LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2019

Inside scoop from page 30 HAUNTED SCREWDRIVER

Gorgonzola &Walnut-Stuffed Roasted Beets With Vanilla Pear Purée Earthy, rich, nutty and a tiny bit sweet, this easy appetizer is as pretty to look at as it is tasty. Look for smallish beets, and if you can find lovely heirloom varieties, even better. Gorgonzola, pear and walnuts make a classic flavour combination, but if blue cheese isn’t your thing, switch it out for another creamy cheese—soft goat cheese works well. 6 smaller beets, washed 1/2 cup (125 mL) coarsely chopped raw walnuts 3/4 cup (175 mL) Gorgonzola, coarsely chopped or crumbled Salt 1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper 1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). 2 Trim the tops and bottoms from the beets, and arrange onto a large square of extra-strong tin foil. Drizzle with olive oil and water and wrap up tightly. Pop directly onto wire rack of oven and roast for 45 to 60 minutes or until beets feel soft when pinched and their skins are loose. 3 While beets are roasting make the pear purée and filling. Into a small saucepan over medium heat, add the pear, honey and vanilla vodka. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until soft and mashable. 4 Pour contents of saucepan—pear and any juice—into the bowl of a food processor or powerful blender. Blend until perfectly smooth; set aside. 5 To make the filling, add the chopped walnut and crumbled Gorgonzola to a bowl and mash together; set aside. 6 When beets are roasted, open the foil and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, the skin should slip right off in your fingers. Core the beets with a melon baller and stuff each beet with the nut and cheese mixture. Arrange the stuffed beets in an ovenproof baking dish, season with salt and pepper, pop back into the oven to warm through, about 5 minutes. 7 To serve, place a spoonful of the pear purée on a small plate and set a single stuffed beet in the centre. 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil 1 tbsp (15 mL) water 2 pears, cored, coarsely chopped 1 tsp (5 mL) honey 1/4 cup (60 mL) vanilla vodka

VEGAN ENOKI MUSHROOMS WITH PURPLE SLAW& JASMINE RICE Full of saucy, nuanced umami goodness, the Japanese-inspired sides round out this mush- room main to make for a satisfying meal.

Inky black vodka bleeds into an icy Highball of OJ for a spooky twist on the classic Screwdriver. 4 oz freshly squeezed orange juice, chilled 1/4 oz fresh lime juice 1 tsp (5 mL) Cointreau or triple sec 2 oz Hounds Black Vodka Quarter orange wheel to garnish Long straw 1 Fill a chilled Highball glass with ice. Add orange juice, lime juice and Cointreau or triple sec. Lightly stir. Top with vodka, pouring very slowly over the back of a teaspoon. Garnish with orange wheel and serve with a straw. Remind guests to stir before drinking. Makes 1 drink SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH GREEN BEANS You can never go wrong with garlic, butter, shrimp and wine. The green beans cook at the same time, soaking up the wonderful sauce, while leaving just enough behind to sop up with sourdough baguette. 1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, melted 1 tbsp (15 mL) dry white wine 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 lemon, zested and then sliced into wedges Pinch of red pepper flakes Sea salt to taste 2/3 lb (300 g) jumbo (21-count) uncooked, shell-on, cut, deveined, tail-on, easy-peel shrimp Silver linings from page 127 1 Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). 2 In a large bowl, combine melted butter, wine, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes and salt. Add shrimp and toss to combine. 3 On a large rectangle of foil on a baking sheet, scatter green beans over the bottom. Pour shrimp and butter mixture overtop and place another piece of foil on top and crimp sides so foil packet is completely sealed. 4 Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes. Open foil and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and baguette to sop up all the buttery goodness. Serves 2 7 oz (200 g) green beans, trimmed 2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 sourdough baguette

JASMINE RICE 1 cup (250 mL) water 1/2 cup (125 mL) Jasmine rice, rinsed PURPLE SLAW 1 tsp (5 mL) sugar 2 tsp (10 mL) less-sodium soy sauce 1 tsp (5 mL) canola oil

2 tbsp (30 mL) rice wine vinegar 1/4 tsp (1 mL) toasted sesame oil 1/2 small head purple cabbage, about 3 cups (750 mL), shredded 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced 2 tbsp (30 mL) black sesame seeds 3 tbsp (45 mL) crispy fried shallots ENOKI MUSHROOMS 2 pkgs (100 g each) enoki mushrooms 1 tbsp (15 mL) sake 1 tbsp (15 mL) soy sauce 1 tbsp (15 mL) while miso paste 2 tsp (10 mL) mirin 1 tsp (5 mL) grated fresh ginger 1 tsp (5 mL) sugar 3 green onions, trimmed and cut into thirds 1 tsp (5 mL) canola oil 1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). 2 To make rice, in a medium saucepan bring 1 cup (250 mL) of water to a boil, add rice, stir and cover. Lower to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff rice with a fork and cover for 5 minutes. 3 For slaw, combine sugar, soy sauce, canola oil, vinegar and sesame oil in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add cabbage, celery and black sesame, and toss together in dress- ing. Top with crispy shallots and set aside. 4 Trim woodsy ends off of enokis and wash mushrooms. Pull them apart in strands, so there aren’t any large clumps. 5 In a small bowl, whisk together sake, soy, miso paste, mirin, ginger and sugar until smooth. 6 On a large rectangle of foil, spread out mushrooms and green onions in a row and pour prepared mixture overtop, tossing lightly until covered. Drizzle with canola oil. Seal in a tight foil package and place on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. 7 Serve with rice and slaw, spooning some of the sauce over mushrooms and rice. Serves 2 to 3

Serves 6

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AUTUMN 2019 FOOD & DRINK