LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2021

TIP Tempeh, you say? This vegan protein is an excellent meat substitute for carnivores. Like tofu, it’s made from soy, but tempeh uses whole beans pressed into blocks. It has a nutty, satisfying flavour and readily soaks up marinades. WHAT TO SERVE The typical notes of a savoury Pinot Noir (think mushroom and nut scents) could wonderfully complement this stroganoff, but you don’t want to overwhelm the tempeh’s delicate texture with a red. A sparkling Pinot Noir, like this Chilean bottling with a suitably earthy note, makes our

2 Discard oil and add plums, ginger and wine to pan. Stir over low heat while scraping up browned bits from pan. Add 1/2 cup (125 mL) water and oyster sauce, and simmer over low heat until plums have softened and sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. 3 Slice pork into 1/2-inch (1-cm) slices and serve with Okonomiyaki, plums and sauce. Serves 4 OKONOMIYAKI Okonomiyaki are Japanese stuffed pancakes that are normally made with cabbage but can have many other additions. Okonomi translates to “to your liking” and yaki means “cooked”—this simple version is a great accom- paniment to the pork. 3 cups (750 mL) finely shredded Savoy cabbage, thick ribs trimmed away 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped green onions 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped pickled ginger 3/4 cup (175 mL) panko bread crumbs 3 large eggs, lightly beaten Salt to taste 1/4 cup (60 mL) vegetable or canola oil, divided 1 In a large bowl, mix together cabbage, green onions, pickled ginger, panko, eggs and salt. Let sit for 20 minutes to soften slightly. 2 Stir again just before cooking. 3 In a large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-low heat and, using a large spoon, divide mixture into 4 separate piles in the skillet. Using a spatula, flatten piles and form into circles, trying to keep them separate. 4 Cover with lid and cook on medium for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. 5 Gently turn over, add remaining oil and con- tinue cooking, covered, for another 5 minutes. Remove lid and continue to further brown each side if needed. 6 Serve warm. Makes 4 WHAT TO SERVE This dish will be redolent of plum aromas, and an Ontario VQA Gamay wine often has these rich cooked stone-fruit notes as well. The dish’s concentrated gingery and sweet flavours need a robust wine match: This medium-plus-bodied Gamay, dry but richly textured, is a winning pairing. Cave Spring Gamay VQA LCBO 228569, $16.80

Tempeh & Mushroom Stroganoff You’ll never worry about whether this dish has meat in it or not, as it’s full of satisfying umami flavour and richness. 1/2 lb (225 g) plain tempeh (see TIP) 12 oz (340 g) portobello mushrooms, divided 3 whole cloves garlic, peeled 1 tsp (5 mL) fresh thyme 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine 2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter 2 cups (500 mL) finely chopped onions 2 tsp (10 mL) tomato paste 2 cups (500 mL) mushroom broth 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard 1/2 cup (125 mL) full-fat sour cream 1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped flat leaf parsley Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1/2 lb (225 g) dried egg noodles, cooked to package instructions in well-salted water 1 In a food processor, pulse tempeh, 8 oz (225 g) mushrooms, garlic and thyme until crumbled. Place in a medium bowl and stir to- gether with tamari, Worcestershire and wine. Let marinate for 20 minutes. 2 In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-­ high heat. Cook onions until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Thinly slice remaining mushrooms. 3 Add tempeh mixture, sliced mushrooms and tomato paste to skillet. Cook over medium-­ high heat until mushrooms are softened and tempeh is browned, about 5 minutes. 4 Stir in broth and mustard, and reduce over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until thickened slightly. Lower heat and stir in sour cream and parsley to combine. Reduce over low if needed to thicken. 5 Check for seasoning and serve over egg noodles. 2 tbsp (30 mL) tamari or soy sauce 1 tsp (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce

vegetarian dish festive and special. Cono Sur Sparkling Pinot Noir Rosé LCBO 365205, $14.80

Pork Tenderloin With Okonomiyaki

This pretty recipe creatively uses some of fall’s plentiful bounty of red plums and cabbage to make an elegant Japanese-inspired dish. Prepare the okonomiyaki first and keep warm until the pork tenderloin is ready. 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) whole pork tenderloin Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable or canola oil 2 large red plums, halved and pitted, and each cut into 10 equal slices 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped pickled ginger 1/2 cup (125 mL) red wine 1 Season pork to taste with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and sear pork on 1 side for 5 minutes. Continue to sear on all 4 sides until evenly browned all over, about 15 minutes. Lower heat to medium and cook until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 150°F (66°C). Set pork aside on plate, tent with foil and let rest. 2 tbsp (30 mL) oyster sauce Okonomiyaki (recipe follows)

Serves 4

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AUTUMN 2021 FOOD & DRINK