LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2026

CAULIFLOWER CANAPÉS WITH LENTIL HUMMUS, POMEGRANATE & KALE CHIPS Spiced and brushed with honey, tiny cauliflower “steaks” are roasted until caramelized for a unique canapé base. They’re topped with creamy lentil hummus, pomegranate arils and a crisp kale chip. The chips on their own make for a great hosting snack. It pays to make the hummus and kale chips 1 or 2 days in advance, and you could also save time by using store-bought equivalents. LENTIL HUMMUS 1 cup (250 mL) red lentils, soaked overnight 1/4 cup (60 mL) tahini 2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp (5 mL) cumin 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper (optional) Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste KALE CHIPS 1 bunch curly kale, stemmed, torn into bite-size pieces, washed, completely dried 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 1/4 cup (60 mL) raw cashews 2 tbsp (30 mL) raw sunflower seeds 1/4 cup (60 mL) nutritional yeast 1 tsp (5 mL) garlic powder 1 tsp (5 mL) za’atar 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cumin Pinch of cayenne Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste CAULIFLOWER CANAPÉS 2 small heads cauliflower, each about 1 lb (455 g), trimmed 1 tbsp (15 mL) curry powder 1 tbsp (15 mL) water 1/4 cup (60 mL) honey 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1/4 cup (60 mL) pomegranate arils for serving 1. For the hummus, drain lentils and place in a medium pot with 2 cups (500 mL) water. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a small baking pan to cool for at least 15 minutes. 2. Place lentils, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin and cayenne pepper (if using) in a food processor. Run machine, stopping to scrape down sides, until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days.

and honey until combined. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until just combined—a few lumps are okay. Pour batter into prepared sheet and smooth out evenly with a spatula. Gently tap pan on counter to ensure batter is even. 6. Bake on middle rack until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack and cool completely. Sheet can be covered with foil or plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day. When ready to assemble, lift out cornbread and cut 4 x 5 rows to make 20 squares. 7. For the pork belly, preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Line a large baking sheet with parch-ment and place a wire rack on top. 8. Lay pork slices on top of wire rack and season with salt. Roast, flipping halfway through, until pork is fork-tender, about 2 hours. 9. In a small food processor, pulse chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, tomatoes, soy sauce, garlic and honey until almost smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer sauce to a small saucepan and simmer on medium heat stirring occasionally until thickened and darkened in colour, about 10 minutes. Set aside. 10. Cut pork crosswise into 1/4-inch- (8-mm-) wide strips (lardons). Place in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in sauce. Cook, stirring often, until pork is coated in a sticky sauce, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over a low heat, stirring occasionally.

3. For the kale chips, preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 4. Place kale in a very large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil then massage kale to soften it while distributing oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside. 5. In a small food processor, place cashews, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, za’atar, cumin and cayenne pepper. Pulse, stopping to scrape down sides, until mixture resembles a fine crumb, 1 to 2 minutes. Add to kale and, using your hands, toss to coat evenly. 6. Divide kale between baking sheets, making sure there are no overlapping leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until crispy and golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping them at halfway point—keep a careful eye on them near the end so they don’t burn. Remove from oven and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 8. Trim off each floret; if they are small, keep them together by the stem. To make mini cauliflower steaks, cut each in half and trim off rounded backs of florets to make them flat— they should be roughly 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick and 3 inches (8 cm) wide. You should get about 20. (Save scraps for another use such as soup.) 9. In a small bowl, whisk together curry powder and water then whisk in honey and olive oil. Place cauliflower on baking sheet. Brush with curry mixture on both sides. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high. When hot, cook cauliflower in batches until deeply caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Return to sheet and brush with remaining curry mixture. Bake until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overbake, as they need to maintain their structure. Season with salt and pepper. 10. To assemble, dollop about 1 tsp (5 mL) hummus on a piece of cauliflower. Top with a kale chip or a few kale crumbles and sprinkle with pomegranate arils. Serve warm or at room temperature. 7. For the cauliflower, preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment.

11. For the slaw, toss ingredients in a medium mixing bowl until combined. Set aside.

12. To assemble, equally divide pork on top of cornbread squares. Equally portion slaw over each and sprinkle with a few small pieces of seed crumble, saving rest for another use. Serve immediately.

Makes 20 crostini

Serves 8 to 10

WHAT TO SERVE Waupoos Cider LCBO 44351, 473 mL, $3.75

WHAT TO SERVE Oh Goody! Rosé VQA LCBO 44231, $10.95

The taste of apple fits in perfectly with so many elements of this dish, so go with a fine craft cider. There’s enough sweetness in the pork glaze and slaw dressing to allow a little sweetness.

The pomegranate adds fruity brightness to the earthier tones in the dish. Reinforce the effect with a juicy, fruit-forward rosé that also brings a refreshing seam of acidity.

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AUTUMN 2026 ————————