POLENTA ROUNDS WITH CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS & CRANBERRY-ORANGE RELISH
Be the toast of the town this New Year’s by throwing a gathering full of inspired bites that are not only delicious, but also easy to whip together as well. All that will be left is to pop a bottle of Champagne and toast to the New Year.Ingredients
Serves Makes about 24 pieces
1 tbsp (15 ml) melted unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
4 cups (1 L) warm water
1¼ cups (310 ml) polenta
1½ tsp (7 ml) kosher salt, divided
½ orange, unpeeled, cut into chunks and seeded
6 oz (180 g) fresh cranberries
⅓ cup to ½ cup (75 to 125 ml) granulated sugar
1 cup (250 ml) ricotta cheese
1 tbsp (15 ml) whipping cream
½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) finely chopped parsley leaves
1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped thyme leaves
4 cups (1 L) Brussels sprout leaves
2 tbsp (30 ml) grapeseed oil, plus extra for frying
Instructions
- Start this hors d’oeuvre 1 day ahead of when you plan to serve. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- To make polenta, generously grease a 9 x 13-in (23 x 33 cm) baking pan with butter. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, warm water, polenta and 1 tsp (5 ml) salt. Pour into prepared pan then bake until polenta is set firm, about 50 minutes. Let polenta cool to room temperature in pan on a wire rack. Transfer polenta in baking pan to refrigerator and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Meanwhile, make cranberry-orange relish. Place orange pieces, cranberries and sugar (amount will depend on how sweet you want your chutney) in bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade attachment. Pulse, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until mixture is finely chopped but still very textured. Transfer relish to an airtight container, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, to allow flavour to develop.
- To make whipped ricotta, add ricotta, whipping cream, ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt and pepper to bowl of food processor. Fold in parsley and thyme. Refrigerate until ready to assemble hors d’oeuvre.
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- Add Brussels sprout leaves to a large bowl then drizzle with oil. Using fingers, rub oil over leaves, making sure to separate any leaves that are stuck together. Spread Brussels sprout leaves in a single layer on a rimmed baking tray and sprinkle with remaining ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt and ¼ tsp (1 ml) black pepper. Bake until slightly crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Just before ready to serve, use a cookie cutter to cut chilled polenta into about 2-in (5 cm) rounds. In a frying pan over medium heat, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil. Working in batches, fry polenta rounds until crisp on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain briefly then onto a serving platter.
- When ready to serve, spread some whipped ricotta over polenta, making a little well in centre of ricotta. Place a dollop of cranberry-orange relish in well then top with a few crispy Brussels sprout leaves.
Drink Pairings
CHAMPAGNE-MARINATED OLIVES WITH FETA
Be the toast of the town this New Year’s by throwing a gathering full of inspired bites that are not only delicious, but also easy to whip together as well. All that will be left is to pop a bottle of Champagne and toast to the New Year.Ingredients
Serves Serves 6
2 cups (500 ml) Castelvetrano olives, drained and rinsed well under cold water
⅓ cup (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) champagne
4 strips orange peel
2 garlic cloves, cut into thirds
1 small rosemary sprig
½ tsp (2.5 ml) fennel seeds
¼ tsp (1 ml) red pepper chili flakes
1 cup (250 ml) cubed feta cheese, about the same size as olives
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add all ingredients except feta cheese and bring to a slow simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Turn off heat, place a lid on saucepan and let everything sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Add feta cheese and gently stir to coat it in marinade. Transfer everything to a serving bowl and enjoy at room temperature. If desired, marinated olives and feta may be prepared up to 4 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to enjoy.
Drink Pairings
MUSTARD PRETZEL BITES
The perfect après treat: beer and cheese fondue with pretzel bites. Find the beer and cheese fondue recipe on our recipes page.Ingredients
Serves Serves 4 to 6
1½ cups (375 ml) warm water
2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar
1 package (2¼ tsp/7 g) dry yeast
⅓ cup (75 ml) butter, melted
2½ tsp (12.5 ml) salt
3 tbsp (45 ml) grainy mustard, divided
4½ cups (560 g) all-purpose flour
16 cups (4 L) water
½ cup (125 ml) baking soda
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp (15 ml) whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 ml) coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In bowl of a standard mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add water, sugar and yeast. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- Add butter, salt, 2 tbsp (30 ml) grainy mustard and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Continue mixing for another 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic and pulls away from sides of bowl.
