Clootie Pudding served with Drambuie Cream
Ingredients
Serves 12
2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground nutmeg
¼ tsp (1 ml) ground cloves
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
¾ cup (175 ml) granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
½ cup (125 ml) frozen, coarsely grated vegetable shortening
¾ cup (175 ml) yellow raisins
½ cup (125 ml) currants
½ cup (125 ml) pitted and chopped Medjool dates
⅓ cup (75 ml) chopped dried apricots
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
1 tbsp (15 ml) fancy molasses
1 large egg
½ cup (125 ml) + 2 tbsp (30 ml) buttermilk
2 cups (500 ml) whipping cream
4 tsp (20 ml) icing sugar
3 tbsp (45 ml) Drambuie
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Into a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda, spices and salt. With a wooden spoon, stir in sugar, frozen shortening, dried fruits and grated apple.
- In a small bowl, whisk together molasses, egg and buttermilk. Stir wet mixture into dry mixture to form a stiff batter.
- In a large bowl, pour some boiling water over a clean old pillowcase, a pudding cloth or a clean tea towel. Wearing rubber gloves to protect hands, remove it and carefully wring out as much water as possible. Lay it out flat on a clean work surface and sprinkle generously with flour and about 2 tbsp (30 ml) granulated sugar. Spoon pudding mixture onto centre of cloth, loosely bring up edges around mixture and secure tightly with a piece of kitchen string. Do not wrap cloth too tightly around batter, as it will expand during cooking.
- Place a folded kitchen towel in a heatproof (preferably ceramic) bowl, large enough to accommodate pudding, in base of a large, deep saucepan. Place pudding in bowl, knotted side up. Pour in enough boiling water to just cover pudding. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, bring water to a gentle simmer and cook for 4 hours. Check water level often and top up if necessary.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- Lift pudding from saucepan and dip briefly in a large bowl of ice-cold water. Then remove cloth and place pudding on an ovenproof baking dish or platter. Bake for 15 minutes, until outside of pudding has dried off.
- While pudding bakes, make Drambuie Cream. In a large bowl, whisk together cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form. Whisk in Drambuie. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Serve pudding warm, cut into chunky wedges, with dollops of Drambuie Cream.
Drink Pairings
Quail Scotch Eggs
Ingredients
Serves 4
12 quail eggs, room temperature
½ cup (125 ml) grainy mustard
¼ cup (60 ml) IPA beer
2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
1 lb (500 g) lean ground pork
½ tsp (2.5 ml) roughly crushed fennel seeds
1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
½ tsp (2.5 ml) pepper
⅓ cup (75 ml) + 1 cup (250 ml) panko bread crumbs, divided
1 large egg white
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
vegetable oil, for frying
3 cups (750 ml) baby greens
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and have a large bowl of ice water ready. Gently add eggs to boiling water and cook for 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Remove and plunge into ice water to chill. Drain and shell, then place in fresh cold water until needed.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together grainy mustard, beer and honey. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Refrigerate Mustard-Beer Sauce until ready to use.
- In a medium bowl mix together ground pork, crushed fennel seeds, ground coriander, salt, pepper, ⅓ cup (75 ml) panko bread crumbs and egg white until well combined.
- Place a walnut-sized amount of pork mixture in palm of hand and spread into a disk ¼-in (0.5 cm) thick, or large enough to envelop egg. Gently put egg in centre of disk and wrap meat around. Roll gently in cup of hand to make a smooth ball. Repeat with remaining eggs.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat 1-in (2.5 cm) vegetable oil. Meanwhile, take 3 shallow bowls, place flour in first, beaten egg in second bowl and add remaining 1 cup (250 ml) panko bread crumbs to third. Dip each egg in flour, then beaten egg, then bread crumbs.
- Oil is hot enough when a few bread crumbs dropped into oil sizzle. Shallow-fry eggs in batches, turning, until they are pale gold and pork mixture is cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. If Scotch Eggs are browning too fast before pork mixture is cooked, you can bake them in a preheated 350 F (180 C) oven until cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- To serve, create a nest on each serving plate with baby greens. Place 2 Scotch Eggs on baby greens and garnish with a drizzle of Mustard-Beer Sauce. Enjoy while warm.
