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
WINNING CHOCOLATE ROSEMARY POPCORN
Ingredients
Serves 4
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
½ cup (125 ml) popcorn kernels
½ cup (125 ml) chopped dark chocolate
1 tbsp (15 ml) sea salt flakes
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, place olive oil and 5 sprigs rosemary. Set over medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer gently for 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and transfer rosemary to a paper towel-lined plate.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat infused olive oil over medium-high heat. Add popcorn kernels, cover and gently shake pan every 30 seconds until you hear popping. Once popping is constant, gently shake pot back and forth continually over burner. When popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove pan from heat, remove lid and pour popcorn immediately over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Gently melt chocolate in a double boiler. Remove crispy rosemary leaves from stems and coarsely chop.
- Drizzle popcorn with warm melted chocolate; then sprinkle with chopped rosemary and sea salt. Set popcorn aside at room temperature allowing chocolate to harden, about 2 hours.
- Just before serving, break up popcorn and transfer to a serving bowl. Popcorn may be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve.
Drink Pairings
THE NEW ÉCLAIRS
Ingredients
Serves 24
1 x Basic Choux Pastry (make ahead, see BASIC CHOUX PASTRY RECIPE)
GLAZE:
10 oz (300 g) Fondant
food colouring, colour and quantity as needed
ÉCLAIR FILLING:
3 large eggs
⅓ cup (75 ml) granulated sugar
Pistachio, Raspberry or Lemon Flavouring
6 tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
PISTACHIO FLAVOURING:
⅓ cup (75 ml) pistachio paste
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla
RASPBERRY FLAVOURING:
3 oz (90 g) raspberries, puréed and strained
1 tsp (5 ml) almond extract
LEMON FLAVOURING:
½ cup (125 ml) strained lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) ginger syrup
Instructions
- Prepare BASIC CHOUX PASTRY as per Master Recipe up to step 4. Place dough in a pastry bag fitted with a ½-in (1.25 cm) plain tip (or Wilton 4B1 tip that will produce ridged éclairs). Pipe éclairs 4-in (10 cm) in length directly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. To help with size, draw stencils on parchment and place, drawn-side down, on baking sheet. Bake éclairs for 15 minutes or until well puffed and golden, then lower oven to 325 F (170 C) and continue to bake another 30 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely on baking sheet. Will keep for 2 to 3 days in refrigerator in a covered container.
- Prepare ÉCLAIR FILLING: In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, whisk together eggs and sugar until light in colour.
- Depending on flavour preference, add one of either pistachio paste, strained raspberry purée or strained lemon juice to the saucepan. Add cut butter and whisk constantly until butter is melted and mixture is thick. Simmer gently for a few seconds. Pour into a fine meshed sieve set over a bowl. Then, for pistachio flavouring stir in vanilla, for raspberry stir in almond extract, and for lemon stir in ginger syrup. Cover with plastic wrap pressed into surface of filling to prevent skin from forming, and refrigerate to thicken.
- Pierce bottom of éclairs in 2 or 3 places and fill with desired prepared filling using a piping bag.
- To make GLAZE: Heat 10 oz (300 g) fondant in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat just until melted. Stir in food colouring, as desired. Dip éclair tops into fondant, removing excess. Alternately, buy coloured fondant and roll out into a thin sheet. Cut size to fit éclairs and press down to adhere.
- Decorate as desired.
Drink Pairings
WHITE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING WITH CARAMELIZED BANANAS
Ingredients
Serves 20
4 cups (1 L) whole milk
1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 ml) freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp (1 ml) kosher salt
8 cups (2 L) sourdough bread, cut into ½ -in (1 cm) cubes
6 oz (180 g) white chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (125 ml) toasted almond slivers
6 large eggs
2 tbsp (30 ml) dark rum
2 tbsp (30 ml) dark brown sugar
1½ cups (375 ml) whipping cream, chilled
2 tbsp (30 ml) skim milk powder
½ cup (125 ml) turbinado sugar
2 large bananas, halved lengthwise and each half cut into 5 pieces
white chocolate curls, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C). Grease a 9 x 13-in (23 cm x 33 cm) baking pan with butter and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, bring milk, butter, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, stir together bread, chocolate, and almonds, set aside.
- Add eggs to milk mixture, and whisk until smooth. Pour custard over bread mixture and stir until evenly combined. Let sit, allowing bread to soften for 20 minutes. Pour evenly into prepared baking pan. Cover with foil, and bake until set, about 1 hour. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack before slicing into 20 squares. Bread pudding may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- In a small saucepan, stir together rum and brown sugar over medium heat. Once sugar has melted, remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cold.
- In a chilled bowl, whip cream with skim milk powder to soft peaks. Pour in cooled sugar mixture and whip to stiff peaks. Refrigerate cream until ready to use.
- Place turbinado sugar on a plate and dip the flat, cut side of each banana piece in sugar to cover completely. Place sugar-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for about 6 minutes until sugar is melted and caramelized. Set aside for 2 minutes to harden. Place slices of bread pudding into serving containers and garnish 2 bruléed bananas, a dollop of rum cream and a sprinkle of chocolate curls.
Drink Pairings
TOM YUM SOUP
Ingredients
Serves 4
4 cups (1 L) chicken broth
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, crushed with a side of a cleaver and cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces
3 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves
2 to 3 Thai red chilies, seeded and finely sliced
1 x 10 oz (284 ml) can straw mushrooms, drained and halved
¼ lb (50 g) oyster mushrooms, cleaned and coarsely chopped
½ lb (250 g) medium or small shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup (60 ml) lime juice
3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce, or to taste
cilantro sprigs and chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring broth and lemongrass to a boil over high heat. Add lime leaves and chilies and bring back to a boil. Lower to medium-high heat and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and shrimp and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute or until shrimp are opaque and cooked.