- Take a separate bowl and grease sides with vegetable oil. Place dough in the bowl and coat it with oil. Cover with shrink wrap or a tea towel and let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about one hour. Alternatively, let it rise overnight in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). In a large pot, bring 16 cups (4 L) water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and carefully add baking soda. This will make the water rise up, so be careful. Turn the heat back up to high. Line a baking pan with parchment paper
- Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a rope about 1-in (2.5 cm) thick.
- Cut the ropes into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces.
- Drop 12 to 15 pieces of dough into pot, let water return to a boil then continue to cook for about 30 seconds. Remove pretzel bites with a spider or large slotted spoon and drain. Lay pretzel bites on baking sheet, leaving at least 2-in (5 cm) between each bite. Continue working until all pretzels have been boiled.
- Mix egg, whipping cream and remaining grainy mustard. Brush pretzels with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake pretzels until they are golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm with fondue.
Drink Pairings
BEER & CHEESE FONDUE SERVED WITH MUSTARD PRETZEL BITES
The perfect après treat: beer and cheese fondue with pretzel bites. The pretzel bites recipe can be found on our recipes page.Ingredients
Serves Serves 4 to 6
½ lb (250 g) Brussels sprouts, halved
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup (250 ml) pilsner beer
½ lb (250 g) Gruyère cheese, grated
½ lb (250 g) raclette cheese, grated
¼ lb (125 g) fontina cheese, grated
¼ lb (125 g) smoked Gouda cheese, grated
1½ tbsp (22 ml) cornstarch
1 tbsp (15 ml) whipping cream
4 chives, thinly sliced
Mustard Pretzel Bites, make ahead, recipe follows, to serve
1 large garlic sausage, sliced 1-in (2.5 cm) thick, to serve
2 radicchios, cut into 8 pieces, to serve
1 apple, cored and sliced, to serve
6 radishes, halved, to serve
1 small jar cornichons, to serve
16 cherry tomatoes, to serve
3 endives, quartered, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.
- In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring garlic and beer to a simmer over medium heat. In a bowl, toss grated cheeses with cornstarch. Once beer starts to simmer, reduce heat to low and add in a handful of cheese at time, stirring well after each addition and only adding more once cheese has melted. When all cheese has been incorporated, add cream and mix well. Transfer to a pre-warmed fondue bowl, garnish with chives, and serve with Mustard Pretzel Bites and remaining ingredients.
Featuring
ROSEMARY HUMMUS
How about a Do-It-Yourself gift box? Fill your gift boxes with some homemade delicious treats. It’s a gift you can make, pack, pair and share!Ingredients
Serves 1½ to 2 cups (375 to 500 ml)
1 x 19 oz (540 ml) can chickpeas
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup (60 ml) tahini
1 lemon, juice and zest
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
½ tsp (2.5 ml) chili flakes, or to taste
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh rosemary, stems removed
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, strain chickpea liquid and set aside for later.
- In a food processor, blend chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, chili flakes and rosemary on high for 2 minutes. Strain in ¼ cup (60 ml) of reserved chickpea liquid and blend until smooth. If needed, add more liquid until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
- *If packaging as a gift, be sure to keep refrigerated as long as possible before gifting, and then have recipient refrigerate it as soon as possible.
Drink Pairings
WINDOW SUGAR COOKIES
How about a Do-It-Yourself gift box? Fill your gift boxes with some homemade delicious treats. It’s a gift you can make, pack, pair and share!Ingredients
Serves 12 cookies
¾ cup (175 ml) unsalted butter
1½ cups (375 ml) granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
3 cups (750 ml) flour
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
1½ tsp (7 ml) baking powder
¾ cup (175 ml) thick, good quality raspberry jam
2 tsp (10 ml) minced ginger
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Using a large sieve, sift flour, salt and baking powder into butter mixture. Mix again to combine. Using hands, form dough into a large disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit for 3 minutes. Cut dough in half and roll out one half to form a large circle about ¼-in (0.5 cm) thick. Cut 12 circles. Repeat this step with other piece of dough to make 24 circles in total. Using a 1-in (2.5 cm) wide cookie cutter in a star shape cut out a star shape in the middle of 12 cookies.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine jam and ginger. Using a spoon, scoop roughly 2 tsp (10 ml) jam onto each circle-shaped cookie. Place the star cut-out cookie on top to create a sandwich. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Drink Pairings
RED VELVET WHOOPIE PIES
How about a Do-It-Yourself gift box? Fill your gift boxes with some homemade delicious treats. It’s a gift you can make, pack, pair and share!Ingredients
Serves 24 cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 ml) light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp (10 ml) red food colouring (optional)
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
2 tsp (10 ml) white vinegar
2 ⅔ cups (650 ml) flour
¼ cup (60 ml) cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
½ tsp salt
Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (250 ml) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
3 cups (750 ml) icing sugar*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream butter and sugars until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, red food dye (if using), vanilla and vinegar. Beat to combine.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and, using a spatula, mix together to form a dough. Wrap dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and roll into 1-in (2.5 cm) sized balls (roughly the size of a golf ball). Place 6 to 8 dough balls on baking sheet evenly spaced apart. Bake until cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and place on a wire cooling rack. Repeat this step until all cookies are done. Allow to cool completely before icing.
