ACORN SQUASH WITH KALE PESTO
Ingredients
Serves 8
¼ cup (60 ml) pistachios
¼ cup (60 ml) natural almonds
¾ cup (175 ml) firmly packed arugula
½ cup (125 ml) lightly packed fresh parsley
1 cup (250 ml) firmly packed, chopped kale
1 tbsp (15 ml) each fresh thyme and oregano
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
¾ cup (175 ml) grated Parmesan, divided
¾ cup+1 tbsp (190 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
2 medium acorn squash
⅓ cup (75 ml) panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Place pistachios and almonds on a baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Increase oven heat to 400F (200C). Add cooled nuts to a food processor and process until broken into small pieces. Add arugula, parsley, kale, thyme and oregano and continue to process, pulsing until it begins to break down. Add lemon juice and zest, 1 minced garlic clove and 1⁄2 cup (125 ml) Parmesan. Process until well combined and a chunky paste forms. With food processor running, add 3⁄4 cup (175 ml) oil in a thin stream until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set half the pesto aside and store remaining for another use.
- Halve the squash, scoop seeds out and discard. Cut squash halves crosswise into 3⁄4-in (2 cm) slices.
- In a large bowl, toss together squash with remaining 2 minced garlic cloves, 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) Parmesan, 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil and panko bread crumbs. Lay squash in a single layer on 2 parchment-lined baking trays and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and tender, 30 minutes. Once cooked, generously brush squash with half the reserved pesto before transferring to a serving plate. Serve warm.
Drink Pairings
CAKE POP WEDDING CAKE
Ingredients
Serves about 171 cake pops
CAKE TIERS:
2½ lbs (1.125 kg) vanilla fondant, divided
icing sugar, for rolling
1 round Styrofoam cake dummy, 5 x 4-in (13 x 10 cm)
1 round Styrofoam cake dummy, 7 x 4-in (18 x 10 cm)
1 round Styrofoam cake dummy, 9 x 4-in (23 x 10 cm)
½ cup (125 ml) clear gel
1 x 12-in (30 cm) foil-covered cake holder
CAKE POPS:
1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter, divided, plus extra for rolling
4 x 250 g bags white regular-sized marshmallows, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract, divided
16 cups (4 L) crisp rice cereal, divided
8 cups (2 L) crisp rice cereal, ground into fine crumbs in a food processor, divided
10 x 3-in (25 x 8 cm) square Styrofoam cake dummy
5 lbs (2.25 kg) white chocolate melting wafers, divided
½ cup (125 ml) orange chocolate wafers
¼ cup (60 ml) lemon chocolate wafers
175 sturdy 3-in (8 cm) toothpicks
fresh flowers, for garnish
Instructions
- Take ¼ of the fondant and gently knead with your hands to make it pliable. Roll out on a countertop, lightly dusted with icing sugar, into a round large enough to wrap top and sides of 5-in (13 cm) Styrofoam round. Brush top edge and bottom sides of Styrofoam with some of the gel to hold fondant in place when applied. Gently lay fondant over top and lightly press top and sides to Styrofoam being careful not to tear it. Trim off the excess. Set aside.
- Taking half of the remaining fondant, repeat as above, rolling fondant into a round large enough to cover the 7-in (18 cm) Styrofoam round. Set aside.
- Knead remaining fondant and repeat as above, rolling into a round large enough to fully cover the 9-in (23 cm) Styrofoam round. Place on a 12-in (30 cm) foil-covered round cake holder. Brush a little gel on top of 9-in (23 cm) and 7-in (18 cm) rounds and stack cakes together creating a 3-tiered cake. Cover and store in a cool, but non-humid room until ready to apply Cake Pops. Can be made ahead and stored for a couple of days.
- Each Cake Pop is 1½-in (3 m) in diameter. For the bottom tier you will need about 72 cake pops; for the middle tier about 54 cake pops; and for the small tier you will need about 45 cake pops. Each tier will hold 3 rows of cake pops.
