LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2017

falling for whisky from page 49

ROASTED SWEET POTATO WITH MI SO DRESS ING There’s no need to add salt to these simple, tasty potatoes before roasting as the miso will add all the seasoning you need. ¼ cup (60 mL) vegetable oil 1½ lbs (750 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1 inch (2.5 cm) rounds 1 tsp (5 mL) miso paste 1 tbsp (15 mL) boiling water 1 Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). 2 Using a metal baking sheet with sides, add all the oil; add sweet potato and flip rounds to cover in oil. 3 Roast in oven for 20 minutes. 4 Using a metal spatula, carefully flip potato rounds over and return to oven. Continue cook- ing until tender and golden, about another 10 to 15 minutes. 5 While potatoes are roasting, softenmiso with 1 tbsp (15 mL) boiling water. Stir with a fork to break up paste and set aside. 6 When potatoes are done, transfer them to a serving dish. 7 Carefully pour oil from baking sheet into the bowl with miso and whisk with a fork. Drizzle miso dressing over sweet potatoes and serve, or hold in warm oven until ready. Serves 4 GINGERED SNAP PEAS These bright green peas will add a nice bit of crunch and colour to the plate. 2 tsp (10 mL) vegetable oil 1 tsp (5 mL) finely chopped ginger ½ lb (250 g) sugar snap peas (snow peas will work as well), rinsed 2 tbsp (30 mL) water Salt to taste 1 In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and cook ginger until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the peas and 2 tbsp (30 mL) water. 2 Continue to stir-fry until bright green and lightly cooked, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and serve. Serves 4

POACHED SCALLOPS WITH FENNEL , LEMON ZEST & ENDIVE SALAD Make sure to slice fennel as thinly as possible keeping the texture fine, so as not to overwhelm the delicate nature of the scallops. 1 medium lemon ½ cup plus 1 cup (125 mL plus 250 mL) water, divided 2 tsp (10 mL) sugar 1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (125 mL plus 30 mL) red onion, very finely chopped, divided 1 tsp (1 mL) salt, plus more to taste 12 large sea scallops (size 10/20), about 12 oz (375 g) ½ tsp (2 mL) Dijon-style mustard 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced, about 2 cups (500 mL) total 1 small Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise 2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh mint, finely chopped Fennel fronds for garnish 1 Using a vegetable peeler, carefully remove four 1-inch-wide (2.5-cm) strips of zest from the lemon. If they break they are still usable. In a medium skillet, bring to a simmer ½ cup (125 mL) water plus sugar. Once sugar has dis- solved, add lemon zest strips and simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender. Continue to reduce liquid until thickened to a syrup; remove syrup and zest from pan and refrigerate. 2 In the same pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add ½ cup (125 mL) red onion and cook over low heat until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, juice the lemon into a small bowl. Once zest is chilled slice into thin strips. 3 To the cooked red onion add 1 tsp (5mL) lem- on juice, ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt and remaining 1 cup (250mL) water. Bring to a simmer for 3minutes, add scallops and cook on one side for 3minutes. Flip scallops, simmer until cooked through, about another 3 minutes. Remove from cook- ing liquid and refrigerate until ready to serve. Discard cooking liquid. Scallops can be covered and refrigerated up to 6 hours before serving. 4 Up to 1 hour before serving, in a medium bowl, stir together mustard, olive oil and 2 tsp (10 mL) sliced lemon zest. Add remaining red onion, fennel, endive, mint and 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice. Season with salt and toss gently. Set aside in refrigerator. 5 To serve, retoss salad and divide between 4 salad plates. Place 3 scallops on each plate, and garnish with fennel fronds. Drizzle each plate with additional olive oil if desired. Serves 4

HICKORY-SMOKED PORK CHOP

Once the pork chops are on the grill they take very little work, but they have huge wow factor when presented to friends or family. The small amount of attention they need frees you up to

prepare the side dishes. 4 cups (1 L) boiling water 3 cups (750 mL) hickory wood chips

4 rib-end pork chops, 2 bones attached, about 1¼ lbs (625 g) each and 2 inches (5 cm) thick Salt and black pepper to taste 1 In a large bowl, pour 4 cups (1 L) boiling wa- ter over hickory chips, let soak for 20 minutes. 2 Season chops on both sides with a very gen- erous amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside at room temperature. 3 Remove grill from gas barbecue, turn all burners on high and close lid for 10 minutes to heat up. 4 Drain hickory chips and wrap in foil (double wrap if foil is thin). Allow for a small 2-inch (5-cm) opening at top of foil pack for smoke to escape. 5 Leaving one side burner on maximum, turn off all other burners. Using ovenmitts, carefully place foil pack directly on working burner and place grill(s) back on barbecue. Close lid and wait 15 minutes until the chips begin to smoke. 6 When the chips are smoking, place the 4 chops on the side of the grill where the burn- ers will cook with indirect heat (the side with burners turned off). Close the lid and adjust the working burner to a level that will allow the closed barbecue to retain a temperature of 300°F (150°C). Occasionally check that barbe- cue temperature has remained where it should. 7 Cook chops on one side for 30 minutes with- out moving them around. Flip chops and con- tinue cooking on second side until golden and internal temperature near the bone reads 145°F (63°C) on a meat thermometer, about another 30 to 45 minutes depending on thickness of meat. When cooked, let rest 5 minutes before serving. 8 Serve with Roasted Sweet Potato with Miso Dressing and Gingered Snap Peas (recipes follow). Serves 4

152  FOOD & DRI NK AUTUMN 2017