- To assemble, using a piping bag or zip-top bag, cut tip of bag to release icing. Place a tablespoon-sized dollop of icing onto 1 cookie bottom. Using another cookie (flat side), press against the icing to create a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies.
- To make cream cheese frosting, In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream together butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt. Add icing sugar 1 cup (250 ml) at a time, waiting until sugar is completely mixed in before adding more. Place into a piping bag or zip-top bag and refrigerate until ready to use.
Drink Pairings
MATCHA TREES
How about a Do-It-Yourself gift box? Fill your gift boxes with some homemade delicious treats. It’s a gift you can make, pack, pair and share!Ingredients
Serves 18 - 20 trees
1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup (175 ml) icing sugar
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
2 tbsp (30 ml) matcha tea powder (unsweetened)
1¾ cups (425 ml) flour, plus more for rolling
1 cup (250 ml) white chocolate chips
1 tsp (5 ml) coconut oil
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream together butter, sugar, salt and matcha powder until fluffy and pale green, about 3 to 5 minutes. Using a spatula, add flour and combine to form a dough. Using hands, mould dough into a 1½-in (3.75 cm) thick disk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and discard plastic wrap. Place on a lightly floured dry working space. Dust top of dough lightly with flour and, using a rolling pin, roll dough into a large ¼-in (0.5 cm) thick circle. Continue to dust surface of dough if rolling pin begins to stick.
- Using a tree-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can. Transfer onto lined baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Place on a wire cooling rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch excess chocolate. Allow to cool completely.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave white chocolate chips and coconut oil for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. If chocolate needs to melt more, microwave for another 20 seconds.
- Using a spoon, drizzle chocolate over cookies in a side-to-side motion. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Drink Pairings
ORANGE-THYME SNOWBALLS
How about a Do-It-Yourself gift box? Fill your gift boxes with some homemade delicious treats. It’s a gift you can make, pack, pair and share!Ingredients
Serves 24 - 28 cookies
1 cup (250 ml) salted butter, room temperature
5 tbsp (75 ml) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
2 cups (500 ml) pecan pieces
2 cups (500 ml) flour
2 tbsp (30 ml) orange zest, about 2 large oranges
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh thyme leaves, stems removed
½ cup (125 ml) icing sugar, or more as needed
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to mix butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- In a small food processor, pulse the pecan pieces on high until finely ground.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together pecan grounds, flour, orange zest and thyme. Add dry ingredients, 1 cup (250 ml) at a time, to butter mixture. Beat mixture on low until no dry flour remains. Using hands, press dough together to form a ball. Tightly wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 365 F (185 C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and roll into 1-in (2.5 cm) balls (roughly the size of a golf ball). Place on baking sheet with at least 1-in (2.5 cm) space between. Bake until cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes with a baking sheet underneath to catch excess icing sugar. Holding a mesh sieve over cookies, place ½ cup (125 ml) of icing sugar in sieve. Gently tap side of sieve to dust cookies generously. Repeat with more sugar, if necessary. Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.
Drink Pairings
THIT KHO VIETNAMESE BRAISED PORK & EGGS
A multicultural potluck to celebrate Lunar New Year.Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
2 oz (60 g) palm sugar
2 lbs (1 kg) pork belly, cut into 2-in (5 cm) cubes
2 shallots, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) freshly ground pepper
1 x 17½ oz (520 ml) can coconut water
4 eggs, medium boiled, peeled and halved
2 bird’s eye chilis, sliced
2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat palm sugar over medium heat until melted. Stir and continue heating until golden brown and caramelized, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Carefully add pork and toss until sugar has dissolved. Add shallots, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, pepper and coconut water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and continue cooking for about 1 hour or until pork is just tender.
- Remove lid and continue cooking for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until sauce has reduced and thickened. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with eggs, chilis and green onions. Serve with jasmine rice.