Orange Roast Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
Serves 8
4 lb (2 kg) bone-in leg of lamb, set out at room temperature for 1 hour
2 tsp (10 ml) fennel seeds
4 garlic cloves, divided, minced
¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 navel oranges
salt, to taste
2 mandarin oranges
2 cups (500 ml) packed flat-leaf parsley
2 green onions, trimmed, roughly chopped
½ cup (125 ml) whole blanched almonds
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- Using a mortar and pestle, gently pound fennel seeds to break them up a bit. Alternatively, crush under a heavy pot or pan. Transfer to a bowl along with 3 minced garlic cloves, butter, finely grated zest of 1 orange and a good pinch of salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Pat lamb dry with paper towel and make a dozen or so deep cuts all over meat with point of a sharp knife. Use a teaspoon or finger to push some of butter mixture into cuts, then smear rest all over leg. Place in a roasting pan. Halve the zested orange and squeeze juice over lamb. Thickly slice half of remaining orange and mandarins, peel and all, removing seeds if necessary, and arrange on top of lamb.
- Cover roasting pan with tinfoil and roast for 45 minutes. Remove tinfoil, baste leg with any juices in bottom of roasting pan, or, if not much juice is present, use extra orange juice and continue to roast for another 45 minutes to 1 hour for medium rare. An instant-read thermometer, inserted 2-in (5 cm) into thickest part of leg should register 130 F (54 C).
- Meanwhile, make parsley sauce. In a food processor, pulse parsley, green onions, remaining garlic and almonds until finely chopped. With motor running, gradually add olive oil. Season with salt and juice from half of remaining orange, to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Transfer cooked lamb to a cutting board and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Slice and serve with parsley sauce on side.
Drink Pairings
Cashew Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
Serves 10
15 to 20 small cremini mushrooms
½ cup (125 ml) raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
1 cup (250 ml) packed fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan
½ lemon, juice only
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, plus extra as needed
salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup (60 ml) roasted cashews, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Gently clean mushroom caps with a damp cloth to remove any dirt. Remove stems and place caps upside down on lined baking sheet.
- In a food processor, pulse drained cashews until the size of rice. Add basil, garlic, Parmesan and lemon juice and process on medium speed, slowly streaming in olive oil until combined. Add more olive oil, 1 tsp (5 ml) at a time if necessary, but pesto should be quite firm and thick; if too runny, it will seep out while baking. Season pesto with salt and pepper.
- Using a small spoon, fill each mushroom cap with about 1 tsp (5 ml) pesto. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft. Serve warm.
- Garnish with a roasted cashew.
Drink Pairings
Whipped Feta Dip
Ingredients
Serves 8 to 10
1 cup (250 ml) crumbled feta, room temperature
3 tbsp (45 ml) warm water
4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) sour cream
½ lemon, zest only
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp (5 ml) honey
½ tsp (2.5 ml) dried oregano
black pepper, to taste
assorted vegetables, to serve, such as radishes, julienned peppers, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower florets and blanched broccoli and asparagus
pita chips, to serve
Instructions
- In a food processor, blend all ingredients (except 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil) on high until smooth, about 3 minutes. For an even silkier dip, blend again in a high-speed blender until a whipped texture is achieved, about 1 minute.
- Finish dip with 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and serve with your favourite assorted vegetables and pita chips.
Drink Pairings
Roasted Red Pepper Phyllo Parcels
Ingredients
Serves 10 to 20
1 tbsp (15 ml) sunflower oil
½ yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 x 16 oz (500 ml) jar roasted red peppers (or about 3½ large roasted red peppers)
½ cup (125 ml) sun-dried tomatoes
¾ cup (175 ml) crumbled feta
salt and pepper, to taste
1 box (10 sheets) phyllo pastry
½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Drain roasted peppers and use a cheesecloth or press against a fine-mesh sieve to squeeze out any remaining liquid.
- In a food processor, pulse onion, garlic, peppers and sun-dried tomatoes until pea-sized. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in crumbled feta. Season with salt and pepper (feta can be very salty, so be careful not to over-salt).
- Lay a sheet of phyllo on a large flat surface. Using a pastry brush, brush entire sheet with melted butter. Lay a second sheet on top and repeat. Cut into five 3½-in (9.25 cm) vertical strips. Place a heaping tablespoonful of filling on bottom right end of 1 of the strips. Fold the bottom right corner of the phyllo up and over to the left edge of the strip to form a triangle. Now take the bottom point of the triangle you have made and fold the triangle up and over the left edge of the strip. Then take the bottom left corner and fold it up and over to the right edge of the strip. Repeat folding steps until the whole strip is used up, trimming excess pastry and sealing with melted butter if necessary. Repeat with remaining strips; you should get 5 parcels for every 2 sheets of phyllo. Refrigerate on a lined baking sheet until ready to serve, or freeze, covered, for up to 3 months.
- To serve, brush tops with more melted butter and bake until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes before serving, or serve at room temperature if desired.
Drink Pairings
Salmon Rillettes
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
1 tbsp (15 ml) sunflower oil
1 shallot, minced
1 to 2 cups (250 to 500 ml) dry white wine, for poaching
8 oz (250 g) salmon fillet, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) cubes, about 1½ cups (375 ml)
3 oz (90 g) smoked salmon, diced, about ¼ cup (60 ml)
2 tsp (10 ml) butter, melted
1 tbsp (15 ml) mayonnaise
1 tbsp (15 ml) minced chives
1 pinch white pepper
salt, to taste
2 cups (500 ml) watercress
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil
1 baguette, sliced and toasted
½ cup (125 ml) cornichons (small pickles)
¼ cup (60 ml) sliced almonds, toasted
Instructions
- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sauté shallot until translucent. Add enough wine to cover salmon and bring to a gentle simmer. Add cubed salmon and cook for a few minutes, until opaque and just cooked through. Strain salmon and shallot, discarding wine, and transfer to a medium bowl. Refrigerate until cooled.
