LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2021

Three of a kind from page 79 DANIEL’S PASTURE-RAISED ROAST CHICKEN For chef Daniel Hadida, it’s all about the quality of the bird. “There’s a literal definition of ‘pasture-raised,’ meaning the predominant diet is open pasture-foraged.” He knows his farmer by name, and at home, he suggests we do the same with our butcher. His first step during prep is removing the wishbone. “The reason you take it out is because it helps in carving later,” he says. “You want to use every piece of its meat and the bones.” 3 1/2- to 4-lb (1.585- to 1.81-kg) pasture-raised chicken (see TIP) Sea salt 1 Remove the wishbone from the chicken by pushing the tip of a knife through the neck cavity and running it up each side of the bone. Then hook your finger behind the bone and twist it out. This will help with easier carving after roasting. 2 Dry chicken in the fridge on a roasting rack set over a plate for 24 hours. This will concen- trate flavour and encourage better skin crisping. 3 Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). 4 Bring air-dried chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. Truss the legs with kitchen string and pull them back from the body. Make sure any torn skin is covering the meat. 5 Season liberally inside and out with salt. Set on a roasting rack in a shallow pan so air can circulate around the chicken. Roast until an instant read thermometer inserted into inner thigh near breast without touching bone reaches 165°F (74°C), about 1 hour and 15 min- utes. Rest for 20 to 30 minutes. 6 Place chicken on cutting board and remove rack from pan. Carve chicken and put the pieces back into pan, skin-side up. Turn on broiler and broil for 1 minute, just to get the skin crispy again after resting. 7 For a sauce, simply squeeze the lemon juice into the pan drippings, then drizzle over the meat. Sprinkle with a touch of coarse sea salt and serve. Serves 4 TIP Pasture-raised chicken is important be- cause it infers slow growing and high nutrient density due to the nature of wild forage. Hadida prefers heritage breeds, such as Chantecler and Rhode Island Red, which don’t have huge meat-to-size ratios. You can find them at a local farm, farmers’ market or trusted butcher. Juice of half a small lemon Coarse sea salt for serving

transfer them to the towel-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Let cool and drain. 5 Cut the 2 whole garlic cloves in half length- wise. Place all 5 garlic pieces in a medium saucepan. Strip leaves from 1 thyme sprig and add leaves to saucepan, discarding stem. Set remaining thyme sprigs aside. 6 Add salt, peppercorns, vinegar and remain- ing 3/4 cup (175 mL) water to saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve salt. Boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low to keep warm. 7 Fill hot jars with mushrooms, dividing equally. There should be at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) headspace between top of mushrooms and rim of jar. Leave a few mushrooms out if jars are too full, as you need room for pickling liquid. Slide 1 thyme sprig and 1 rosemary sprig into the side of each jar. Using small tongs, transfer 1 garlic piece from the saucepan to each jar. 8 Ladle hot pickling liquid over mushrooms in jars, dividing peppercorns as equally as possible among jars, leaving 1/2 inch (1 cm) headspace. Remove any air bubbles and add more liquid to adjust headspace, as necessary (there may be a little liquid left over; discard or use for a vinaigrette). Wipe rims and threads of jars. Place lid discs on jars, then screw on metal rings, just until fingertip tight. 9 Immerse jars in canning pot, making sure water is 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) above the top of lids. Cover pot and return to a boil over high heat. Process for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let jars stand in water for 5 minutes. Lift jars out of water and place on a towel-­ lined heatproof surface. Let cool and stand for at least 24 hours. 10 Check to ensure lids are sealed. Refrig- erate any jars that are not sealed. Remove rings, wipe jars and store for up to 1 year. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 1 month.

HERB-PICKLED MUSHROOMS Fresh mushrooms are available year-round but still make a terrific ingredient for pre- serving. This is a simple and quick-to-make pickle for a first foray into home canning. These tangy pickles are a perfect way to capture the flavour of those fresh herbs at the end of the season. Try pickled mushrooms on pizza, added to pasta or on top of salads (use the pickling liquid to make the dress- ing), and serve them with cured meats and sharp cheeses. You can also turn them into marinated mushrooms by combining with oil before serving: Open the jar, combine with 1/4 cup (60 mL) cold-pressed oil in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, then serve. 2 lbs (905 g) mushrooms (white and/or cremini) 8 3/4 cups (2.175 L) water, divided 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh lemon juice 2 1/2 cloves garlic 6 sprigs thyme 2 tsp (10 mL) pickling salt or other salt with no additives 1 tsp (5 mL) whole black peppercorns 1 3/4 cups (425 mL) white wine vinegar (6% acid) 5 small sprigs rosemary 1 Bring a canning pot of water to a boil, and prepare jars and two-piece canning lids. 2 Line a large baking sheet with a lint-free towel. 3 Trim mushroom stems to about 1/4 inch (5 mm). Cut mushrooms into quarters (or halves, if they are on the smaller side). If mush- room caps are 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) in diameter or less, you can leave them whole. 4 Combine 8 cups (2 L) water and lemon juice in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add mushrooms, reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Use a slotted spoon to drain mushrooms and

Makes five 1-cup (250-mL) jars

WHAT TO SERVE Mushrooms and Pinot Noir are a classic match. This local example’s red berry fruit, light earth and herbal tones will resonate with the pickled dish. Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 274753, $34.95

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AUTUMN 2021 FOOD & DRINK