZEL WITH BRAISED RED CABBAGE
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
½ tsp (2 ml) freshly ground pepper
¼ tsp (1 ml) ground nutmeg
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
2 cups (500 ml) dry bread crumbs
4 veal (or pork) cutlets, about 5 oz (140 g ) each, pounded very thin
vegetable or canola oil, for frying
lemon wedges, for garnish
BRAISED RED CABBAGE:
1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable or canola oil
½ head red cabbage, finely shredded
3 tbsp (45 ml) cider vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
2 tsp (10 ml) sugar
¼ tsp (1 ml) ground cloves
¼ tsp (1 ml) cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix spices with flour and place in a shallow dish. Beat eggs and water and place in a second dish. Place bread crumbs in a third shallow dish.
- Pat cutlets dry. Dredge each cutlet in flour, then egg wash and finally in bread crumbs, coating the cutlets well. Transfer coated cutlets to a platter.
- In a straight-sided skillet, heat ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Carefully transfer the coated cutlets to the hot oil to fry. Cook about 2 minutes each side, or until golden brown and puffy and crisp. Drain cutlets on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
- Serve on warm plates with braised red cabbage and garnish with lemon wedges.
- To make BRAISED RED CABBAGE: Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add cabbage and sauté until coated. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes or longer, stirring occasionally until tender.
Drink Pairings
TOMATO AND FARRO STEW
Ingredients
Serves 6
STEW:
1 cup (250 ml) water
½ cup (125 ml) farro
1 pinch sea salt
1 eggplant, skin on, about 1 lb (500 g)
5 tbsp (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced
½-in (1 cm) thick
2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced
½-in (1 cm) thick
½ tsp (2 ml) sea salt
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
28 oz (796 ml) can tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
2½ cups (625 ml) beef stock
½ cup (125 ml) seedless golden raisins
½ cup (125 ml) chopped dried apricots
⅓ cup (75 ml) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
½ tsp (2 ml) crushed red pepper flakes
chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
HERBED LEMON CRÈME FRAÎCHE:
1 cup (250 ml) crème fraîche (substitute plain yogurt or sour cream)
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped flat-leaf parsley
1½ tbsp (22 ml) finely chopped fresh chives
2 tsp (10 ml) chopped fresh tarragon
2 tsp (10 ml) finely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- To make STEW: In a small saucepan bring water, farro and salt to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, cook until tender, but slightly chewy, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain remaining liquid and set aside.
- Cut eggplant into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 3 tbsp (45 ml) oil. When hot, add eggplant, sauté until slightly soften. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add remaining oil. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onions are lightly golden. Mix in parsnips, carrots, eggplant, salt and cinnamon, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add can tomatoes with juice, scraping up bits from bottom of saucepan. Add stock, raisins, apricots, sun dried tomatoes and pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cook covered until carrots are fork tender, 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- In a bowl, stir together all HERBED LEMON CRÈME FRAÎCHE ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
- Stir cooked farrow into stew during final minute of cooking. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in heated serving bowls and garnish with Herbed Lemon Creme Fraiche and chopped parsley.