Parsnip Pancakes served with Crab Salad and Salsa Verde
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
¼ cup (60 ml) basil leaves
¼ cup (60 ml) cilantro leaves
¼ cup (60 ml) flat leaf parsley leaves
1 green onion, trimmed and roughly chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) + 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) sour cream
2 tbsp (30 ml) mayonnaise
½ tsp (2.5 ml) Dijon mustard
½ lb (227 g) cooked crab claw meat
1 stalk celery, finely diced
½ medium red pepper, diced
4 tsp (20 ml) finely chopped chives
¾ cup (175 ml) whole milk
2 large eggs
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
1 tsp (5 ml) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1 ml) each salt and pepper
1½ cups (375 ml) peeled and grated parsnips (about 3 medium parsnips)
1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil, plus extra as needed, for frying
1 cup (250 ml) baby greens
1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- To make salsa verde, in a blender, combine basil, cilantro, parsley, green onion, olive oil and 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice. Blend until a chunky sauce is formed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 4 days.
- To make crab salad, in a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard and remaining 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
- In a medium bowl, lightly toss together crab, celery, red pepper and chives. Add dressing and gently toss together until crab is just coated in mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.
- To make pancakes, in a medium bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and ¼ tsp (1 ml) each salt and pepper. Stir in milk mixture and parsnips until just combined.
- In a large nonstick frying pan, warm 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil over medium heat. Measure ¼ cup (60 ml) of batter per pancake into pan, slightly spreading batter and gently flipping pancakes when edges are golden brown and bubbles form on surface, about 2 minutes. Cook until golden brown on underside and cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter. Makes 11 to 12 pancakes.
- To serve, divide pancakes between serving plates. Top with greens, slices of avocado, crab salad and a drizzle of salsa verde and serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
Dungeness Crab Cakes served with Korean Cucumber Salad & Lemon Aioli
Ingredients
Serves 20
3 tbsp (45 ml) butter, divided
½ cup (125 ml) finely minced onion
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely minced shallot
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely sliced green onion
2 large eggs
¼ cup (60 ml) best quality mayonnaise (suggest Hellman’s)
1 tsp (5 ml) grainy Dijon mustard
¼ cup (60 ml) finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
½ tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt, plus extra to taste
½ tsp (2.5 ml) black pepper, plus extra to taste
2¼ cups (560 ml) fresh bread crumbs, divided
1 lb (454 g) fresh lump Dungeness crab meat (including some leg meat if possible)
2 tbsp (30 ml) light olive oil, divided
fresh lemon wedges, to serve
1 tsp (5 ml) rice wine vinegar
¼ tsp (1 ml) fish sauce
½ tsp (2.5 ml) dark brown sugar
1 small garlic clove, grated
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lime juice
1 tsp (5 ml) light soy sauce
2 tsp (10 ml) canola oil
1¼ tsp (6 ml) gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes), plus extra for garnish*
2 mini cucumbers, very thinly sliced
½ cup (125 ml) best quality mayonnaise (suggest Hellman’s)
1 tbsp (15 ml) finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, grated
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small sauté pan, melt 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and shallot. Sauté until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add green onion and sauté for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- In a large bowl, mix together eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, parsley, lemon juice, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt and 1 tsp (5 ml) pepper. Mix in 1 cup (250 ml) bread crumbs. Gently fold in sautéed onion, add crab meat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place remaining 1¼ cups (310 ml) bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Measure out 2 tbsp (30 ml) portions of crab mixture and form into patties, placing on lined baking sheet. One by one, roll each crab cake in bread crumbs, turning once to coat well. Reshape if necessary and place back on lined baking sheet. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, and up to 4 hours, to firm up.
- Meanwhile, to make Korean Cucumber Salad, in a medium bowl, combine vinegar, fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, lime juice, soy sauce, oil and gochugaru, mixing well to dissolve sugar. Add cucumber and toss until well coated with sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To make Lemon Aioli, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- In a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter and 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil. When sizzling, add half the crab cakes. Cook until crusty and deep golden brown on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes, then flip cakes over and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan onto a paper towel-lined tray and cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe down pan to remove any bread crumbs left behind, then add remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter and 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil and cook second batch of crab cakes.
- Place warm crab cakes onto a serving platter and top each with a cucumber slice, a small dollop of aioli and a sprinkle of gochugaru. Serve remaining cucumber salad and aioli on the side along with lemon wedges.