- Make Cake Pop mixture in two batches. Melt ½ cup (125 ml) butter in a very large saucepan. Stir in two 250 g bags of marshmallows and cook, stirring continually over medium heat, until melted. Remove from heat and stir in half the vanilla and 8 cups (2 L) rice cereal. Stir together using a large wooden spoon until blended. Sprinkle with 4 cups (1 L) ground rice cereal and stir in until evenly distributed.
- Lightly grease palms with extra melted butter. Roll mixture into 1½-in (3 cm) balls and place in a foil pan. When all mixture has been rolled into balls, cover and place in freezer. Repeat process, making second batch of Cake Pops from remaining ingredients. Cover and freeze until ready to coat with chocolate. You should have a total of 171 Cake Pops. They can be made ahead and frozen for a couple of weeks.
- To coat Cake Pops, clear a space in your freezer for the Styrofoam square. Place a bowl over a saucepan with water. Bring water to a boil then reduce to simmer. Make sure bottom of bowl doesn’t touch the water. Add 2½ cups (625 ml) white chocolate wafers and stir until melted. Stir in orange chocolate wafers, adding just enough to achieve desired peach colour.
- Take some Cake Pops from the freezer. Poke with a toothpick and dip into melted chocolate to fully coat. Hold over bowl until it ceases to drip. Dip 24 balls in peach-coloured chocolate and press toothpicks into Styrofoam square. Place in freezer to firm, about 5 minutes.
- Repeat dipping Pops with a second coating of chocolate to make them smooth. Freeze until they are firm enough to press toothpicks into Cake Tiers without smudging chocolate. Press the first 24 peach-coloured chocolate dipped Cake Pops evenly around the very bottom of the largest fondant-covered tier. Repeat with another row of 24 Cake Pops, adding more white chocolate to the bowl, lightening the colour of the rows as you build. Continue double-dipping Cake Pops, freezing and pressing into cake tiers. As you near the top of the second tier, gradually add some yellow chocolate wafers to the melted chocolate.
- When cake is fully assembled, lightly drape in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight. To display and serve, transfer to a cake platter and garnish with fresh flowers.
Drink Pairings
BRAISED LENTIL-STUFFED YAMS
Ingredients
Serves 4
4 medium-sized jewel yams
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 cups (500 ml) black beluga lentils
2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth
1½ cups (375 ml) crisp white wine
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
3 cups (750 ml) baby spinach, baby kale or baby chard
salt and pepper, to taste
⅓ cup (75 ml) crumbled sheep’s milk feta
⅓ cup (75 ml) chopped, salted, roasted pistachios
2 tsp (10 ml) toasted sesame seeds
ground sumac, chopped flat-leaf parsley and finely grated lemon zest, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- Prick each yam a few times with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Bake until yam skins start to wrinkle and a knife easily pierces through flesh, about 35 to 50 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on size of yams.
- Meanwhile, prepare lentils. In a large saucepan, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent and softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and continue to cook another minute.
- Stir in lentils, then add broth, white wine and cumin. Stirring occasionally, bring lentil mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Strain and discard any extra cooking liquid. Return lentils to cooking pot, remove from heat, discard thyme stem and stir baby spinach (or kale, or chard) into warm lentil mixture, allowing spinach to wilt slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- When ready to serve, slice each yam along top lengthwise. Open and stuff with warm lentil mixture before topping with a sprinkle of feta, pistachios and sesame seeds. For an extra flourish and seasoning, garnish with a pinch of sumac, chopped parsley and lemon zest, if desired. Serve warm as a light meal or a hearty side dish.
