Plant-Based Potato Tart
Crisp puff pastry with russet potatoes, leeks and cashew cream, this potato tart is easy and quick to make and so delicious. Pair this recipe with Ardeche Syrah Saint Desirat or Hello Vegan Pinot Grigio.Ingredients
Serves 4-6
1 tbsp (15 ml) plant-based butter
2 leeks, white part only, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (250 ml) oat milk, plus more if needed
1 cup (250 ml) raw cashews
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped rosemary leaves
5 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
2 small russet potatoes, peeled
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add leeks and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove mixture from heat, place in a large stainless steel bowl and allow to cool.
- In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine oat milk, cashews, rosemary and thyme. Allow to cook for 10 minutes until cashews are slightly softened. Remove thyme stems and set mixture aside to cool slightly.
- In a high-speed blender, blend cashews and oat milk until very smooth. If needed, add 1 tbsp (15 ml) oat milk at a time to thin it out until a thick but silky consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper and add to leek mixture. Mix to combine.
- Using a mandoline, slice potatoes as thin as possible. Add to leek and cashew mixture. Stir to coat.
- Grease a 13 x 4-in (33 x 10 cm) rectangle tart pan with cooking spray. Lay puff pastry over pan and gently press down to form tart base. Trim excess pastry.
- Place potatoes flat to pastry. Layer in an overlapping pattern until tart pan is full, scooping any remaining cashew cream onto tart while layering. It’s ok if there are leftover potatoes, but try to use all the cashew cream.
- Season again with salt and pepper and bake until golden brown and potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. If a crispier tart is desired, broil on high for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme.
Drink Pairings
Gold Moon Rising
A cocktail by Barry Jackson, bar manager at Acquafarina from their fall menu.Ingredients
Serves 1
1¼ oz (37 ml) Moonlight Premium Shochu infused with toasted sesame seeds*
½ oz (15 ml) Bols Apricot Brandy
¼ oz (7 ml) Martini Bianco Vermouth
2 to 3 dashes Cardamom bitters
sour peach candy, for garnish
Instructions
- *Add 1 heaping tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds to a full 1 x 750 ml bottle of Shochu. Refrigerate overnight, then strain before serving.
- In a mixing glass over ice, stir together sesame-infused Shochu, apricot liqueur and vermouth. Strain into a small coupe or Nic & Nora glass and garnish with a skewered sour peach candy.
Featuring
Frankenstein
Over 200 years ago, Mary Shelley wrote of a creature that had no name and was brought to life by the mad scientist Dr. Frankenstein. Like the monster that Frankenstein created, this green cocktail is pieced together from various parts, and is probably just what a monster needs, a bright and vibrant boost of vitamins.Ingredients
Serves 1
½ long English cucumber, rinsed, seeded
½ Granny smith apple
1 cup (250 ml) packed spinach leaves
½-in piece fresh ginger, peeled
1½ oz (45 ml) Crown Royal Apple Whisky
¾ oz (22 ml) Chartreuse Green
¾ oz (22 ml) lemon juice
½ oz (15 ml) simple syrup*
black sesame seeds, for rim garnish
Instructions
- Press all of the fruit and vegetables through a juicer**, alternating ingredients to maximize extraction (or use a blender for a thicker texture). Fine strain juice into a cocktail shaker with cubed ice and add apple whisky, chartreuse, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake to chill. Moisten half the outer rim of a Collins glass and dip into black sesame. Strain drink over new ice in rimmed glass.
- * 1:1 ratio of sugar dissolved in boiling water. Let cool before using.
- ** A “slow” juicer is the ideal method and will retain 80 percent more of the nutritional impact of the fruits and vegetables. A “highspeed” juicer will oxidize the juice before it’s even left the juicer, reducing nutrition dramatically and Frankenstein needs all the health benefits available!
