WHITE CHOCOLATE AND PEPPERMINT-DIPPED COOKIES
Ingredients
Serves about 20 to 24 cookies
1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (375 ml) white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ tsp (2 ml) peppermint extract
2 ¼ cups (532 ml) all purpose flour
½ tsp (2 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2 ml) kosher salt
1 cup (250 ml) white chocolate
3 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts. Mix until combined.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to butter mixture and mix until combined. Scoop mixture with a tablespoon and roll into balls. Place balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for about 5 minutes. Rotate the sheet and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges. Remove from oven and cool.
- Melt white chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. Dip half of each cookie in white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Place each cookie on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and let sit until chocolate has set.
Drink Pairings
TATSU BOWLS WITH SPICY TAHINI
Ingredients
Serves 4
TATSU BOWLS:
1½ cups (375 ml) white quinoa
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 cups (500 ml) broccolini spears, trimmed
1 cup (250 ml) baby carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup (250 ml) bean sprouts
1 cup (250 ml) shelled edamame beans
1 cup (250 ml) finely shredded red cabbage
⅓ cup (75 ml) coarsely chopped cilantro, for garnish
8 deep-fried tofu puffs
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
½ cup (125 ml) lightly salted, toasted cashews
lime wedges, for garnish
SPICY TAHINI SAUCE:
¼ cup (60 ml) sesame tahini
¼ cup (60 ml) tamari sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) water or chicken stock
1 lime, juice only
1 tbsp (15 ml) Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
2 tsp (10 ml) finely minced peeled gingerroot
2 tsp (10 ml) sambal oelek
1 garlic clove, smashed and minced
Instructions
- To make TATSU BOWLS: Rinse quinoa thoroughly several times before cooking. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups (500 ml) water, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, to a boil. Stir in rinsed quinoa and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook over medium-low for about 15 minutes or until grains begin to unfurl and water is absorbed. Spread cooked quinoa onto baking sheet to slightly dry while preparing remaining ingredients. Stir often with a fork to separate grains.
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Lightly rub broccolini spears and carrots with oil. Place carrots on one half of a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake in oven for 10 minutes. Add broccolini to other half of baking sheet and bake for an additional 5 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs.
- Meanwhile, blanch bean sprouts, drain and plunge into ice water to crisp. Place in a bowl. Repeat with edamame beans.
- Prepare remaining vegetables, shredding cabbage, and chopping cilantro and onions, and set aside. In a frying pan, gently brown tofu puffs with a little olive oil until hot and golden.
- To serve, place scoops of quinoa in bottom of serving bowls, arrange vegetables and tofu puffs on top. Sprinkle with cashews, lime and cilantro. Drizzle bowls with Spicy Tahini.
- To make SPICY TAHINI SAUCE: In a small, deep narrow bowl, whisk together all ingredients until emulsified. Transfer to a squeeze tube with a large spout. Drizzle over Tatsu Bowls before serving. Makes about 1 cup (250 ml)
Drink Pairings
SUNCHOKE CONFIT SALAD
Ingredients
Serves 4
NASTURTIUM OIL (OPTIONAL):
2 cups (500 ml) nasturtium leaves
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
SALAD:
1 lb (500 g) sunchokes
1 cup (250 ml) duck fat or olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) white wine vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) finely minced shallots
¼ cup (60 ml) hazelnut oil
½ cup (125 ml) fresh or frozen, shelled fava beans
1 radish, thinly sliced
2 cups (500 ml) micro greens
½ cup (125 ml) hazelnuts, roasted and skinned
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
edible flowers for garnish
Instructions
- To make NASTURTIUM OIL: Place leaves and oil in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a non-reactive container and cover. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- To make SALAD: Peel sunchokes and reserve. Pour duck fat or olive oil into a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. When warm, add sunchokes and cook, uncovered, for about 1 to 2 hours over low heat (fat/oil temperature 180 to 190 F), until tender. Remove sunchokes from pan and place on cooling rack set over a baking sheet to drain.
- To make vinaigrette, combine white wine vinegar and shallots in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in hazelnut oil while whisking, until emulsified.