- Once cooled, gently flake salmon with a fork and mix in smoked salmon, butter, mayonnaise and chives. Season with white pepper and a pinch of salt, or to taste. Refrigerate rillettes until ready to serve.
- To serve, dress watercress with lemon juice and olive oil. Top toasted baguette slices with salmon rillettes and serve watercress and cornichons alongside or on top, garnishing with almonds, as desired.
Drink Pairings
White Chocolate Mousse with Poached Rhubarb
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
6 oz (180 g) white chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 large egg whites, about ½ cup (125 ml)
3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar, divided
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine
1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out
1 whole star anise
1 lb (500 g) rhubarb (5 to 6 thin stalks), ends trimmed, cut into 2-in (5 cm) pieces
½ cup (125 ml) coarsely chopped blanched almonds
½ cup (125 ml) old-fashioned oats
½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 ml) light brown sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter
whipped cream, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring often. Once melted, remove from heat.
- To make chocolate mousse, in a medium bowl, whisk egg whites to stiff peaks, then beat in 1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar. In a separate bowl, whip cream to medium-soft peaks, then slowly fold in melted chocolate until thoroughly incorporated. Fold a large spoonful of egg whites into chocolate, mix well, then fold in remaining egg whites, working quickly but carefully, to avoid deflating egg whites. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- To poach rhubarb, in a saucepan, combine wine, 2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar, vanilla pod and seeds, star anise and ¾ cup (175 ml) water. Bring to a boil and add rhubarb. Lower heat to simmer and poach 2 to 3 minutes, until fork-tender, soft yet firm. Remove from heat and leave rhubarb to cool in liquid.
- To make almond crunch, in a bowl, mix together almonds, oats, flour and light brown sugar and drizzle melted butter over top. Mix until incorporated and crumbly. Spread onto lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- To assemble, remove rhubarb from poaching liquid and spoon into parfait glasses. Top with a large scoop of mousse and a sprinkling of almond crunch, then repeat. Top with a dollop of whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
Rhubarb and Custard Cake
Ingredients
Serves 8
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
3 large eggs
1 cup (250 ml) sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter, cooled
¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream
2 tbsp (30 ml) dark rum
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 tbsp (15 ml) finely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1 lb (500 g) rhubarb, halved lengthwise if thick, cut into 3-in (8 cm) pieces
whipped cream, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- Grease an 8-in (1.2 L) round springform pan and dust with flour. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until very pale and thick, about 2 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk melted butter, sour cream, rum, vanilla, lemon zest and juice.
- Whisk butter mixture into egg mixture until just combined. Slowly fold into flour mixture until batter is smooth, then transfer to prepared pan. Chill 10 to 15 minutes to allow batter to set.
- Gently place pieces of rhubarb on top of batter, trimming as needed. Sprinkle a bit of sugar over top. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until top is golden and browned around edges. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then slide a knife around sides to loosen and unmould and slide onto rack to allow to cool completely.
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Drink Pairings
Rhubarb, Candied Ginger and White Chocolate Crisp
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
2 lbs (1 kg) rhubarb stalks, ends trimmed, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces
2 tbsp (30 ml) minced fresh ginger
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
4 oz (125 g) white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup (250 ml) coarsely chopped candied ginger, divided
1½ cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour
½ cup (125 ml) old-fashioned oats
½ cup (125 ml) brown sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger
¾ cup (175 ml) melted butter
ice cream or whipped cream, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- In a large mixing bowl, toss together rhubarb and fresh ginger. Transfer to a greased 2 or 3-quart (2 L or 3 L) baking dish and sprinkle with sugar, white chocolate and ½ cup (125 ml) candied ginger.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger and remaining ½ cup (125 ml) candied ginger. Drizzle in melted butter and mix until crumbly and resembling coarse sand. Distribute evenly over rhubarb.
- Bake until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling and soft, about 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack. Can be served warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream.
Drink Pairings
The Andrews Sisters
Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Flor de Caña 12-Year-Old Rum
½ oz (15 ml) Averna Amaro
½ oz (15 ml) sweet vermouth
¼ oz (7 ml) Fernet Branca
¼ oz (7 ml) brown sugar syrup (2:1 ratio with water)
¾ oz (22 ml) lime juice
2 dashes of Bittered Sling Plum & Rootbeer Bitters
mint sprig, for garnish
dehydrated lime wheel, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a Collins glass over crushed ice, slowly build ingredients. Stir to combine. Fill with more crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig.
Featuring
Canada's Punch
Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Bumbu Rum
½ oz (15 ml) Lot no. 40 Rye Whisky
½ oz (15 ml) lemon juice
½ oz (15 ml) pineapple juice
½ oz (15 ml) Allspice Syrup *
5 oz (150 ml) strong, hot black tea
1 tsp coconut oil
2 dashes of Bittered Sling Malagasy Chocolate Bitters
dehydrated pineapple chip/lemon or orange wheel, for garnish
cinnamon stick, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a coffee mug. Make sure tea is hot so that the coconut oil can fully dissolve and ingredients blend.
- * In a saucepan over low heat, combine 2 cups (500 ml) each white sugar and hot water and 15 lightly crushed allspice berries. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for 20 minutes or until you reach desired taste. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container.