LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2022

SPOTLIGHT ON VEGGIES

Slow-Roasted Tomato & Corn Slather

It’s hard to oversell this little number. It’s full of punchy flavour, colour and texture, and once you’ve set it down, guests assemble on their own—the best kind of starter, IMHO. There’s a crush of small multicoloured tomatoes in the shops right about now—use them here. If you don’t have za’atar on hand, sub in 2 tsp (10 mL) fresh thyme. The toppings should be served warm—don’t stress by doing it all last minute. Make a few of the components ahead! 1 lb (455 g) cherry tomatoes, halved 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil, divided 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) za’atar 1 clove garlic, finely grated Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter Kernels from 2 cobs corn, or 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) frozen, thawed kernels 1 cup (250 mL) crème fraîche 6 oz (170 g) Greek feta, crumbled

16 thin slices baguette, toasted

CHILI BUTTER 5 tbsp (75 mL) butter, preferably salted 1 tsp (5 mL) ground dried chipotle

1. Preheat oven to 250°F (121°C).

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Add tomatoes, 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil, za’atar and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat tomatoes evenly in spice mixture and bake in preheated oven 3 hours. (Make up to 3 days ahead, let cool, cover baking sheet and refrigerate. When ready to serve, slip sheet, uncovered, onto bottom rack of hot oven for 5 minutes.) 3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Corn can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Reheat, along with 1 tbsp/15 mL water in a covered small pot set over medium heat for 5 minutes.) 4. Stir together crème fraîche and feta. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day in advance.

medium heat, preferably one with a light-coloured bottom so you can judge the colour of the butter. Let cook until light golden flecks appear in bottom of pot, remove from heat and stir in chipotle. 6. Spread crème fraîche mixture over bottom of a platter or shallow bowl. Top with warm corn, then warm tomatoes. Drizzle with chili butter and serve with toasts.

[ WHAT TO SERVE ] LAN Crianza VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 166538, $17.95 Tempranillo-based wines pair beautifully with roasted vegetables. LAN’s toasted, red berry tones and brilliant acidity create harmony with the flavours of tomato, crème fraîche and feta in the dish.

5. When ready to serve, melt butter in a small pot over

Serves 8

76 FOOD & DRINK AUTUMN 2022