Drink Pairings
BRAISED LAMB WITH PISTACHIO DUKKAH AND CARROT PURÉE
Ingredients
Serves 8
BRAISED LAMB:
8 lamb osso bucco
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into ½-in (1.25 cm) pieces
2 celery sticks, chopped into ½-in (1.25 cm) pieces
2 yellow onions, chopped into ½-in (1.25 cm) pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1¼ cup (300 ml) white wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 orange, zested into long strips using a vegetable peeler and juiced
2 whole cloves
4 cups (1 L) lamb or chicken stock
grilled slices of orange, for garnish (optional)
PISTACHIO DUKKAH:
3 tbsp (45 ml) coriander seeds
1 tbsp (15 ml) cumin seeds
½ cup (125 ml) shelled pistachio nuts
¼ cup (60 ml) sesame seeds
3 tbsp (45 ml) unsweetened shredded coconut
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
CARROT PURÉE:
1 lb (500 g) carrots, peeled and chopped into ½-in (1.25 cm) pieces
1 lb (500 g) yams, peeled and chopped into ½-in (1.25 cm) pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock
salt, to taste
1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 F (140 C).
- Season lamb osso bucco liberally with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat oil over medium-high heat in large frying pan. Sear osso bucco until browned on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate. Return frying pan to heat and sauté carrots, celery, onions and garlic until they begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add wine to deglaze pan, scraping any browned bits off bottom of pan using wooden spoon. Allow wine to reduce by half, about 4 minutes, before stirring in thyme, strip of orange zest, juice of orange and cloves. Transfer wine mixture to a heavy-bottomed roasting pan along with stock. Place roasting pan on stovetop and bring stock mixture to a boil over high heat. Add osso bucco to pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven to braise until fork-tender, about 2 hours. Turn osso bucco every half hour to evenly cook.
- While lamb is braising, prepare PISTACHIO DUKKAH: In a small frying pan, toast coriander and cumin seeds over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer spices to spice grinder or mortar and pestle and allow to cool completely before finely grinding. Meanwhile, toast pistachios in same frying pan as spices, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and finely chop before placing in a small bowl. Add sesame seeds and coconut to frying pan and toast until golden, about 2 minutes. Add coconut and sesame seeds to bowl with pistachios. Stir in ground spices along with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare CARROT PURÉE: In a mediumsized, heavy-bottomed saucepan bring carrots, yams, garlic, stock and a pinch of salt to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until carrots are very tender, about 12 to 14 minutes. Purée mixture in blender or food processor with butter until smooth.
- Once osso bucco finishes braising, carefully remove from sauce and set aside, keeping warm. In a blender, purée sauce until smooth.
- To serve, dollop Carrot Purée onto serving plates. Top with a piece of osso bucco and garnish with a drizzle of sauce, a sprinkle of Pistachio Dukkah and a squeeze of juice from the grilled orange slices, if desired. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
BACON AND CHIVE SCONES
Ingredients
Serves 20
1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil
6 strips bacon, finely chopped
¾ cup (175 ml) finely chopped onion
2 tsp (10 ml) poppy seeds
1 tbsp (15 ml) sunflower seeds
1 tbsp (15 ml) pumpkin seeds
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk, plus extra
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped fresh chives
2 cups (500 ml) all purpose flour, plus extra
1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2 ml) salt
2 tsp (10 ml) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter, cold
ORANGE CHÈVRE SPREAD:
10 oz (300 g) fresh goat’s cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp (30 ml) sour cream
1 orange, zest and juice only
1 tbsp (15 ml) clover honey
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F (220C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until crispy, about 2 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft. Transfer to a paper towellined plate and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine poppy, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together milk, chives and bacon mixture until combined. Set aside.
- Place flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Make a well in centre of flour mixture and add milk mixture. Use a butter knife in a cutting motion to mix until just combined. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and bring together with your hands. Knead once or twice, then shape into a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick disk. Use a 2-inch (5 cm) round cookie cutter dipped in flour to cut out scones. Place scones on prepared baking tray so they are just touching. Brush lightly with extra milk and sprinkle with seed mixture.
- Bake until scones are risen and golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. Scones are best eaten warm or at room temperature the day they are made. Serve with Orange Chèvre Spread, if desired.