Drink Pairings
Pineapple Tarts
Ingredients
Serves 3 dozen cookies
20 oz (570 grams) fresh or frozen pineapple, finely chopped
½ cup (125 ml) white sugar
2 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
1 tsp (5 ml) + ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) grated ginger
1⅔ cups (400 ml) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 ml) powdered milk
¼ cup (60 ml) icing sugar
¾ cup + 1 tbsp (190 ml) cold butter, grated
2 eggs, beaten
Instructions
- To make Pineapple Jam, place pineapple, white sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick and 1 tsp (5 ml) salt in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down heat to low and slowly cook for about 1 to 2 hours, or until mixture reaches a jam consistency. Remove from heat and add grated ginger. Jam can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 month.
- To make dough, sift flour, powdered milk, icing sugar and ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt into a large mixing bowl. Add grated butter to dry ingredients and cut it in with a pastry cutter until everything is a sandy texture.
- Add beaten eggs to butter and flour mixture and mix until a dough forms. Shape dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Let dough rest in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1-in (2.5 cm) thick. With a 2-in (4 cm) round or flower-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top each cookie with 1 tsp (5 ml) prepared Pineapple Jam rolled into a ball.
- Bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes, or just until starting to turn golden on edges.
- Cool to room temperature before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Drink Pairings
Baked Goat's Cheese Dip
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 cup (250 ml) goat’s cheese
½ cup (125 ml) cream cheese
½ cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp (5 ml) Herbes de Provence
1 lemon, zest only
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- In a medium mixing bowl, add goat’s cheese, cream cheese and Parmesan. Using an electric mixer, mix ingredients until thoroughly combined. Place in small ovenproof dish or small cast iron skillet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned and bubbling.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic and herbs. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon zest.
- When ready to serve, drizzle a little extra oil over goat’s cheese.
- Serve with bread or crackers.
Drink Pairings
Beef Empanadas
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 10
1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
½ yellow onion
1 lb (500 g) ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
2 tbsp (30 ml) all-purpose flour
2 x 9-in (23 cm) frozen pie shells
egg wash (1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk)
salsa and sour cream, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Sauté onion until translucent. Add beef and taco seasoning. Cook meat thoroughly. Set aside to cool completely.
- Heat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Dust a flat surface with flour. Place pie shells on surface. Using a 4-in (10 cm) round cookie cutter, cut 10 rounds. Roll out each round once or twice until dough is ⅛-in (0.25 cm) thick.
- Place some cooled beef mixture in centre of each round. Using a pastry brush, brush half of each round with egg wash. Fold round in half over filling to form a crescent. Take one corner of empanada and pinch hard until it forms an overlap. Fold overlap over remaining dough to form pleats until you have reached the end. Using a pastry brush, brush outside with egg wash.
- Bake on baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve with salsa and sour cream.
Drink Pairings
Roasted Mushroom Salad
Ingredients
Serves 4
½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) grainy mustard
1 tbsp (15 ml) finely diced shallots
salt and pepper, to taste
20 medium-size brown mushrooms, stems trimmed and cleaned
2 medium-size onions, peeled (leave stem intact) and cut each 6 wedges
4 cups (1 L) baby winter greens
½ bunch Italian parsley, leaves only
½ cup (125 ml) crumbled goat’s cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- In a bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, mustard and shallots until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss ⅓ cup (75 ml) of dressing with mushrooms and onions, then spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until mushrooms and onions are cooked through and slightly browned. Let cool slightly.
- Divide winter greens evenly between 4 plates. Place 5 mushrooms and 3 pieces of onion on each plate. Sprinkle parsley and goat’s cheese evenly between each plate and drizzle with remaining dressing.
Drink Pairings
Mulled Wine Poached Pears
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 cups (500 ml) water
2 cups (500 ml) dry red wine
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
2 strips orange peel
4 pears, ripe but firm
5 oz (140 g) dark chocolate, chopped
¾ cup (175 ml) mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp (15 ml) whipping cream
½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small or medium saucepan, stir together water, wine, sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves and orange peel. Warm mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Bring mixture to a light simmer.
- Peel pears and, with a melon baller, remove core, working from bottom and carving into centre of pear.
