Prosciutto & Melon
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
½ small cantaloupe, rind cut off, seeds removed
2 oz (60 g) Prosciutto di Parma
2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) balsamic vinegar reduction
1 handful fresh basil leaves
black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cut melon into 2 to 3-in (5 to 8 cm) chunks. Wrap each piece of melon with a piece of prosciutto, cutting prosciutto to fit, if desired. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and garnish with basil and pepper.
Drink Pairings
Taralli
Ingredients
Serves 24
1 tsp (5 ml) active dry yeast
½ tsp (2.5 ml) white sugar
¾ cup (175 ml) lukewarm water
2½ cups (625 ml) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2.5 ml) kosher salt, plus extra for boiling
½ tsp (2.5 ml) fennel seeds
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together yeast, sugar and water and allow to sit for 5 minutes to activate yeast.
- In a large bowl, mix yeast mixture with remaining ingredients until it comes together into a dough. Turn dough out onto a clean work surface and knead for 5 to 8 minutes, or until smooth. Then place dough in a clean oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, divide dough into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3-in (8 cm) long rope (do not dust with flour), then fasten ends together to create a loop.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Working in batches of 2 to 3, drop each loop in the boiling water and cook until they float to top, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to lined baking sheet.
- Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F (180 C) and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool before serving. Taralli will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
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
Onigiri
Ingredients
Serves 6 onigiri
½ oz (15 g) dried kombu seaweed
1 tsp (5 ml) bonito flakes
2 cups (500 ml) water, divided
1 handful (about 3½ oz/100 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) sake
1 tbsp (15 ml) mirin
1 tsp (5 ml) rice vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
½ tsp (2.5 ml) kosher salt
3 cups (750 ml) freshly cooked sushi rice or Japanese short grain rice*
¼ cup (60 ml) furikake ( Japanese rice seasoning)
6 pieces roasted seaweed snacks
Instructions
- In a small, covered saucepan over low heat, simmer kombu and bonito flakes in 1 cup (250 ml) water until kombu is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove kombu and set aside. Skim off bonito flakes and discard. Reserve simmering water for next step.
- Julienne prepared kombu and return to water. Add mushrooms, sake, mirin, rice vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes over low heat, until liquid has reduced by about ⅔, then allow to cool. (Or, allow to marinate in refrigerator overnight for even more flavour.)
- In a small bowl, dissolve salt in remaining 1 cup (250 ml) water.
- To assemble, wet hands with prepared salted water, scoop ½ cup (125 ml) rice into one hand and make an indent in middle of rice. Place 2 tsp (10 ml) kombu and mushroom filling in indent, then mould rice around filling. Squeeze it gently into a triangle shape.
- Sprinkle furikake onto a plate. Roll 2 sides of the triangle in furikake. Wrap a piece of seaweed around remaining side. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- * Cook 1½ cups (375 ml) rice according to package directions, then allow to cool enough to handle, but still warm.
Drink Pairings
Egg Sandos
Ingredients
Serves 6 sandwiches
7 eggs, room temperature (we recommend free-range eggs for their vibrant colour)
¼ cup (60 ml) Kewpie (Japanese) mayonnaise
1 tbsp (15 ml) whipping cream
salt and pepper, to taste
12 slices Asian milk bread, crusts removed (can also substitute white sandwich loaf)
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Gently add eggs, then bring water back to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and cook for 6½ minutes. Meanwhile, prepare two ice bath bowls. Remove 3 eggs after the 6½ minutes and place in one ice bath. Cook remaining 4 eggs for 2 more minutes (8½ minutes total), then remove and place in other ice bath.
- Once cooled, peel eggs.
- In a bowl, mash the four 8½ minute eggs, then mix with mayonnaise, cream, salt and pepper.
- Lay out 6 slices of bread. Cut the three 6½ minute eggs in half lengthwise, and lay each half cut-side down in middle of a slice of bread.
- Evenly divide egg salad between slices of bread with egg halves, and spread it out to the edges. Top with remaining slices of bread. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.
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
Chicken Karaage
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
1 lb (454 g) skin-on, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-in (5 cm) pieces
2 tbsp (30 ml) tamari
½ tsp (2.5 ml) sesame oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) sake
1 tbsp (15 ml) mirin
½-in (1.25 cm) piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
vegetable oil, for frying
½ cup (125 ml) potato starch
3 tbsp (45 ml) mochiko (sweet rice) flour
1 tbsp (15 ml) shichimi togarashi spice mix
julienned green onion, for garnish
¼ cup (60 ml) Kewpie ( Japanese) mayonnaise, to serve
½ lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
Japanese takuan pickles, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix chicken together with tamari, sesame oil, sake, mirin and ginger. Allow to marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, ideally 1 to 2 hours.
- In a wok or high-sided, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 2-in (5 cm) vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 F (190 C). Meanwhile, prepare a wire cooling rack with a sheet pan underneath.
- Drain chicken in a colander and discard marinade. In a small bowl, combine potato starch and mochiko flour. Coat chicken in starch mix, shaking off excess, then set aside on a plate.
- Fry chicken in small batches, turning halfway through, until golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165 F (74 C), about 5 to 7 minutes per batch.
- Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi, then garnish with green onion and serve with mayonnaise, lemon wedges and pickles (if using).