- To make ORANGE CHÈVRE SPREAD: In a medium bowl, stir together goat’s cheese and sour cream with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in orange zest and juice and honey. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Makes 1½ cup (375 ml)
Drink Pairings
ADULT BLUEBERRY LEMONADE
Ingredients
Serves 8
½ to ¾ cup (125 to 175 ml) fine berry sugar
4 cups (1 L) water, divided
¼ cup (60 ml) vodka
1 cup (250 ml) fresh blueberries
1 cup (250 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 cup (250 ml) crushed ice
1 or 2 fresh lemons, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan combine sugar and 1 cup (250 ml) water. Bring to a boil and stir to blend until sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and stir in remaining water, vodka and blueberries. Then add lemon juice and bring to room temperature.
- Stir into a pitcher with crushed ice and lemon slices before serving.
Featuring
CHAMPAGNE TRUFFLES
Ingredients
Serves about 24
½ cup (125 ml) champagne
14 oz (400 g) white chocolate, chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) whipping cream
¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
various sized sugar pearls, for garnish
icing sugar, for garnish
sliced blanched almonds, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan warm champagne over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce volume by half, about 10 minutes. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
- Add chocolate and cream to a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Do not let bowl directly touch water. Stir occasionally until chocolate has completely melted. Remove from heat before whisking in cooled champagne reduction. Add butter, 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time, and whisk until incorporated and mixture is smooth. Press some plastic wrap on surface of chocolate mixture and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
- Once firm, scoop spoons of chocolate mixture and form into small balls. Roll a third of truffles in various sized sugar pearls, a third in icing sugar and remaining third in blanched almonds. Store truffles in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Serve while still slightly chilled.
Drink Pairings
BUTTERMILK, ORANGE, AND ROSEMARY FRIED CHICKEN
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk
1½ tsp (7 ml) cayenne pepper, divided
2 tsp (10 ml) smoked paprika
4 garlic cloves, crushed
½ yellow onion, sliced
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed from stem and minced
1 orange, zest only
3 tbsp (45 ml) kosher salt, divided
1 tbsp + 2 tsp (25 ml) black pepper, divided
6 chicken drumsticks, skin on
6 chicken thighs, skin on
canola oil, for frying
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
½ cup (125 ml) cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, 1 tsp (5 ml) cayenne, smoked paprika, garlic, onion, rosemary, orange zest, 2 tbsp (30 ml) salt, 1 tbsp (15 ml) black pepper and chicken. Transfer to a large Ziploc bag and refrigerate to marinate overnight, or up to 2 days.
- Remove chicken from marinade and drain well. Discard bag contents. Let chicken rest at room temperature for 1 hour before frying.
- Heat a deep fryer, or a large pot filled halfway with oil, to 350 F (180 C).
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, remaining salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
- Dredge a piece of chicken in the flour mixture until completely coated. Dust off excess and gently place in the hot oil. Repeat with a couple more pieces of chicken. Do not add too many pieces of coated chicken at a time, or the oil temperature will reduce and cause chicken to absorb too much oil during cooking.
- Fry chicken in batches, 15 to 20 minutes each, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon. Remove chicken and pierce to the bone. Chicken is done when juices run clear when pierced and internal temperature reads 165 F (75 C).
- Remove chicken to a cooling rack to drain. Chicken can be eaten immediately, or cooled and refrigerated in a covered container and eaten cold at a picnic.
Drink Pairings
BUCHE DE NOEL
Ingredients
Serves 8 to 10
RICOTTA FILLING:
1½ lbs (750 g) ricotta cheese
½ cup (125 ml) candied orange peel, finely chopped
3 oz (90 ml) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tbsp (90 ml) icing sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) orange liqueur
MERINGUE MUSHROOMS:
2 large egg whites
pinch salt
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
1½ oz (45 ml) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
WHIPPED MOCHA GANACHE:
2 cups (500 ml) whipping cream
8 oz (250 g) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tbsp (30 ml) instant coffee
CHOCOLATE GÉNOISE:
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
¾ cup (175 ml) sugar
⅓ cup (75 ml) cake flour
⅓ cup (75 ml) cornstarch
¼ cup (60 ml) cocoa
Instructions
- To make RICOTTA FILLING: Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix well. Set aside. Allow to soften enough to spread.