- Remove from heat and add lime juice and fish sauce, to taste. Serve in warm serving bowls and garnish with cilantro and green onions.
Drink Pairings
SWEET HEAT POPCORN
Ingredients
Serves 4
¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter
2 tsp (10 ml) buffalo wing hot sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) liquid honey
¼ tsp (1 ml) smoked paprika or cayenne pepper
½ tsp (2 ml) fine salt
10 cups (2.5 L) freshly popped popcorn
⅓ cup (75 ml) crumbled blue cheese
½ cup (125 ml) roasted natural almonds
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, stir together butter, hot sauce, honey, paprika and salt over medium heat. Stir until butter has melted and sauce is well combined.
- Place popcorn in a large bowl. Drizzle with hot sauce mixture and sprinkle with blue cheese before tossing to coat popcorn in sauce. Garnish popcorn with roasted almonds and serve immediately.
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
ZUCCHINI AND CARROT SALAD
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 zucchini, shaved thinly on a mandolin or with a vegetable peeler
1 carrot, shaved thinly on a mandolin or with a vegetable peeler
pinch of ground cumin, toasted
pinch of preserved lemon, chopped finely
2 black cured olives, chopped roughly
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
pinch freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp (15 ml) pistachio nuts, toasted and chopped roughly
2 tbsp (30 ml) feta cheese, cubed
2 tbsp (30 ml) mint, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Toss all ingredients in a bowl, except for the pistachio, feta and mint. Adjust seasoning to taste. The preserved lemon, olives and feta are all salty, so you may not need salt.
- Garnish the salad with the pistachios, feta, and mint.
Drink Pairings
THAI SEAFOOD SALAD
Ingredients
Serves 4
DRESSING:
6 tbsp (90 ml) fresh lime juice
4 to 5 tbsp (60 to 75 ml) fish sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) granulated sugar
1 small Serrano chili, seeded and minced
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
SEAFOOD SALAD:
24 small mussels
1 tbsp (15 ml) salt
4 medium-sized prawns, shelled and deveined, tails intact
½ lb (250 g) cleaned squid, cut into ½-in (1.25 cm) rings, tentacles halved if large
½ lb (250 g) sea or bay scallops
¼ lb (125 g) cooked fresh crabmeat
2 cups (500 ml) bite-sized pieces Boston or Bibb lettuce, rinsed and dried
1 large shallot, peeled and finely sliced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 small handful cilantro sprigs, rinsed and dried
1 small handful fresh mint, rinsed and dried
½ English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into thick half-moons
½ cup (125 ml) halved cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- To make DRESSING: In a small mixing bowl whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, minced chili and olive oil. Stir to dissolve sugar. Set aside.
- For SALAD: Scrub mussels under cold water and place in a mediumsized saucepan. Add about ½ cup (125 ml) water, just enough to cover bottom of pan, cover with lid and set over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until shells have opened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove cooked mussels, discarding any unopened ones, and place in a medium-sized bowl. Discard shells and cooking liquid.
- To cook remaining seafood, bring salt and 12 cups (3 L) water to a boil. Add prawns to boiling water and cook until pink on outside and opaque inside, about 2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon, draining well on a clean tea towel, and transfer to bowl with mussels.
- Bring water back to a boil and add squid. Cook until firm and rings turn bright white, about 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon, drain well on tea towel and add to cooked seafood.
- Bring cooking water back to a boil and cook scallops just until cooked through, about 1 minute for bay scallops, 2 minutes for sea scallops. Remove and drain before adding to seafood bowl.
- Add crabmeat to seafood bowl.
- To serve, arrange lettuce on a large serving platter or chilled serving plates. Add remaining ingredients to seafood and drizzle with dressing. Gently toss and arrange on top of lettuce beds. Drizzle any remaining dressing over salad.
Drink Pairings
TOMATO TARTS
Ingredients
Serves 8
2 cups (500 ml) small tomatoes, assorted colours
2 tbsp (30 ml) kosher salt
14 oz (397 g) package puff pastry, thawed
1 cup (250 ml) diced sweet onion
4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) Dijon mustard
1¼ cups (300 ml) grated Gruyère cheese
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 black olives, pitted and halved, for garnish
fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- Cut tomatoes in ⅛-in (3 mm) slices. Place slices on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet so they can drain. Sprinkle with salt and let stand for an hour.
- Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of ⅛-in (3 mm). Using a large cookie cutter, cut into circles and fit into eight 3-in (7.5 cm) 2-piece tart pans. Prick dough all over with a fork and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
- Remove tart pans from refrigerator. Cover each with a piece of parchment paper and fill with pie weights and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, remove parchment paper and pie weights and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until sides are slightly golden. Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and cool to room temperature.
- In a frying pan over medium heat, cook onion in 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil about 5 minutes, until transparent and soft, stirring often. Cool to room temperature.
- Brush bottom of cooled tart shells with Dijon mustard. Add grated cheese and top with onions. Add tomatoes, overlapping slightly. Brush tomatoes with olive oil and season with pepper to taste. (No salt as tomatoes are already salted.) Place tart pans on baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until pastry is golden and cheese has melted. Remove from oven and garnish with black olives and basil. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature.