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.
Drink Pairings
Lobster Noodles
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
2 x 2 lb (1 kg) whole live lobsters (Alternately, have your fishmonger cook the lobster for you and begin at step 2)
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) minced ginger, plus fried julienned ginger, for garnish
2 tbsp (30 ml) minced garlic
1 x 10 oz (300 g) package yee-mein (longevity) noodles, boiled per package instructions, then drained
¼ cup (60 ml) black bean sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
4 green onions, thinly sliced on the bias
Instructions
- If cooking lobster yourself, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add lobsters and cook over high heat for 14 minutes (2 minutes per pound). Remove lobsters from water and immediately place in an ice bath until completely chilled. Once lobsters have chilled, twist off heads and save for another use.
- Cut tails into 1-in (2.5 cm) slices and set aside. Remove meat from claws and chop meat into small chunks, then set aside.
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, then ginger and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add yee-mein noodles, black bean sauce, soy sauce, sugar and cooking wine. Stir-fry until noodles are hot and evenly mixed with sauce. Add chopped lobster claw meat and mix until combined.
- Transfer noodles to a warm serving platter.
- Return wok to heat and add sliced lobster tail. Add 2 tbsp (30 ml) water to wok and cover with a lid. Heat lobster slices just until warmed through, then toss with any remaining liquid in the wok. Arrange lobster slices over noodles and garnish with green onions and crispy ginger.
Drink Pairings
Polenta Crisps with Tomato Jam
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 10
3½ cups (875 ml) vegetable stock
1 cup (250 ml) polenta
1 cup (250 ml) grated Parmesan
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
½ red onion, diced
1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tbsp (45 ml) balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan over high heat, bring vegetable stock to a boil. Add polenta and stir rapidly with a whisk. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Parmesan and let cool for 2 minutes. Pour polenta into a parchment-lined 10-in x 10-in (25 cm x 25 cm) square baking pan. Place in refrigerator to set, minimum 4 hours (preferably overnight).
- To make Tomato Jam, in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Sauté onion until translucent. Add tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Reduce heat to low and simmer until soft. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Remove block of polenta from pan and cut into 3-in (8 cm) long rectangles. Spray a baking sheet and polenta with oil. Place polenta fries on pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, then flip, bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Using a blender, blend tomato mixture lightly, some lumps should remain. Season jam to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve polenta warm with Tomato Jam on side.
Drink Pairings
Roasted Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 medium-sized head red cabbage, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) slices (8 slices total)
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp (15 ml) crushed caraway seeds, divided
½ cup (125 ml) sour cream
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) horseradish
½ cup (125 ml) dry farro, cooked per package instructions
1 handful fresh dill, leaves picked into small pieces, for garnish
1 handful pea shoots, stems trimmed off, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C)
- Brush cabbage slices with olive oil and lay on a baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper and ½ tbsp (7 ml) caraway seeds. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until cabbage is cooked through and slightly crisp and browned on some edges.
- While cabbage is roasting, make dressing. Mix together sour cream, lemon juice, horseradish and remaining ½ tbsp (7 ml) caraway seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Lay 2 slices of cabbage per plate, drizzle each serving with 2 tbsp (30 ml) dressing. Divide farro evenly between each serving and garnish with dill and pea shoots.
Drink Pairings
VEGETABLE MEDLEY POLENTA PIE
Ingredients
Serves 6
3½ cups (875 ml) vegetable stock
1 cup (250 ml) polenta
2 cups (500 ml) almonds, shelled
¾ cup (175 ml) water
5 garlic cloves, roasted
2 tbsp (30 ml) nutritional yeast.
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large zucchini
1 large sweet potato
1 small eggplant
thyme leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
- Line a 9-in (2.5 L ) springform cake pan with parchment paper, including sides. Spray with non-stick spray and set aside. Repeat with a cookie sheet.
- In a medium saucepan, over high heat, bring vegetable stock to boil. Whisk in polenta, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, until thick. Pour just enough into cake pan to cover bottom (a little less than half ). Pour remaining polenta onto cookie sheet and spread with a spatula. Refrigerate both for 30 minutes.
- In a high-speed blender, add almonds, water, garlic and nutritional yeast. Blend on high, scraping down sides. If still too thick, add a little more water, to form a smooth, ricotta-like texture.
- Remove polenta from refrigerator. Cut two 2-in (5 cm) wide long strips of polenta from the cookie sheet. Place these along sides of cake pan to form the “crust,” making sure there are no gaps at base. Pour almond “ricotta” into base of pan and spread evenly. Return to refrigerator while preparing vegetables.
- Slice all vegetables into ⅛-in (0.25 cm) rounds. Sprinkle zucchini and eggplant with a little salt and let sit for 5 minutes. Pat dry using a paper towel. Assemble vegetables, either overlapping horizontally or vertically, on top of almond “ricotta.”
- Bake for 45 minutes, until vegetables are fork-tender. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve
Drink Pairings
WILD RICE AND ISRAELI COUS COUS-STUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 large butternut squash
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 sprigs thyme, de-stemmed
2 cups (500 ml) packed spinach leaves
2 cups (500 ml) wild rice cooked in vegetable stock
1 cup (250 ml) cooked Israeli cous cous,
½ cup (125 ml) golden raisins
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
- Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Place face down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until slightly fork-tender. Using a spoon, scoop out seeds, then hollow out a well for stuffing, leaving ¾-in (2 cm) of squash as a border. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet, over medium heat, heat oil. Sautée onions, garlic and thyme. Once onions are translucent, add spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, add cooked rice, cous cous, cooled spinach mixture and raisins. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Firmly pack each squash half with stuffing. Flip one half onto the other and use twine to fasten together tightly.
- Return to oven and bake for another 25 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if squash is tender all the way through. If not, bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until tender.
- Serve on a platter, whole or cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) rounds.