MAPLE AND TAMARI- ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES
Ingredients
Serves 8
4 turnips, trimmed, cut into 8 wedges
1 rutabaga, trimmed, cut into rectangles
6 carrots, trimmed, halved lengthwise
3 parsnips, trimmed, quartered lengthwise
5 each golden and red beets, trimmed, quartered lengthwise
2 tbsp (30 ml) tamari
2 tbsp (30 ml) pure maple syrup
1 tbsp (15 ml) white wine vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh rosemary
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Arrange oven racks in top and bottom third of oven before preheating to 425 F (220 C).
- Fill a large saucepan with water, season with a couple generous pinches of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Blanch turnips until barely tender, 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer turnips to a baking sheet. Repeat blanching with rutabaga before reducing heat to medium-high. Add carrots and parsnips to saucepan and simmer until barely tender, 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to baking sheets with turnips and rutabaga. Add yellow beets to saucepan and simmer until just tender, 5 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet and repeat with red beets. Allow all vegetables to cool for 10 minutes. Discard cooking water.
- Whisk together tamari, maple syrup and vinegar. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss vegetables with oil, thyme and rosemary before seasoning with salt and pepper. Spread vegetables in an even layer on 2 large baking sheets. Roast for 15 minutes. Drizzle vegetables with tamari mixture and continue to roast until vegetables are browned, another 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a platter and serve warm.
Drink Pairings
PARMESAN AND CORN LOLLIPOPS
Ingredients
Serves 16
¾ cup (175 ml) finely grated Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh or frozen corn kernels, cooked and cooled
1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lime juice
¼ tsp (1 ml) freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to taste
16 thin pretzels sticks or bread sticks
1 tsp (5 ml) lime zest
Instructions
- With rack in middle position, preheat oven to 200 C (400 F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.
- In a small bowl, combine cheese, corn, lime juice and pepper.
- Place 8 pretzel sticks on baking sheet, making sure to leave enough space between each to ensure pops don’t merge together once cheese melts. Place a 2-in (5 cm) ring or cookie cutter on top of each pretzel and sprinkle 1 tbsp (15 ml) of cheese mixture into it in a thin layer.
- Bake for about 6 minutes or until cheese has melted and is golden. Remove from oven and slide paper or silicone mat off baking sheet and onto a rack to help speed up cooling. Sprinkle with lime zest and freshly ground black pepper. Leave to cool for 1 to 2 minutes until lollipops have become crisp. Carefully remove each one with a palette knife.
- Serve immediately or keep for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container and reheat before serving.
Drink Pairings
MUSHROOM AND CABBAGE DUMPLINGS
Ingredients
Serves 16 Dumplings
DIPPING SAUCE:
3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) rice wine vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) chili oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
½ tsp (2 ml) fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
½ tsp (2 ml) minced green onion
½ tsp (2 ml) toasted sesame seeds, crushed
DUMPLINGS:
3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil, divided
¼ small cooking onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp (10 ml) peeled and minced fresh ginger root
2 cups (500 ml) shiitake mushrooms, chopped
½ head small Napa cabbage, shredded
2 tbsp (30 ml) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) Chinese cooking wine
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
16 x 3-in (8 cm) wonton wrappers
¼ cup (60 ml) water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine DIPPING SAUCE ingredients. Whisk together until blended and set aside.
- To make DUMPLINGS: Heat a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Add half the vegetable oil, minced onion, garlic and ginger and sauté until soft.
- Add mushrooms, cabbage, salt and sugar and cook until mushrooms are fully cooked and liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a bowl and mix in Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce, pepper and sesame oil.
- To assemble, place 1 tsp (5 ml) filling in middle of a wonton wrapper. Wet edge of wrapper with a little bit of water. Fold over and crimp edges together to form small pleats to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
- Heat remaining vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Place dumplings flat-side down in frying pan until golden brown. Add water and immediately cover with lid.
- Cook dumplings for about 6 to 8 minutes over medium heat. Then remove lid and continue cooking until dumplings release from bottom of the pan and bottoms are crisp.
- Serve hot, dipped in Dipping Sauce.
