CHORIZO, CALAMARI AND ORZO PASTA SALAD
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
SALAD:
1½ cups (375 ml) orzo pasta, about 8 oz (250 g)
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, divided
1 lb (500 g) small calamari, cleaned, tubes cut into ½-in (1.25 cm) rounds and tentacles trimmed
¾ lb (340 g) dried cured chorizo
½ cup (125 ml) Spanish olives
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tbsp (45 ml) chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh chives
DRESSING:
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) sherry vinegar
2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
½ tsp (2 ml) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (2 ml) ground cumin
¼ tsp (1 ml) sea salt
liquid honey, to taste
freshly ground black pepper
fresh mint
fresh flat leaf parsley
lemon wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for 10 minutes or just until firm and chewy. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking together. Drain and rinse under cold water, then drain thoroughly. Transfer to large bowl and stir in 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add squid and cook for 3 minutes, just until cooked through. Add to cooked pasta.
- Peel casing from chorizo and thinly slice sausage into rounds. Add to frying pan and lightly brown over medium heat. Remove and blot dry with paper towel. Add to cooked pasta along with olives, tomatoes and herbs. Gently toss and set aside.
- For DRESSING: In a bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, cinnamon, cumin and salt. Add a drizzle of liquid honey and black pepper, to taste.
- To finish, drizzle dressing over pasta and toss to coat. Sprinkle with mint and parsley. Serve at room temperature with lemon wedges.
Drink Pairings
BEET-CURED STEELHEAD TROUT ON DARK RYE
Ingredients
Serves 6 open faced sandwiches
¾ cup (175 ml) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 ml) kosher salt
½ tsp (2 ml) freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh dill
½ tsp (2 ml) lemon zest
1½ lbs (750 g) steelhead trout fillet, scaled, pin-bones removed, skin left on
3 tbsp (45 ml) vodka
1 large red beet, peeled and grated
¼ cup (60 ml) Greek yogurt
3 tbsp (45 ml) mayonnaise
3 tbsp (45 ml) chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) chopped capers
1 tbsp (15 ml) finely chopped red onion
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 pieces dark rye or Pumpernickel bread, toasted
2 tbsp (30 ml) salted butter
½ English cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
½ yellow zucchini or yellow beet, thinly sliced into rounds
3 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
Instructions
- Line dish large enough to hold trout fillet with a double layer of aluminum foil and a layer of plastic wrap. In a bowl, stir together sugar, salt, pepper, dill and lemon zest. Scatter half the sugar mixture in a fat line down centre of prepared dish. Place trout fillet on top, skin-side down and sprinkle with vodka before covering with remaining sugar mixture. Place grated beet on top of sugared flesh side of fish. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap trout is sitting on and allow to cure in refrigerator for 2 days, flipping fish over after 24 hours. Unwrap fish, rinse off beet and sugar mixture under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Slice fillet very thinly across fish on the bias, taking care to leave behind skin. Fan out on plate, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, mayonnaise, dill, lemon juice, capers and red onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Just before ready to serve, spread bread with butter and then some lemondill sauce. Divide cucumber, zucchini and radishes equally among bread slices. Top with trout and garnish with dill sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
BAKED COCONUT PRAWNS WITH GRAPEFRUIT DIPPING SAUCE
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
DIPPING SAUCE:
2 tsp (10 ml) curry powder
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp (30 ml) liquid honey
4 tsp (20 ml) rice vinegar
2 Honeygold grapefruit, juice only
COCONUT PRAWNS:
½ cup (125 ml) unsweetened flaked coconut
⅓ cup (90 ml) panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp (30 ml) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (30 ml) cornstarch
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 large egg whites
1 lb (500 g) large prawns, tail-on, peeled and deveined
shiso leaves for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F (220 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat and set aside.
- To make DIPPING SAUCE: In a small saucepan, toast curry powder and red pepper flakes over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add honey, vinegar and grapefruit juice. Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- To make COCONUT PRAWNS: In a shallow bowl combine coconut, panko, flour, cornstarch, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to blend.
- In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg whites until slightly frothy. Add prawns to egg whites and toss to coat. Take each prawn from the egg whites, letting excess drip off, then coat in the coconut/ panko mixture, pressing to adhere. Place prawns on baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake prawns in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden on the outside and opaque in the centre.
