Savoury Cheese Truffles
Ingredients
Serves 25
1 x 8 oz package (227 g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup (125 ml) crumbled feta cheese
2 green onions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ tsp (7 ml) finely chopped fresh dill
1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
¼ tsp (1 ml) smoked paprika
⅛ tsp (0.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup (175 ml) black sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a large bowl, with a handheld beater fitted with whisk attachments, beat together cream cheese and olive oil. Add feta, green onion, garlic, dill, oregano, smoked paprika and black pepper and stir together with a wooden spoon. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Pour black sesame seeds onto a plate and shake until seeds are in an even layer. Scoop about 1-in (2.5 cm) rounds of cheese mixture into your hands and roll into a ball before placing onto seeds and rolling to coat. Place cheese truffles on a serving plate and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Drink Pairings
Green Gold
Ingredients
Serves 1
black salt, for garnish (optional)
1½ oz (45 ml) Los Siete Misterios Doba-yej Mezcal
¾ oz (22 ml) lime juice
½ oz (15 ml) Chartreuse Green Liqueur
¼ oz (7 ml) agave nectar
¾ tsp (4 ml) yuzu kosho*
1 dash Bittered Sling Cascade Celery Bitters
shiso leaf, for garnish
Instructions
- Rim a rocks glass with salt, if using: sprinkle a handful of black salt on a small plate. Moisten rim of glass and dip into salt. Combine remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice and shake. Fine strain through a mesh strainer into prepared glass, fill with ice and garnish with a shiso leaf.
- *A type of citrusy Japanese chili paste. Available at most Asian grocery stores.
Drink Pairings
Berry Cassis Pops
Ingredients
Serves 10
2½ cups (625 ml) vanilla Greek yogurt
¼ cup (60 ml) honey
1 lemon, zest only
1 cup (250 ml) frozen raspberries, thawed, with their liquid
1 cup (250 ml) frozen blackberries, thawed, with their liquid
½ cup (125 ml) crème de cassis
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together yogurt, honey and lemon zest. Transfer to a large zip-top bag and set aside.
- In a large blender, blend berries and crème de cassis for 1 minute, or until smooth. Transfer to another large zip-top bag.
- Cut one of the bottom corners off the berry mixture bag to create a piping bag. Divide berry mixture between popsicle moulds, piping to about ¼ of the way up each mould. Repeat with yogurt mixture, filling each mould to the top.
- Using a wooden skewer, gently stir each popsicle mould 3 to 4 times to swirl the mixtures together; do not mix together completely. Place sticks in moulds and freeze for at least 8 hours.
Drink Pairings
Paloma Pops
Ingredients
Serves 10
½ cup (125 ml) tequila
¼ cup (60 ml) triple sec
3 cups (750 ml) grapefruit juice (no pulp)
½ cup (125 ml) lime juice (about 3 to 4 limes)
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh mint leaves*
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, spouted jug, stir together tequila, triple sec, grapefruit juice, lime juice and mint. 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
Sangria Pops
Ingredients
Serves 10
2 cups (500 ml) red wine
1 cup (250 ml) lemon-lime soda
1 cup (250 ml) orange juice (no pulp)
Instructions
- In a large, spouted jug, stir together all ingredients. Pour into popsicle moulds, place sticks in moulds and freeze for at least 8 hours.
Drink Pairings
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
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.