Avocado Toast Salad
Ingredients
Serves 2 to 4
1 small loaf focaccia bread, cut into 2-in (5 cm) cubes
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups (1 L) Little Gem lettuce
1 large avocado, cut into large chunks
4 semi-dried sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) pickled red onion, make ahead, recipe follows
4 radishes, cut into wedges
1 tbsp (15 ml) sweet pickled baby peppers
4 chives, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces
½ lemon, cut into wedges
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
FOR PICKLED RED ONION:
¾ cup (175 ml) white wine vinegar
3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) salt
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Toss focaccia cubes with 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. They should still be soft in middle. Allow to cool.
- Arrange focaccia cubes, lettuce, avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, radish, peppers, chives and lemon wedges on a platter.
- Whisk together lemon juice and remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil with salt and pepper, to taste. Dress salad with vinaigrette right before serving.
- To make Picked Red Onion, in a small saucepan, bring vinegar, 3 tbsp (45 ml) water, sugar and salt to a boil and simmer until sugar and salt have dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Put onions in a glass container. Pour vinegar mixture over onions and cover with a lid. Allow to sit in refrigerator overnight. Makes 2 cups (500 ml).
Drink Pairings
Coconut Orange Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Serves 12
1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
2½ cups (625 ml) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
¾ cup (175 ml) unsweetened shredded coconut
1¼ cup (310 ml) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 navel oranges, organic if possible (Oranges are blended whole, so use organic or wash well)
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
¼ tsp (1 ml) baking soda
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
1½ cups (375 ml) icing sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) + 2 tsp (10 ml) coconut milk
½ tsp (2.5 ml) finely grated orange zest
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk butter constantly until it smells nutty and brown specks start to form on bottom of saucepan. Remove from heat and carefully pour browned butter into a small bowl, scraping bottom of saucepan to collect any browned solids. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 F(170 C). Grease a 10-cup (2.4 L) Bundt pan and dust with flour. Set aside.
- Place coconut on a baking tray and toast in oven until golden brown and fragrant, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
- In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together browned butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
- Trim ends of oranges and discard. Cut oranges into chunks and remove seeds before placing in a food processor, peel and all, fitted with steel blade attachment. Pulse until mostly smooth but not completely puréed. Measure out 1½ cups (375 ml) orange purée and add to batter along with ½ cup (125 ml) toasted coconut. Combine until well blended, then sift in 2½ cups (625 ml) flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Beat until just combined, with no flour pockets. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with offset spatula or spoon.
- Bake until risen and a wooden skewer inserted into centre comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it, about 55 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert cake onto rack and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, make glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together icing sugar, coconut milk and orange zest. Adjust consistency to taste, adding more icing sugar for a thicker glaze or more coconut milk for a thinner glaze. Spoon on top of cake and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) toasted coconut. Allow to set at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
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
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
Pink Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
1¼ cups (310 ml) flour
¾ tsp (4 ml) baking powder
½ cup (125 ml) salted butter, softened
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
3 drops red food dye
½ cup (125 ml) buttermilk, divided
½ tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda
1 tsp (5 ml) apple cider vinegar
Cream Cheese Buttercream, make ahead, recipe follows
CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM
1 cup (250 ml) salted butter, softened
8 oz (250 g) package cream cheese, room temperature
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
3½ cups (875 ml) icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
- Line mini cupcake pan with mini liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in eggs, vanilla and food dye. Mix in half of the dry ingredients and half of the buttermilk. Repeat with remaining. Combine baking soda and vinegar and mix into batter. Spoon batter into lined cupcake tin and bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Allow to cool before icing.
- CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Beat in cream cheese and vanilla. Add sugar, 1 cup (250 ml) at a time, mixing as you go. Place in a piping bag and store at room temperature until ready to use.
Drink Pairings
Savoury Scones with Cranberry Cream Cheese
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
½ cup (125 ml) cold salted butter
3 cups (750 ml) flour
1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
3 cups (750 ml) grated white cheddar
1 tsp (5 ml) pepper
1 cup (250 ml) finely chopped chives
2 eggs, divided
½ cup (125 ml) + ¼ cup (60 ml) milk, divided
1 cup (250 ml) cream cheese
½ cup (125 ml) cranberry sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
- Place butter in freezer.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cheddar, pepper and chives.
- In a small bowl, beat together 1 egg and ½ cup (125 ml) milk.
- Remove butter from freezer and grate pea-size pieces into flour. Mix lightly. Mix in wet ingredients and shape dough to form a ball. Place on a floured surface and roll to 1-in (2.5 cm) thick. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut dough into hearts. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Mix together remaining egg and milk to make egg wash. Brush tops of scones with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- In a food processor, blend cream cheese and cranberry sauce. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Pipe onto scones or serve alongside.
Drink Pairings
Steamed Chicken and Leek Dumplings
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
1 lb (500 g) ground chicken
1 tbsp (30 ml) microplaned or grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, microplaned or grated
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped Chinese leek (Use Chinese chives or regular leeks if you cannot find Chinese leeks)
2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) dark soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) cornstarch
1 package round dumpling wrappers, about 1 lb (500 g)
Dipping Sauce, to serve, recipe follows (optional)
DIPPING SAUCE
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) Chinese black vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
1 pinch crushed, roasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- To make chicken filling, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl except wrappers and dipping sauce. Have dumpling wrappers ready and a small bowl filled with water.
- To make dumplings, place 1 tbsp (15 ml) of chicken filling in middle of a wrapper. Dip your finger in water and run it around edge of half of wrapper. Fold wrapper in half and pinch outside edges together, overlapping as you go, to seal edges in a crescent shape.
- Repeat with remaining dumplings. Dumplings can either be steamed right away, or frozen in a single layer, then placed in an airtight bag or container and frozen until ready to serve.
- To cook dumplings, line a bamboo steamer with parchment paper or a lettuce leaf. Lay dumplings in a single layer (not touching) in steamer. From fresh: Steam over medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through. From frozen: Steam over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through. Serve with desired dipping sauce.
- For DIPPING SAUCE, mix all ingredients together. Serve dumplings with dipping sauce and chili sauce or oil.
Drink Pairings
Steamed Rice Parcels
Ingredients
Serves 6
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) minced ginger
¼ lb (125 g) pork belly, roughly chopped
¼ lb (125 g) pork shoulder, roughly chopped
4 green onions, finely sliced
2 tsp (10 ml) light soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) dark soy sauce
2 tsp (10 ml) oyster sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
2 cups (500 ml) cooked jasmine rice
3 frozen banana leaves, washed and dried
Instructions
- In a wok or heavy bottomed saucepan, over medium-high heat, stir-fry ginger in oil just until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add pork belly and shoulder, spread it around bottom of pan and let cook without stirring until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Flip meat and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned. Add green onion, light and dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil and water. Cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add rice and mix until fully combined.
- Lay out banana leaves and divide rice evenly between them. Fold each banana leaf into a package that will fit in your steamer. Secure each package with butcher’s twine. The packages can be steamed right away or refrigerated until ready to serve. Steam packages over medium heat for 10 to 25 minutes, or until heated through. Steaming time will depend if rice is refrigerator cold or at room temperature.