Featuring
Fall Spritz
A cocktail by Barry Jackson, bar manager at Acquafarina from their fall menu.Ingredients
Serves 1
3 to 4 blackberries
1½ oz (45 ml) Boodles London Dry Gin
½ oz (15 ml) St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
¼ oz (7 ml) honey water*
¼ oz (7 ml) Orgeat
1 oz (30 ml) coconut water
soda water, to top
blackberry and mint, for garnish
Instructions
- *1:1 ratio of honey dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle blackberries, then add gin, elderflower liqueur honey water, Orgeat and coconut water. Shake then double-strain into a double-rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with soda and garnish with fresh blackberries and mint.
Featuring
Invisible Man
This milk punch recipe is inspired by the classic 1933 horror film, where Dr. Jack Griffin, a British scientist discovers the secret of invisibility, but after experimenting on himself, he goes mad and wreaks havoc on a British town. In this cocktail, the flavours are similar to a London Fog, but the milk solids are filtered out, making the cocktail in essence "invisible."Ingredients
Serves 1
15 oz (450 ml) whole milk (3.25%)
¼ cup (60 ml) granulated sugar
peel of 2 lemons, no pith
15 oz (450 ml) Earl Grey tea (steep 1 tea bag, 1 minute)
25 oz (750 ml) Aviation American Gin
7.5 oz (225 ml) Licor 43 Liqueur
7 oz (210 ml) lemon juice
½ oz (15 ml) orange flower water
lemon peel, for garnish
Instructions
- Pour milk into a large container. Set aside. In a second container, combine sugar and lemon peel then gently muddle until lemon oil is released (approximately 45 to 60 seconds). Add hot tea and stir to dissolve sugar. Stir in gin, Licor 43, lemon juice and orange flower water. Pour gin mixture into milk (NEVER pour milk into gin). Gently stir curds with small spoon. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Line a fine-mesh strainer with a coffee filter and set over a large container. Gently pour the alcohol-milk mixture into coffee filter and let drain. Discard curds and coffee filter. Transfer clarified punch to a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, pour 4 oz (120 ml) of chilled punch into a chilled coupe glass and express the oil from a coin-sized lemon peel over the surface, then discard peel.
Featuring
Million Dollar Ridge
A cocktail by Barry Jackson, bar manager at Acquafarina from their fall menu.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Courvoisier VS Cognac
½ oz (15 ml) Luxardo Amaretto Di Saschira
1 oz (30 ml) fresh orange juice
½ oz (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 fresh mint leaves, slapped
½ oz (15 ml) maple syrup
dried orange wheel, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine all ingredients, then shake and double strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a dried orange wheel.
Featuring
Jekyll & Hyde
This cocktail takes inspiration from the 1886 classic novel, where the kind and respected scientist Dr. Jekyll experiments with a secret serum and transforms into Mr. Hyde, the evil, self-indulgent and uncaring antithesis. Experience the first sips of bright, sweet and tart pineapple rum, then taste as it transforms into a different cocktail as the smoked tea ice cube melts.Ingredients
Serves 1
2 oz (60 ml) Captain Morgan Pineapple Rum
2 cups (500 ml) Lapsang Souchong (smoked tea)*
¾ oz (22 ml) lemon juice
¾ oz (22 ml) simple syrup**
Instructions
- Pour 2 cups (500 ml) Lapsang Souchong tea into large cube or spherical ice moulds and freeze until solid. In a mixing glass with cubed ice, stir pineapple rum, lemon juice and simple syrup then strain mixture over prepared large cube or sphere of frozen smoked tea in a chilled old-fashioned glass.
- * Steep 2 tea bags or 2 tsp (10 ml) of loose leaf lapsang souchong in 2 cups (500 ml) boiled water for 4 minutes. Allow to cool before using.
- ** 1:1 ration of sugar dissolved in boiling water. Let cool before using.