Drink Pairings
VEGETABLE SPRING ROLLS
Ingredients
Serves 12 spring rolls
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus extra for deep frying
2 garlic cloves, minced
½-in (1.25 cm) knob ginger, minced
1 carrot, julienned
½ cup (125 ml) julienned green cabbage
1 tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
8 pieces wood ear fungus, soaked for 20 minutes in hot water, then julienned
¼ cup (60 ml) canned julienned bamboo shoots, drained
1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce
3 tsp (15 ml) + 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce, divided
¼ tsp (1 ml) sesame oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 package 8-in (20 cm) spring roll wrappers*
1 tsp (5 ml) rice vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
2 green onions, julienned
1 handful cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a medium frying pan or wok with a lid, stir-fry garlic and ginger in vegetable oil over high heat just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add carrot and cabbage and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add a splash of water and cover with a lid. Cook until vegetables are just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Set aside. Remove lid and continue cooking until liquid has evaporated, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 tsp (5 ml) cornstarch slurry and mix until vegetables are glossy looking. Set remaining slurry aside. Transfer vegetables to a medium mixing bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 1 hour, until vegetables are cold.
- Remove cooled vegetables from fridge and mix in wood ear fungus, bamboo shoots, oyster sauce, 1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce, sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste.
- When ready to roll, stir remaining cornstarch slurry. Place 1 spring roll wrapper on a flat surface, so it looks like a diamond, with a corner pointing towards you. Spoon about 2 tbsp (30 ml) filling on wrapper corner closest to you.
- Fold wrapper away from you and over filling, then fold right and left corners towards the centre, over the filling. Continue rolling, away from you, until spring roll looks like an open envelope. Dip your finger into cornstarch slurry and paint top edges with it, like an envelope seal. Finish rolling spring roll away from you and press gently to seal. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.
- At this point, spring rolls can either be cooked, or frozen for up to 1 month. To freeze, arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze overnight, then transfer to a freezer bag. Spring rolls must be fried from frozen; do not defrost before frying.
- To fry spring rolls, fill a small or medium pot with 2 to 3-in (5 to 8 cm) vegetable oil. Heat oil over medium heat until it reaches 325 F (170 C).
- Fry spring rolls in small batches, ensuring they do not touch, or they will stick together. Roll spring rolls over while frying to brown evenly on all sides. Fry until golden brown; time will vary depending on size of pot, but filling is already cooked, so you are just looking for colour and ensuring filling is hot. Once done, remove to a paper towel to drain, and repeat with remaining spring rolls.
- To make dipping sauce, in a small bowl, mix together remaining soy sauce, rice vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Serve spring rolls with dipping sauce and garnish with green onion and cilantro.
- * One package of spring roll wrappers usually contains 24. Recipe only uses 12; however, extras are useful in case a wrapper breaks when rolling.
Drink Pairings
SEARED SCALLOPS WITH GREEN GAZPACHO AND APRICOT CAPER SALSA
Ingredients
Serves 4
4 dried apricots, diced
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) roughly chopped and drained capers
3 tbsp (45 ml) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, divided
½ tsp (2.5 ml) lemon zest
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
¼ tsp (1 ml) kosher salt, plus extra to taste
½ English cucumber
3 fresh or canned medium tomatillos, finely diced
2 green onions, light green and white part only, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil
12 large scallops, cleaned and patted dry with paper towel
Instructions
- To make Apricot Caper Salsa, in a medium bowl, stir together apricots, shallot, capers, 1 tbsp (15 ml) parsley, lemon zest and juice and ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt. Set aside.
- To make Green Gazpacho, cut cucumber lengthwise into long matchstick strips, leaving skin on, then finely dice. Transfer to a bowl along with tomatillos, green onion, garlic, remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) parsley, olive oil and lime juice. Stir together to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- In a large frying pan, heat grapeseed oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Season scallops all over with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then add to pan. Sear on both sides until a golden crust forms and they just lose their translucent colour, about 30 seconds per side.
- To plate, divide gazpacho between serving bowls, topping each with 3 warm scallops and a spoonful of Apricot Caper Salsa. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
TRUFFLE MUSHROOM PÂTÉ
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
1 oz (30 g) dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
3 medium shallots, finely chopped
10 oz (280 g) cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (250 ml) mascarpone cheese
½ tbsp (7 ml) red wine vinegar
⅓ cup (75 ml) Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tbsp (30 ml) truffle oil
¼ cup (60 ml) roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tsp (10 ml) chopped fresh thyme leaves
½ cup (125 ml) roughly chopped toasted walnut halves
toasted baguette slices, cornichons and/or raw vegetables, to serve
Instructions
- Place porcini mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over. Set aside to soak for 10 minutes.
- In a large frying pan, melt butter over medium heat until foaming. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add cremini mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, drain porcini mushrooms and reserve liquid for another use, if desired. Finely chop mushrooms, then add to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook for 1 minute then remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer mushroom mixture to a food processor fitted with steel blade attachment. Add mascarpone, vinegar, Parmigiano-Reggiano and truffle oil. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a small gratin dish or mould lined with plastic wrap so that it hangs over edges. Cover with plastic wrap and press down gently so it touches top of pâté, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. (Any extra pâté can be frozen, well covered, in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.)
- When ready to serve, in a small bowl, stir together parsley, thyme and walnuts. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle mixture over pâté in a thin layer. Serve with toasted baguette slices, cornichons and/or a selection of raw vegetables, if desired.