Drink Pairings
PINEAPPLE AND BLACK BEAN SALSA
Ingredients
Serves about 2 1/2 cups (375 ml)
½ pineapple, cut into four ½-in (1 cm) rings
2 tbsp (30 ml) melted coconut oil
½ cup (125 ml) finely diced red onion
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped cilantro leaves
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice, plus extra for seasoning
1 to 2 habanero chilies, minced, including seeds for a hotter salsa
1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1 cup (250 ml) cooked black beans
Instructions
- Preheat grill over medium heat. Alternatively preheat oven broiler and set an oven rack about 8-in (20 cm) from broiler element.
- Brush pineapple slices with oil and grill them until caramelized and tender, about 3 to 4 minutes per side on grill or 6 to 8 minutes if broiling. Let pineapple sliced cool to room temperature before cutting into ¼-in (0.5 cm) dice.
- In a large bowl, stir together diced pineapple, onion, cilantro, parsley, lime juice, habanero, salt and black beans until well combined. Season to taste with additional salt and lime juice. Place in a serving bowl and let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Drink Pairings
LONG LIFE NOODLES
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
3 tbsp (45 ml) dark soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce
2 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce
½ tsp (2 ml) sugar
1 lb (500 g) fresh Shanghai wheat noodles or any other long Chinese noodles
2 tbsp (30 ml) canola oil
1 large knob ginger, about 1½-in (3.75 cm) finely minced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
½ lb (250 g) Chinese barbecued pork, cut into thin juliennes, about 2-in (5 cm) long
3 cups (750 ml) bean sprouts, rinsed and dried well
5 green onions, trimmed and cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) lengths
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together soy sauces, oyster sauce and sugar. Set aside.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions or until barely tender to the bite. Drain.
- Heat a large non-stick wok over high heat. Add oil. When it starts to simmer, add ginger and garlic and stir until fragrant. Add onion and barbecued pork, stir-fry for a couple minutes or until onions start to soften. Add bean sprouts, green onions and noodles. Mix well and drizzle over soy mixture. Toss well until heated thoroughly. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
KICKED-UP GRILLED CORN
Ingredients
Serves 12
8 ears of corn with husks
2 tbsp (30 ml) salt
TOPPING:
½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely grated Parmesan
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
½ tsp (2 ml) crushed red chili flakes
Instructions
- Pull outer husks from corn back and strip away silk from each ear of corn. Fold husks back into place and put corn in large bowl or sink with cold water and 2 tbsp (30 ml) salt for 10 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium.
- Combine Topping ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Stir to blend and set aside.
- Remove corn from water bath and shake off excess. Place corn with husks intact directly on heated grill. Close barbecue and grill corn for 15 to 20 minutes or until kernels are tender when pierced. Turn corn every 5 minutes during grilling.
- Remove husks and generously spread cobs with topping while still hot.
Drink Pairings
GRILLED AVOCADO WITH CHICKPEAS AND TAHINI DRESSING
Ingredients
Serves 6
TAHINI DRESSING:
¼ cup (60 ml) sesame tahini
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) each, tamari soy sauce and fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 ml) water, plus extra, if needed
1 garlic clove, smashed and minced
1 tsp (5 ml) peeled and grated ginger root
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
STUFFED AVOCADOS:
1 x 14 oz (398 ml) can chickpeas
2 tbsp + 1 tbsp (45 ml) grape seed oil
½ tsp (2 ml) smoked paprika
salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup (125 ml) very finely diced unpeeled English cucumber
½ cup (125 ml) quartered cherry tomatoes
3 avocados
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place all TAHINI DRESSING ingredients in a small blender and whirl until smooth and creamy. Add a little more water, if needed to make it pourable. Transfer to a squeeze tube and refrigerate until ready to use. Can be refrigerated for several days.
- Preheat barbecue to about 375 F (190 C). Rinse and drain chickpeas, pat dry with paper toweling. Slip off any papery skins, if desired. Transfer chickpeas to a bowl and toss with grape seed oil. Dust with smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Place in a grill basket or on a small baking tray, spreading out to an even thickness. Grill for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until chickpeas are golden and lightly crisped. Remove and transfer to a bowl to cool.
- When chickpeas are cooled, gently toss together with finely diced cucumber and tomatoes in a bowl. Set aside. Can be made ahead and refrigerated.