Featuring
Brûlée Pumpkin Doughnuts
While we all know and love a good crème brûlée, there is so much more that we can do with the simple brûlée cooking technique. Pumpkin pie in a doughnut, this brûléed pumpkin doughnut is just what you need to get you into the fall spirit.Ingredients
Serves Makes about 18 doughnuts
SPICED VANILLA CREAM FILLING:
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
3 tbsp (45 ml) cornstarch
¼ tsp (1 ml) kosher salt
½ tsp (2 ml) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (2 ml) ground ginger
¼ tsp (1 ml) ground nutmeg
4 large egg yolks
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter, cut into ½-in (1.25 cm) cubes
PUMPKIN DOUGHNUTS:
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
2 cups (500 ml) granulated sugar, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) active dry yeast
⅓ cup (75 ml) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 tsp (5 ml) fine sea salt
1 cup (250 ml) canned pumpkin purée
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground nutmeg
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
5½ cups (690 g) all-purpose flour
canola oil, for frying
¼ cup (60 ml) clover honey
Instructions
- To make Spiced Vanilla Cream Filling, in a medium saucepan, combine milk with scraped vanilla bean along with its seeds. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat while stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat, cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl, set up an ice bath by partially filling it with a combination of cold water and ice. Set aside.
- In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until well combined. Add egg yolks and whisk until mixture is pale yellow, thick and fluffy, about 1 minute. Uncover infused milk and remove vanilla bean, rinsing and setting aside for another use, if desired. While whisking continuously, slowly pour milk into egg mixture in a thin stream until all has been added. Return mixture to same saucepan and place over medium heat. Whisk constantly until pastry cream begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Once it starts to thicken, continue to whisk, pausing every few seconds to check for bubbles, about 1 minute. Once bubbles start to appear, whisk continuously for 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in butter until thoroughly combined. Strain pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve set over a clean medium, heatproof bowl. Immediately place a piece of buttered parchment paper directly on surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer bowl to prepared ice bath for 30 minutes. Remove bowl from ice bath and refrigerate pastry cream for 2 hours.
- While pastry cream chills, make doughnut dough. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, warm milk until lukewarm, about 3 minutes. Do not overheat milk, as it can kill the yeast. Pour milk into a large bowl and whisk in 1 cup (250 ml) sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk mixture and let it stand until frothy, about 5 minutes. Once frothy, whisk in melted butter, egg, salt, pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until well combined.
- Begin adding flour, about 1 cup (250 ml) at a time, mixing well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Once a dough ball forms, invert dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough for 4 to 5 minutes, dusting occasionally with flour as needed, until dough is super soft and slightly sticky. Place dough in a clean mixing bowl, cover with a tea towel and set aside, allowing to proof until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours.
- Once dough has proofed, pour at least 1-in (2.5 cm) of oil into a large heavy-bottomed stockpot or large cast iron pan and attach a thermometer. Warm oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 F (180 C).
- Meanwhile, knead proofed dough lightly a couple of times then use a rolling pin to roll out to ½-in (1.25 cm) thickness on a lightly floured work surface. Using a 3-in (8 cm) circle cutter, cut out as many circles as possible, then collect scraps, knead and repeat rolling and cutting one more time.
- Working in batches of 4 or 5 at a time, carefully place doughnuts into preheated oil and fry, turning halfway through cooking time, until deep golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Once done, place doughnuts on a paper towel-lined baking tray to absorb excess oil. Repeat with remaining doughnut dough. Let doughnuts cool completely to room temperature.
- When ready to serve remove pastry cream from refrigerator and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Using a small knife, make a cut from side into centre of each doughnut, creating a pocket. Place piping tip in opening of pocket and fill each doughnut with cream. Repeat with all doughnuts.
