Bellini Pops
Ingredients
Serves 10
1 cup (250 ml) frozen sliced peaches
1 x 14 oz (398 ml) can peaches, with their syrup
2 tbsp (30 ml) strawberry jam
3 cups (750 ml) Prosecco, divided
Instructions
- In a large blender, combine frozen and canned peaches, strawberry jam and 1 cup (250 ml) Prosecco. Blend on high for 1 minute, or until smooth. Add remaining 2 cups (500 ml) Prosecco and blend for 3 to 5 seconds to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow bubbles to settle.
- Pour into popsicle moulds, place sticks in moulds and freeze for at least 8 hours.
Drink Pairings
Watermelon Daiquiri Pops
Ingredients
Serves 10
2 heaping cups (about 500 ml) seedless watermelon cubes
1 heaping cup (about 250 ml) fresh or frozen sliced strawberries
2 lemons, zest and juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) grated ginger
½ cup (125 ml) white rum
1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) sugar dissolved in 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) warm water, as needed
Instructions
- In a large blender, combine watermelon, strawberries, lemon zest and juice, ginger and rum. Blend on high for 1 minute, or until smooth. Taste for sweetness and stir in dissolved sugar to taste, if desired.
- Pour into popsicle moulds, place sticks in moulds and freeze for at least 8 hours.
Drink Pairings
Gin & Tonic Pops
Ingredients
Serves 10
1 cup (250 ml) gin
2 limes, juice and zest
1 cup (250 ml) chopped cucumber
3 large basil leaves
3 cups (750 ml) tonic water
1 tbsp (15 ml) Green Chartreuse (optional)
1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) sugar dissolved in 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) warm water, as needed
Instructions
- In a large blender, combine gin, lime juice and zest, cucumber and basil. Blend on high for 1 minute, or until smooth.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or container. Pour gin mixture through sieve to strain out any particles. Discard solids.
- In a large spouted jug, stir together gin mixture, tonic water and Chartreuse, if using. Taste for sweetness and stir in dissolved sugar to taste, if desired.
- Pour into popsicle moulds, place sticks in moulds and freeze for at least 8 hours.
Drink Pairings
Rosita
Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Camarena Reposado Tequila
½ oz (15 ml) Campari
½ oz (15 ml) Martini Rosso Vermouth
½ oz (15 ml) Noilly Prat Extra Dry Vermouth
1 dash Angostura bitters
grapefruit twist, for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass with cubed ice, combine all ingredients. Stir to chill and dilute, then strain into a rocks glass over new cubed ice. Express oils from grapefruit twist over surface, then use twist for garnish.
Featuring
El Diablo
Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Gran Centenario Plata Tequila
½ oz (15 ml) L’Héritier-Guyot Crème de Cassis de Dijon
½ oz (15 ml) lime juice
3 oz (90 ml) non-alcoholic ginger beer
blackberry, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with cubed ice, combine tequila, crème de cassis and lime juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a Collins glass, then add ginger beer. Add cubed ice to fill glass and garnish with a blackberry.
Featuring
Matador
Ingredients
Serves 1
3 oz (90 ml) pineapple juice (freshly pressed, if available)
1½ oz (45 ml) Cazadores Blanco Tequila
¾ oz (22 ml) lime juice
pineapple wedge, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with cubed ice, combine all ingredients. Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass over new cubed ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Featuring
Red Wine Lamb Burgers
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil, plus extra for grilling
4 tbsp (60 ml) unsalted butter, divided
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
¼ tsp (1 ml) + 1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt, divided
¼ cup (60 ml) + 1½ cups (375 ml) red wine, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) light brown sugar
1½ lbs (750 g) ground lamb
1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
4 kaiser buns
8 leaves butter lettuce
4 oz (125 g) Cambozola or other mild blue cheese
Instructions
- To make caramelized onions, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat oil and 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter. Add onions and ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt and cook, stirring often, until reduced in volume and starting to brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in ¼ cup (60 ml) wine and granulated sugar. Cook, stirring often, until onions are a deep golden brown, about another 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- To make lamb burgers, start by making a red wine reduction. In a small saucepan, bring remaining 1½ cups (375 ml) red wine and brown sugar to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Allow mixture to reduce by half, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in remaining 3 tbsp (45 ml) butter until melted. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grill with grapeseed oil.
- In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together lamb, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1 tsp (5 ml) salt, pepper and ¼ cup (60 ml) wine reduction until well combined. Form into 4 equal-sized patties about 6-in (15 cm) in diameter. Grill until brown and grill-marked on bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and brush with additional wine mixture. Continue grilling until cooked through, turning and brushing occasionally with wine mixture, about another 4 to 8 minutes more. Remove from grill and set aside, then grill buns, cut-side down, until lightly browned.
- To serve, assemble burgers with lettuce, caramelized onions and Cambozola.
Drink Pairings
Plank-Grilled Salmon with Strawberry & Green Olive Tapenade
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 cedar plank, for grilling (about 17 in/43 cm)
¾ cup (175 ml) diced fresh strawberries
⅓ cup (75 ml) chopped pitted green olives
¼ cup (60 ml) thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
2 tsp (10 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 x 6 oz (170 g) skin-on salmon fillets
1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil
Instructions
- 1 to 2 hours before cooking, submerge cedar plank in water. When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium.