- Cut avocados in half and remove pits. Brush with extra-virgin olive oil. Place cut-side down on grill and cook until nice grill marks form, about 2 minutes. Give Tahini Dressing a quick shake and drizzle sauce over top of avocados and chickpeas. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
HOMEMADE CORN TORTILLAS
Ingredients
Serves about 13 to 16 tortillas
2 cups (500 ml) instant masa harina, either yellow corn or white corn variety
½ tsp (2 ml) sea salt
1½ cups (375 ml) hot water, not boiling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together masa harina and salt. Add water and with your hands, mix and knead until a smooth dough forms. Check consistency by pinching off a bit of dough and flattening it between your palms. If large cracks form or it is crumbly, add more water 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time. Dough should be soft and flatten easily with few, if any, cracks forming around outer edge.
- Cut top from a large zip-top bag and cut open remaining two sides to create two large plastic squares. Set aside.
- For larger 6-in (14.5 cm) tortillas, divide dough into 1.5 oz (45 g) balls. For smaller 4-in (10 cm) tortillas, divide dough into 1 oz (45 g) balls. While shaping and cooking tortillas, keep dough covered with a damp kitchen towel.
- Heat a griddle or large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Open tortilla press, place a drop of oil on bottom plate and lay down one plastic square. Working with one ball of dough at a time, place ball in center of bottom plate and flatten slightly with your palm. Place second plastic square over dough and press using a tortilla press. Open press, peel off plastic square and take your tortilla to the griddle. Cook on griddle, flipping once, until surface is brown in spots and appears dry, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Continue shaping and cooking remaining tortillas. As they are cooked, wrap them in a kitchen towel to keep warm. Tortillas are best eaten freshly made. Tortillas may be made up to an hour before serving. Warm by wrapping in a damp kitchen towel and then in foil before heating in a 200 F (93 C) for about 10 minutes.
Drink Pairings
LEMON HERB POPOVERS
Ingredients
Serves 6
2 large eggs
1 tsp (5 ml) finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp (10 ml) finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped chives
1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped sage
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
grapeseed or coconut oil, for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). In a large 4-cup (1 L) measuring bowl or medium-sized bowl, whisk eggs, lemon zest, herbs, salt and milk. Add flour and whisk until combined and only some small lumps remain.
- Place popover pan or standard muffin pan in oven for 5 minutes until piping hot. Remove pan from oven and quickly but generously brush each cup with grapeseed oil. Divide batter among cups, filling at least half full. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 35 minutes. Do not open oven door during cooking or popovers may collapse. Pierce each with a knife and return to oven for another 5 minutes. Turn popovers out onto a serving platter and enjoy warm.
Drink Pairings
CHICKEN WITH PISTACHIO GREMOLATA
Ingredients
Serves 4
GRILLED CHICKEN:
1 lemon, zest and juice
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1 pinch pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
PISTACHIO GREMOLATA:
¼ cup (60 ml) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
10 mint leaves, finely chopped
10 basil leaves, finely chopped
½ garlic clove, finely grated
3 anchovies, packed in oil, finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) grainy mustard
2 tbsp (30 ml) champagne vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) liquid honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) toasted pistachios, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
CREAMY CANNELLINI BEANS:
1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) butter
1 small leek, white part only, washed and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
2 sprigs thyme
½ cup (125 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp (5 ml) champagne vinegar
3 tbsp (45 ml) white wine, such as Pinot Gris
1 x (398 ml) can cannellini beans, drained
Instructions
- To marinate chicken, in a large mixing bowl combine lemon, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add chicken and evenly coat in mixture. Cover and marinate overnight.
- Meanwhile, prepare PISTACHIO GREMOLATA: In a bowl, mix all ingredients together adding salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
- When ready to cook, bring chicken to almost room temperature, about 30 minutes before cooking. Brush barbecue grill with oil. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- While chicken is resting, prepare CREAMY CANNELLINI BEANS: Heat olive oil and butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add leek, garlic and salt and cook until leek has softened. Add thyme, cherry tomatoes, champagne vinegar, white wine and cannellini beans. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until flavours have blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
- While beans are cooking, grill marinated chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on both sides, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Internal temperature should register 165 F (75 C) when tested with a meat thermometer.
- To serve, add a scoop of cannellini beans to a serving plate. Top with Grilled Chicken and Pistachio Gremolata. Serve alongside Grilled Asparagus with Modern Sauce Gribiche, if desired.