- Place pears in simmering wine mixture. To keep pears submerged, place a piece of parchment paper over them, so that it touches poaching liquid. Poaching time will depend on their ripeness. To check pears for doneness, after 8 to 10 minutes, lift them gently from syrup with a slotted spoon and, using a small knife, poke flesh. Pear is done when knife meets little resistance. If not yet done, return pears to sugar syrup and check every 3 to 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, uncover and allow pears to cool to room temperature in poaching liquid. At this point, pears may be refrigerated in poaching liquid for up to 24 hours.
- Remove pears from poaching liquid and set aside. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce poaching liquid until only 1 cup (250 ml) remains. Discard solids and whisk in chopped chocolate until melted and fully incorporated. Whisk in a splash of whipping cream if too thick to pour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mascarpone cheese, cream and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- To serve, divide pears among serving plates. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and serve with a dollop of mascarpone cream.
Drink Pairings
Carrot Tart
Ingredients
Serves 8
14 oz (400 g) all-butter puff pastry
1 lb (500 g) multi-coloured carrots, scrubbed, sliced lengthwise in half
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground coriander
½ tsp (2.5 ml) smoked paprika
1 tbsp (15 ml) clover honey
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
4 oz (125 g) ricotta cheese
2 oz (60 g) feta cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp (30 ml) toasted pine nuts, for garnish
chopped dill, mint and parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Place oven racks in top and bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll and trim puff pastry into an 8-in x 12-in (20 cm x 30 cm) rectangle. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border around perimeter of puff pastry about ¼-in (0.5 cm) away from edges. Place puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick pastry inside border using a fork to prevent puffing in centre. Bake on top rack until puff pastry is lightly golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, toss carrots with cumin, coriander, paprika, honey and oil, season generously with salt and pepper and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast carrots on bottom rack, below puff pastry, until edges are golden and carrots are still tender-crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- While puff pastry and carrots are baking, in a food processor fitted with steel blade attachment, blend together ricotta, feta and garlic until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spread cheese mixture onto puff pastry up to border and arrange carrots in a single layer on top. Bake until carrots are tender and edges of cheese mixture are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let tart sit at room temperature for 20 minutes once out of oven.
- Sprinkle with pine nuts and herbs before cutting and serving.
Drink Pairings
Three Cheese Fondue
Ingredients
Serves 8
1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ cup (175 ml) dry white wine
1¼ cups (310 ml) whipping cream
8 oz (250 g) cream cheese
8 oz (250 g) grated Gruyère cheese
6 oz (180 g) grated Emmenthal cheese
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 pinch black pepper
bread, blanched vegetables, grapes, apples and pears, to serve
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat oil. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add wine and simmer until reduced to ½ cup (125 ml), 5 to 6 minutes.
- Stir in whipping cream, cream cheese, Gruyère and Emmenthal. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (so cheese does not scorch), until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, whisking constantly, until steaming and pourable, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in nutmeg and pepper.
- Transfer mixture to a fondue pot and serve with desired accompaniments.
Drink Pairings
TWICE-BAKED CITRUS ALMOND BRIOCHE SERVED WITH CITRUS SALAD
Ingredients
Serves 6
1¼ cups (310 ml) sliced almonds, divided
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar, divided
½ tsp (2 ml) salt
1 large egg
¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ tsp (1 ml) almond extract
1 tbsp (15 ml) orange zest
½ cup (125 ml) Champagne
1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil
6 slices brioche bread, each about ¾-in (2 cm) thick
1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice
1 red grapefruit
1 pink or white grapefruit
4 oranges
1 clementine
½ cup (125 ml) pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- In bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade attachment, pulse together ½ cup (125 ml) almonds, ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar and salt until finely ground. Add egg, butter and almond extract and process to form a paste.
- In small saucepan, bring orange zest, Champagne and remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- In small bowl, stir together olive oil and remaining ¾ cup (175 ml) almonds.
- Arrange bread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each slice generously with Champagne syrup until very moist, then spread with about 2 tbsp (30 ml) of almond paste in an even layer. Top with almond mixture.
- Bake until brioche toasts are caramelized on edges and almonds are golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- While brioche bakes, prepare Citrus Salad. In a small bowl, whisk together honey and lime juice. Cut away peel and pith of grapefruits, oranges and clementine before slicing into rounds. Arrange citrus rounds on a plate or platter. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and drizzle with honey mixture. Let aside for 10 minutes.
- Serve warm Citrus-Almond brioche with citrus salad and an additional drizzle of any leftover Champagne syrup, if desired.