- When sunchokes have cooled, slice and place in a large bowl. Add fava beans, radishes, micro greens and hazelnuts and drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, divide salad among 4 serving plates, garnish with edible flowers, drizzle a little more dressing around salad and serve. Garnish with dots of Nasturtium Oil.
Drink Pairings
TOMATO GELÉE WITH SHRIMP
Ingredients
Serves 8
2 lbs (1 kg) ripe red tomatoes, halved
2 small shallots, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh basil, julienned
1½ tbsp (22 ml) kosher salt, divided
½ tsp (2 ml) freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp (30 ml) vodka
2 x 7 g (¼ oz) packages gelatin
64 shrimp, tail on, peeled and deveined, size 31 to 40
2 cups (250 ml) vegetable oil
8 fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Seed tomatoes and place cut-side down on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to drain for 30 minutes. In a food processor or blender, pulse tomatoes, shallots, garlic, basil, ½ tbsp (7 ml) salt and pepper until finely puréed. Pour into a shallow dish.
- To make gelée, pour vodka in a small saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over top. Let gelatin bloom for 5 to 10 minutes, then heat over low heat (or in a microwave) until completely melted. Stir into tomato purée. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm.
- Before serving, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) kosher salt and the shrimp. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until shrimp are pink and starting to curl. Remove shrimp from saucepan, drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Pat dry.
- In a small saucepan bring vegetable oil to a low simmer. Add basil leaves and fry for about 1 minute. Remove leaves and drain on paper towels.
- When ready to serve, use a cookie cutter and cut 8 rounds from gelée, about 2-in (5 cm) in diameter. Divide rounds among serving plates and arrange 8 shrimp per plate (or as desired). Garnish with basil and serve immediately.
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
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
WHITE CHOCOLATE ALMOND MACAROONS
Ingredients
Serves 24 Macaroons
4 oz (125 g) white chocolate, broken into small pieces
2½ cups (625 ml) unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup (125 ml) slivered almonds, finely chopped
¾ cup (175 ml) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1 ml) sea salt
3 large egg whites
1 oz (30 g) white chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place white chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water. Stir until chocolate is almost melted. Remove bowl with chocolate from simmering water and stir until creamy. Set aside until cooled, but still loose.
- In a large bowl, combine coconut, almonds, sugar and salt. Stir together to blend.
- Beat egg whites with an electric mixer just until foamy. Stir into coconut mixture until blended. Add cooled chocolate and stir until mixed.
- Using a large spoon, shape mixture into 1½ tbsp (22 ml) loosely shaped stacks about 1-in (2.5 cm) apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until macaroons are firm to touch but still a little soft in centres.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and grate remaining chocolate over top of macaroons. Cool on a rack. Store macaroons for up to 3 days in a tightly covered container at room temperature.
Drink Pairings
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
TROPICAL FRUIT AND ROSEMARY WHITE CHOCOLATE BARS
Ingredients
Serves 42 Bars
2 lbs (1 kg) white chocolate
1 tbsp (15 ml) minced fresh rosemary
¼ tsp (1 ml) sea salt
¼ cup (60 ml) finely diced candied kiwi
¼ cup (60 ml) finely diced candied pineapple
¼ cup (60 ml) finely diced candied papaya
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped slivered almonds
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.
- Stir in rosemary and salt until evenly distributed and salt has dissolved. Transfer chocolate to prepared jelly roll pan and spread out evenly, then top with candied kiwi, pineapple, papaya and almonds.
- 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
WATERMELON AND AGAVE MARGARITAS
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 lime wedge
2 tbsp (30 ml) sea salt
½ cup (125 ml) fresh lime juice
1 cup (250 ml) white or silver tequila
2 tbsp (30 ml) orange liqueur
2 tbsp (30 ml) agave syrup
Instructions
- Place salt in a shallow dish. Rub rims of 4 cocktail glasses with lime wedge and dip each rim into salt to coat. Place glasses in freezer to chill for at least 10 minutes.
- Place remaining ingredients in a blender and process on high until watermelon is smooth. Fill glasses with ice cubes and pour in margarita.
- These can also be made into frozen margaritas by adding 3 cups (750 ml) ice into blender with ingredients before processing.