LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2022

Hail to the ale from page 37

CHEDDAR & BACON SOUP WITH CRUSHED PRETZELS

This soup will quickly become a Sunday lunch favourite. A crisp green salad with apples and walnuts is a great accompaniment.

2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter 5 strips bacon

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) onion, finely diced 2 tbsp (30 mL) garlic, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour 4 cups (1 L) warm chicken or vegetable stock 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon-style mustard 2 cups (500 mL) yellow-skinned potato, peeled and finely diced 2 cups (500 mL) grated aged cheddar, divided 1 cup (250 mL) 35% cream Salt and white pepper (optional) 1/4 cup (60 mL) coarsely chopped pretzels 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh chives, finely chopped 1 In a large pot, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add bacon strips and cook until fat has rendered and strips are cooked and nicely crisped. Remove from pan and let cool, then coarsely chop and set aside. 2 Add onion and garlic to bacon fat, and cook until onions are translucent, about 20 minutes. 3 Stir flour into pot until well combined. Slowly whisk in all the stock and scrape up browned bits from bottom of pot. 4 Add Dijon-style mustard and potatoes, bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. 5 Let cool slightly, then blend until very smooth in a standard blender or by using an immersion blender. 6 Return soup to the pot, add 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) cheese and cream. Simmer gently to melt cheese. Season with salt and white pepper if needed. 7 Divide soup between four bowls and garnish equally with chopped bacon, pretzels, chives and remaining 1/2 cup (125 mL) cheese.

LEMONY CHICKEN & BULGUR SOUP Using bone-in chicken breasts helps the soup create its own flavourful stock in the pot. 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry bulgur, use #1 fine Salt to taste 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 2 chicken breasts, skin-on, bone-in, about 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) 2 cups (500 mL) onion, finely diced 1 cup (250 mL) celery, finely diced 2 tbsp (30 mL) garlic, finely sliced 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) lemon zest, finely grated on a rasp 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped 1 In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup (60 mL) boiling water with bulgur and a pinch of salt, and let sit. 2 In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving for 10 minutes or until golden. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside (it won’t be cooked through). 3 Add onion, celery and garlic to the pot. Cook until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. 4 Add coriander and stir in for 30 seconds. Add chicken back to pot along with 5 cups (1.25 L) water. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes. 5 Remove chicken and let cool slightly before discarding the skin and tearing the meat off the bones. 6 Add bulgur and shredded chicken to the pot. Bring back to a simmer, and stir in lemon juice, zest and cilantro. Season generously with salt to taste.

CHICKPEA & TAHINI SOUP WITH HARISSA ROASTED PEPPERS Harissa paste has serious kick but, once stirred into the soup, its fieriness is tamed. Feel free to add less or more paste depending on your tolerance. Freeze any extra harissa in an ice- cube tray and use cubes as needed. 2 medium red peppers 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup (125 mL) celery, finely chopped 2 tbsp (30 mL) garlic, finely chopped 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cumin seeds 2 tsp (10 mL) smoked paprika 4 cups (1 L) vegetable or chicken stock 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh thyme, finely chopped 1 can (540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 cups (500 mL) peeled and finely diced sweet potato 3 tbsp (45 mL) tahini paste Plain kefir or yogurt to drizzle for garnish (optional) 1 On a hot grill or under a broiler, roast peppers until charred on all sides. Let cool, peel off skin and discard seeds. Slice roasted peppers into strips and toss together with harissa in a small bowl. Set aside. 2 In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-­ high heat. Add onions and celery, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin seeds and smoked paprika, and cook for 1 minute. 3 Add stock to the pot along with thyme, chickpeas, sweet potato and tahini paste. 4 Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes. 5 Ladle soup into four bowls and garnish with harissa roasted peppers and a drizzle of kefir or yogurt. Serves 4 1 tsp (5 mL) harissa paste 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil

Serves 4

Serves 4

1 10

SPRING 2022 FOOD & DRINK