- To make MERINGUE MUSHROOMS: Preheat oven to 225 F (105 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with salt on high speed until soft peaks form. Continue whipping, adding sugar 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time, until meringue is very stiff and glossy. Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-in (1.25 cm) plain tip then pipe 20-22 mushroom “caps” in 1-in (2.5 cm) mounds. Smooth tops of the round mushroom caps with a finger dipped in water. Pipe the same number of “stems” by making a base that’s slightly thicker, tapering the meringue as you pull the bag straight up, leaving a pointed top. Bake for 1½ hours. Let cool completely.
- To assemble, with a sharp paring knife, carve a small hole in the underside of each mushroom cap, large enough to fit the points of the stems. Melt chocolate. Dip the pointed tips of the stems into the chocolate and press each one into the hole on the underside of the caps. Set on a baking rack to cool. Transfer to an airtight container until ready to use.
- To make WHIPPED MOCHA GANACHE: In a saucepan, heat cream over medium-high heat until it simmers. Remove from heat, add chocolate and coffee and stir until partially melted. Let stand 15 minutes to complete melting. Stir mixture again until smooth. Let cool. Cover surface of chocolate mixture with waxed paper or plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until extremely cold, preferably overnight. When ready to compile buche, beat with an electric mixture until medium-stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat, as ganache stiffens considerably when beaten, must be spread immediately.
- To make CHOCOLATE GÉNOISE: Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C) and set rack in the middle of the oven. Butter and line a 10 x 15-in (25 x 38 cm) jelly roll pan.
- Half fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to simmer. Whisk together eggs, yolks, salt and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer. Place over pan of simmering water and whisk gently until mixture is just lukewarm, about 100 F (38 C). Whip on mediumhigh speed until the egg mixture is cooled and tripled in volume.
- Sift together flour, cornstarch and cocoa. Sift ⅓ of the flour mixture over beaten eggs. Gently fold in flour mixture, repeat with another third of flour mixture and finally with the remainder.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until well risen, and springs back when touched. Do not overbake. Use a paring knife to loosen cake from the sides of pan. Invert cake onto a baking rack and let cake cool right-side up on the paper. Turn the génoise layer over and peel away the paper. Invert onto a fresh piece of parchment paper.
- Gently spread the softened ricotta filling, leaving a 1-in (2.5 cm) edge on each of the longer edges. Use the paper to help roll the cake into a tight cylinder. Wrap with plastic wrap, transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate at least 1 hour before icing and decorating the outside. This can be done the day before.
- Trim off both ends of the cylinder of cake, making about 2-in (5 cm) diagonal slices. Set the long centre section on a serving plate or tray, and place one of the cut pieces with the diagonal end against the cake and the flat end facing up. Attach the second piece to the other side. Ice and cover the “log” with whipped ganache, making sure to curve around the protruding stumps. Streak the ganache with a fork or decorating comb to resemble bark. Dust with cocoa. Arrange mushrooms around the cake.
Drink Pairings
BUBBLY BEER MACARONI AND CHEESE
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 tsp (5 ml) butter
½ medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp (5 ml) dry mustard
1 tbsp (15 ml) salt
½ tsp (2 ml) black pepper
¼ cup (60 ml) stout or porter beer
½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream
½ cup (125 ml) whole milk
1 cup (250 ml) cream cheese
1 cup (250 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup (125 ml) shredded aged cheddar cheese
2 cups (500 ml) dry elbow macaroni
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, add onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Add dry mustard, salt and pepper and stir in to blend.
- Add beer and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add cream, milk and cream cheese and stir until melted.
- Mix mozzarella and cheddar cheese together. Add ¾ of cheese mixture to pot and stir until just melted. Set remaining cheese aside.
- Meanwhile, add macaroni to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook according to package instructions. Thoroughly drain macaroni once cooked and add to cheese sauce. Fold in to evenly blend.
- Spoon into 4 individual greased ovenproof baking dishes large enough to contain macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sauce bubbles.