- Place remaining 1 cup (250 ml) sugar onto a plate. Brush tops of each doughnut with a thin layer of honey before pressing into sugar. Brûlée each doughnut top using a home brûlée torch, taking care to move flame evenly back and forth over sugar, just above doughnut, until it has caramelized. Allow doughnut to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Drink Pairings
Spaghetti and Salmon Meatballs in Red Pepper Sauce
With colder weather rolling in, autumn meals should be both warm and filling, a simple requirement met by this Spaghetti and Salmon Meatballs in Red Pepper Sauce Recipe. Consider pairing this recipe with Bardolino Monte Del Fra or Gray Monk Chardonnay Unwooded 2022.Ingredients
Serves 4
1 lb (500 g) salmon, skin removed, cut into chunks
2 shallots, chopped
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tbsp (15 ml) dried Italian herb blend
2 tbsp (30 ml) mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
¾ cup (175 ml) panko bread crumbs
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups (500 ml) jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream
¼ cup (60 ml) white wine
¾ lb (340 g) spaghetti
½ cup (125 ml) chopped flat leaf parsley
1 cup (250 ml) pitted green olives, sliced in half if large
Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- To make salmon meatballs, preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
- In a food processor bowl, place salmon and shallots and process until salmon is finely chopped. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add butter, Italian herb blend, mayonnaise, garlic, egg, panko crumbs and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until well combined. Form into balls, about 1½ tbsp (22 ml) in size, and place on prepared baking tray. Bake, turning halfway through cooking time, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook pasta.
- Rinse red bell peppers well under cold water. Roughly chop and set aside.
- In a large frying pan, warm olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and celery with a good seasoning of salt and pepper until softened, about 4 minutes. Add red peppers and continue to sauté until peppers are warmed through, about 1 minute. Transfer warm vegetable mixture to a blender along with whipping cream and wine. Blend until a smooth sauce is achieved. Return sauce to frying pan over medium heat. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions.
- Add salmon meatballs to sauce and gently stir to coat. Drain pasta, add to sauce and gently toss to coat.
- To serve, divide pasta and salmon meatballs among 4 warm pasta bowls. Serve topped with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, green olives and some shaved Parmesan, if desired.
Drink Pairings
Cioppino
Brimming with fresh seafood in a tomato and wine broth that tastes like the sea, Cioppino (pronounced cho-pee-no) is a delicious fish stew. Consider pairing this recipe with Bartier Bros Rose 2022 or Chablis La Chablisienne La Pierrelee 2020Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
⅓ cup (75 ml) vegetable oil
½ cup (125 ml) chopped fennel (bulb only, reserve fronds for garnish)
1½ cups (375 ml) chopped onion
½ cup (125 ml) chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
1½ cups (375 ml) dry white wine, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
¼ tsp (1 ml) pepper flakes, or to taste
1 x 796 ml (27 oz) can crushed or stewed tomatoes
1 cup (250 ml) clam juice
1 large bay leaf
1½ cups (375 ml) water
18 to 20 clams*
18 to 20 mussels*
1½ lbs (750 g) boneless, skinless halibut fillets, cut into 2½-in (6.25 cm) chunks
12 large prawns, shelled (tail on) and deveined
salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup (60 ml) finely chopped fresh parsley
1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) lemon juice, to taste
parsley and lemon wedges or slices, for garnish
*Note: Fresh and uncooked clams and mussels should be closed. If not, then gently tap each one on counter and they should close immediately. Discard any that do not close.
Instructions
- In large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add fennel, onions and celery and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes.
- Add garlic and continue cooking another 3 minutes, stirring regularly to avoid burning.
- Add ½ cup (125 ml) wine and deglaze vegetables, until fully evaporated.
- Add oregano, pepper flakes, tomatoes, clam juice, bay leaf and remaining wine and stir well. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- In steamer, boil water. Add clams, cover and steam for 5 to 6 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully remove clams only and set aside in large bowl. Discard any unopened clams. Add mussels to steamer, cover and continue steaming for another 5minutes. Using tongs or slotted spoon, carefully remove steamed mussels into bowl with clams. Discard any unopened mussels.
- Using a sieve, strain residual liquid to remove any sediments. Reserve up to 1½ cups (375 ml) liquid and discard remainder.
- Add 1 cup (250 ml) of reserved liquid to simmering tomato mixture. Add more to desired taste and consistency, if needed. Evenly distribute halibut pieces into mixture. Cover and continue simmering for 5 minutes. Add prawns, steamed clams and mussels. Cover and continue simmering for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in chopped parsley and lemon juice. Turn off heat, cover and let the Cioppino rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with a wedge or slice of lemon and garnish with parsley, as desired.