- To make tapenade, in a medium bowl, mix together strawberries, olives, green onions, parsley, chives, vinegar, soy sauce and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Place cedar plank on grill. Coat salmon in grapeseed oil and season with salt and pepper. Place salmon skin-side down in a single layer on cedar plank. Cover and grill until salmon is uniformly pink in centre, about 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness of salmon.
- Transfer plank to a heatproof serving platter and spoon tapenade over salmon. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
Sweet & Spicy Tofu & Pineapple Skewers with Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
Serves 4
12 oz (350 g) extra firm tofu
¼ cup (60 ml) tomato paste
2 tbsp (30 ml) liquid honey
1 tbsp (15 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) grapeseed oil, divided, plus extra for grilling
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped canned chipotles in adobo sauce
½ tsp (2.5 ml) garlic powder
¼ tsp (1 ml) onion powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) finely minced fresh ginger
1½ lbs (750 g) cauliflower florets
½ fresh pineapple, trimmed and cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) chunks
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
⅓ cup (75 ml) fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
⅓ cup (75 ml) fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
⅓ cup (75 ml) fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Place tofu on a paper towel-lined plate. Place another couple sheets of paper towel on top of tofu and place a plate on top of paper towel. Place a can or 2 of beans or something else heavy on top of plate. Let sit for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato paste, honey, soy sauce, 1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil, chipotles, garlic powder, onion powder and ginger until well combined. Set aside.
- To make cauliflower rice, place cauliflower florets in bowl of a food processor fitted with steel S blade attachment. Pulse until mixture resembles rice, working in batches if needed. Set aside.
- Preheat grill to high. Cut tofu into 1-in (2.5 cm) cubes and thread tofu and pineapple chunks onto 4 to 6 metal skewers. Place on a plate and brush each skewer all over with grapeseed oil. Set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil to a large frying pan and warm over medium heat. Add riced cauliflower all at once, season with salt and pepper and cover with a lid. Let cook for 1 minute, remove lid and stir in chopped herbs, green onion and lime juice. Continue to cook, stirring often, until cauliflower is al dente, about 4 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Place skewers on grill and close lid, letting them cook until nicely grill-marked, about 3 minutes. Flip skewers and close lid again, again letting them cook until grill-marked, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Brush half the sauce over skewers and flip. Let cook until sauce starts to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Brush skewers with remaining sauce and flip again, cooking until skewers are evenly caramelized, about 2 minutes more.
- To serve, spoon cauliflower rice onto a platter and place skewers on top. Garnish with additional cilantro and parsley.
Drink Pairings
Raspberry Jalapeno Beef Ribs
Ingredients
Serves 4
5 lbs (2.27 kg) beef back ribs, cut into single bone portions
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cups (500 ml) apple juice, divided
¼ cup (60 ml) + 3 tbsp (45 ml) raspberry jam, divided
½ cup (125 ml) red wine vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) pickled jalapeño juice, from a jar
1 tbsp (15 ml) + 1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt, divided
2 tbsp (30 ml) light brown sugar, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander
2 tbsp (30 ml) sweet paprika
1½ tsp (7 ml) ground cumin
¾ tsp (4 ml) garlic powder
¾ tsp (4 ml) ground black pepper
1½ tsp (7 ml) dry mustard powder
¼ cup (60 ml) tomato paste
3 tbsp (45 ml) water
1 tsp (5 ml) chili powder
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped pickled jalapeños
2 cups (500 ml) fresh raspberries, plus extra for garnish
vegetable oil, for grilling
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Divide ribs between 2 large zip-top bags. In a medium bowl, mix together onion, ½ cup (125 ml) apple juice, ¼ cup (60 ml) jam, vinegar, jalapeño juice, 1 tbsp (15 ml) salt, 1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar and coriander until well combined. Divide evenly between bags with ribs, seal and shake to coat ribs in marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Shake and rotate bags 2 or 3 times to ensure ribs are equally coated.
- Preheat oven to 325 F (170 C). In a small bowl, whisk together paprika, remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar, cumin, garlic powder, pepper, mustard and remaining 1 tsp (5 ml) salt to make dry rub.
- Remove ribs from marinade, reserving marinade, and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle dry rub all over ribs. Transfer ribs, meat-side up, to an 18 x 13-in (46 x 33 cm) rimmed baking sheet, or two 9 x 13-in (23 x 33 cm) rimmed baking sheets, in a single layer. Pour remaining 1½ cups (375 ml) apple juice into bottom of baking sheet(s), cover tightly with foil and transfer to oven. Bake until tender, about 2 to 2½ hours.
- Meanwhile, make raspberry jalapeño glaze. Strain reserved marinade, discarding solids. Measure out 1 cup (250 ml) liquid, transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Any excess marinade can be discarded. To saucepan, stir in tomato paste, water, chili powder, remaining 3 tbsp (45 ml) jam, pickled jalapeños and raspberries. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until raspberries have broken down and glaze has thickened slightly, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Just before ribs are done, preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grills with a little vegetable oil, then place ribs on grill. Cook, turning occasionally and brushing often with glaze, until just beginning to caramelize, about 6 to 8 minutes. Garnish with green onion and fresh raspberries and serve with any remaining glaze for dipping.