Drink Pairings
Anchovy Palmiers
Ingredients
Serves 24
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
1 tbsp (15 ml) anchovy paste
1 large garlic clove, grated
½ lemon, zest only
2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice
½ tsp (2.5 ml) sugar
¼ tsp (1 ml) ground pepper
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 x 14 oz (396 g) package frozen puff pastry, defrosted according to package instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine butter, tomato paste, anchovy paste, garlic, lemon zest and juice, sugar, pepper and Tabasco.
- Roll out puff pastry to a 9½-in x 15-in (24 x 38 cm) rectangle. Spread anchovy mixture evenly over puff pastry, making sure to reach all the way to edges.
- Tightly roll bottom of pastry toward the middle, stopping at centre. Then, roll top of pastry down to meet in centre. Place pastry roll in refrigerator for 1 hour, or freezer for 20 minutes, to firm it up.
- Slice roll into ½-in (1.25 cm) rounds and arrange on lined baking sheet. Transfer pan to refrigerator for 10 minutes, or freezer for 5 minutes, to firm up pastry again.
- Bake palmiers for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through, rotating pan after 10 minutes. Transfer palmiers to a wire rack and allow to cool. Will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Drink Pairings
Marinated Sardines
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
1 x 4-oz (116 g) can small, good-quality Spanish sardines in olive oil
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
3 pickled peppers, thinly sliced, or to taste
1 handful chopped parsley leaves
crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine sardines with their oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic and peppers. Cover and allow to marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
- To serve, transfer sardines to a shallow dish or plate and pour marinade over. Garnish with peppers and parsley, and serve with crusty bread.
Drink Pairings
Garlic Prawns
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 lb (454 g) sustainable prawns, peeled and deveined
½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 pinch chili flakes, or to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) Fino or Amontillado sherry
1 pinch lemon zest
½ lemon, juice only
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped parsley leaves
crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
- Rinse prawns under cold running water for 2 minutes. Drain and thoroughly pat dry with paper towel.
- In a large heavy-bottomed frying pan, heat oil over high heat. Once oil shimmers, add prawns to pan. Cook on one side for 30 seconds, flip, then stir in garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add sherry and cook for 1 more minute, or until prawns are opaque and cooked through. Add lemon zest and juice and parsley and toss to combine. Serve immediately, with crusty bread.
Drink Pairings
Salt Cod Dip served with Music Bread
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
½ lb (227 g) salt cod fillets
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
5 whole black peppercorns
1 small bay leaf
1 small shallot, peeled
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 strip lemon zest, plus extra grated zest for garnish
½ lemon, juice only
½ cup (125 m) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for garnish
salt, to taste (if needed)
chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
Sardinian music bread or crackers, to serve
Instructions
- Soak cod in cold water for 24 hours in refrigerator, changing water 2 to 3 times throughout soaking time.
- Rinse cod well. Place in a saucepan and add milk, peppercorns, bay leaf, whole shallot, garlic and lemon zest. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, then remove pan from heat and allow to sit for another 15 minutes.
- Remove cod from milk. Remove any bones and skin and discard. Discard bay leaf, shallot and lemon zest but reserve milk and garlic.
- Transfer cod to a food processor or blender with ¼ cup (60 ml) reserved milk, lemon juice and reserved garlic. Pulse a few times, then with food processor or blender on low speed, drizzle in olive oil until mixture reaches desired consistency of dip, adding more reserved milk to thin out if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed (you may not need any, depending on saltiness of cod).
- Spread dip in a shallow dish, then garnish with lemon zest, parsley and olive oil. Serve with music bread or crackers.
Drink Pairings
Trout Niçoise Salad
Ingredients
Serves 2
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt, plus extra to taste
2 eggs
½ small beet, raw, sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) white vinegar
10 small new potatoes, washed, unpeeled
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
2 x 4 oz (125 g) trout fillets
black pepper, to taste
1 head butter lettuce
1 cup (250 ml) halved cherry tomatoes
¼ cup (60 ml) pitted Kalamata olives
½ lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
Dill Dressing, ingredients follow below
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp (30 ml) mayonnaise
1 tbsp (15 ml) grainy mustard
1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) diced dill pickles or cornichons
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped capers
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped dill
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp (5 ml) water, plus extra as needed (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot over high heat, bring 8 cups (2 L) water to a boil. Add ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt. Gently add eggs and boil for 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath with just enough water to cover eggs and add beet slices and vinegar. Remove eggs from boiling water (reserve water for step 3) and run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Then peel under cold running water and place in beet and vinegar ice bath for at least 1 hour. For extra vibrant colour, transfer to refrigerator and allow to sit in bath overnight.