- Place prawns on serving platter with Dipping Sauce. Garnish with Shiso leaves. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Drink Pairings
ADOBO SHRIMP WITH ZUCCHINI
Ingredients
Serves filling for about 12 tacos
6 dried Ancho chilies, stems removed
½ cup (125 ml) boiling water
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 tsp (10 ml) kosher salt, plus extra
½ tsp (2 ml) dried Mexican oregano
½ tsp (2 ml) ground cumin seed
½ tsp (2 ml) coconut sugar
2 lbs (1 kg) small or medium uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp (15 ml) coconut oil
1 large zucchini, cut into ¼-in (0.5 cm) wide half moons
ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a dry frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chilies and toast, turning often, until just fragrant and softened, about 1 minute. Remove to a plate and let cool. Using scissors and working over a medium bowl, cut toasted chilies into 1-in (2.5 cm) rings, reserving seeds. Cover chilies with water and set aside to soak, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
- Transfer hydrated chilies along with soaking liquid to jar of a blender. Add garlic, vinegar, salt, oregano, cumin, and sugar and purée until a smooth, thick paste forms. Transfer adobo paste to a large bowl before adding shrimp and stirring to coat.
- Preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Place shrimp on prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Broil, watching closely and stirring halfway through, until shrimp are just cooked through and browned in spots, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- While shrimp is cooking, heat coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and sauté until softened and starting to brown in spots, about 4 to 6 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Fold zucchini into cooked shrimp to coat lightly in sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve while warm.
Drink Pairings
AHI TUNA POKE CONE
Ingredients
Serves 12
MISO SESAME CONES:
¼ cup (60 ml) butter
½ cup (125 ml) corn syrup
1 tbsp (15 ml) miso paste
½ tbsp (7 ml) sesame oil
1 pinch each,salt and black pepper
¼ cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour, sifted
½ tbsp (7 ml) ground ginger
¼ cup (60 ml) black, white or mixed sesame seeds
AHI TUNA POKE:
¼ cup (60 ml) Japanese shoyu
½ tbsp (7 ml) sambal oelek
1 tsp (5 ml) wasabi
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1½-in (4 cm) piece ginger root, peeled and finely minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
½ medium white or sweet onion, peeled and finely diced
1 lb (500 ml) ahi tuna, cut into ¼ -in (0.5 cm) dice
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts, optional
caviar, tobiko or masago, for garnish, optional, available at Asian supermarkets
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Melt butter and corn syrup in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, stirring until mixed together. Do not boil. Remove from heat and whisk in miso paste and sesame oil. While stirring continuously, add flour and mix until smooth. Stir in ginger and sesame seeds.
- Drop in 1 tbsp (15 ml) portions on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 or 3-in (5 to 8 cm) apart, as they will spread. Bake 10 minutes, then remove from oven and cool slightly until firm enough to flip over, about 2 minutes. Bake one more minute.
- Remove from oven, cool slightly until firm enough to handle and form into small cones while warm. If they start to get too hard to shape, return to oven to soften a bit. Once shaped, set on a rack to cool.
- In a bowl, combine shoyu, sambal oelek, wasabi, sesame oil, garlic, ginger root, green onions and white onion. Add the ahi tuna and toss until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for an hour. To serve, fill cones with poke mixture and garnish with caviar, tobiko or masago.
Drink Pairings
BLACK COD WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 tbsp (30 ml) cooked black beans, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-in (2.5 cm) piece ginger root, peeled and minced
2 tbsp (30 ml) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) Chinese cooking wine
1¼ lb (625 ml) black cod fillets, skin on, scales removed, cut into 4
1 green onion, julienned
1 small red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine black beans, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce and cooking wine. Stir together to make a paste. Set aside.
- Place black cod fillets skin-side down on a heatproof platter (or plate) that will fit into a bamboo steamer and spread black bean sauce evenly over top. Place platter in steamer over a wok filled with just enough boiling water that so it does not touch the bottom of steamer. Steam, covered, over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked and flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove platter from steamer. Garnish with green onions and sliced chili, if using.