- In same boiling water, cook potatoes until fork-tender, about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on size. Remove potatoes (again reserving water for step 4) and run under cold water to stop cooking.
- Prepare another ice bath. In same boiling water, blanch asparagus for 2 to 5 minutes or until al dente, then drain and place in ice bath.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- In a large cast iron or ovenproof pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season trout with salt and pepper and place in pan, flesh-side down. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Flip trout and transfer pan to oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until trout is just opaque (timing will vary depending on thickness of fish).
- To assemble, remove eggs from ice bath and cut in half lengthwise. Drain asparagus and pat dry. Tear lettuce leaves and lay on a serving platter. Layer potatoes, asparagus, tomatoes, eggs and olives over lettuce. Place trout on top and drizzle with Dill Dressing. Serve with lemon wedges.
- For Dill dressing, In a medium bowl, combine garlic, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, pickles, capers and dill. Season with salt and pepper. If needed, to thin out dressing, add water, 1 tsp (5 ml) at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. Makes about ½ cup (125 ml)
Drink Pairings
Miso Tuna Salad
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
2 x 5-oz (140 g) cans tuna in water, drained
1 tsp (5 ml) miso
¼ cup (60 ml) Kewpie (Japanese) mayonnaise
½ tsp (2.5 ml) mirin
salt and pepper, to taste
2 mini cucumbers, cut into 2-in (5 cm) sticks
1 green onion, thinly sliced
½ tsp (2.5 ml) sesame seeds
1 avocado, sliced, to serve
12 pieces roasted seaweed snacks, to serve
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine tuna, miso, mayonnaise, mirin, salt and pepper.
- Transfer tuna salad to a serving plate. Top with cucumber, green onion and sesame seeds and serve with avocado and roasted seaweed. To eat, wrap some tuna salad and avocado in a piece of seaweed.
Drink Pairings
STIR-FRIED RICE CAKES WITH PRAWNS
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
1 tsp (5 ml) cornstarch
1 tsp (5 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) salt, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar, divided
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground white pepper, divided
5 oz (140 g) pork shoulder, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
5 oz (140 g) sustainable prawns, deveined
½ bunch choy sum, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces, blanched and shocked in ice water
15 oz (425 g) flat rice cakes (found at any Asian market)
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) oyster sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine cornstarch, cooking wine, salt, sugar, pepper and pork shoulder. Allow to marinate for ½ hour.
- Heat a wok over high heat. Add vegetable oil and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add pork shoulder in a single layer and allow it to sit until bottom has browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn meat over to cook other side for about 2 minutes.
- Add prawns and choy sum and stir-fry for another minute or two, or just until prawns start to turn pink. Add rice cakes, soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir-fry until everything is combined. Cover with a lid and cook just until rice cakes are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add sesame oil and mix to combine. Serve on a warm platter.
Drink Pairings
WHOLE STEAMED FISH
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
1 lotus root, for garnish
2 lb (1 kg) whole white fish (sea bass, rock fish or snapper), scaled and gutted
1-in (2.5 cm) knob ginger, peeled and julienned
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
2 tsp (10 ml) sugar
4 green onions, julienned
1 handful cilantro leaves
dried goji berries, for garnish
steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
- Peel lotus root and, carefully using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, slice or peel ten ⅛-in (0.25 cm) slices. Rinse in cold water, then dry thoroughly with paper towel.
- In a small saucepan, deep fry lotus in 1-in (2.5 cm) vegetable oil at 325 F (170 C) until golden brown, flipping halfway through, about 5 minutes total. Remove to paper towel to drain.
- Prepare wok or wide pot for steaming: fill with 2-in (5 cm) water and place a steaming trivet inside. Place a heatproof plate (a glass pie plate works well) large enough to fit fish on the trivet and bring water to a boil over high heat.
- Stuff fish with half the ginger. Place fish on plate, put remaining ginger on top of fish and cover wok. Steam for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
- Just before fish is finished cooking, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering.
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, water, sesame oil and sugar.
- Remove plate from wok and transfer fish to a serving platter. Place green onions on top of fish.
- Carefully pour hot oil over fish, followed by soy sauce mixture. Garnish with cilantro, goji berries and lotus root chips. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.