LCBO Food and Drink Early Summer 2016

fruits of the Vine from page 84

SEARED BEEF & SPINACH PANZANELLA SALAD WITH FETA DRESS ING This hearty salad is a meal on its own. Add some tiramisu or gelato for dessert and the menu is complete. 2 lbs (1 kg) beef tenderloin Salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup (60 mL) plus 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 12 slices of baguette, about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick 1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard 1 tbsp (15 mL) white or red wine vinegar ⅓ cup (80 mL) good-quality feta 2½ cups (625 mL) plum tomatoes, diced 2½ cups (625 mL) English cucumber, diced ½ cup (125 mL) roasted peppers from a jar, drained and finely diced ¼ cup (60 mL) white onion, i.e. Vidalia or Spanish, finely diced 6 cups (1.5 L) baby spinach, washed 1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). 2 Season beef generously with salt and pepper. 3 In an ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil over medium-high heat. Sear beef to brown on all sides, about 2 minutes a side. 4 Place beef in oven and continuing cook- ing to medium-rare (130°F/55°C), about 22 to 25 minutes depending on thickness of meat. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes be- fore slicing into 12 equal slices. 5 Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the baguette slices 2 minutes on each side until golden, adding more oil if necessary. Set aside. 6 In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup (60 mL) oil, mustard and vinegar. Add feta and break up into small pieces with a fork. 7 Add to the bowl the tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and onion. Stir together and season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Add any beef juice to the bowl. 8 Place 1 cup (250 mL) spinach on each of 6 plates. Top spinach with 2 baguette slices and divide salad mixture evenly between plates. Top each salad with 2 slices of beef and serve. Serves 6

a splash of rum from page 19

JAPANESE- INSPIRED RUM MARINADE

THE TROPICAL VINEYARD To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 oz spiced rum, 3 oz pineapple juice, ¼ oz lime juice and 3 oz Chardonnay. Shake sharply and strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with slices of lime. Makes 1 drink THE VINEYARD MOJ ITO To a tall glass, add 6 green seedless grapes, sliced, along with 4 lime wedges, 12 mint leaves, torn, and 1 oz Simple Syrup (recipe fol- lows). Muddle. Fill the glass with ice and add 1 oz Anejo Blanco rum and 4 oz dry sparkling wine. Stir to mix. Garnish with a skewer of fro- zen grapes. Makes 1 drink S IMPLE SYRUP Combine equal parts sugar and boiling water. Stir until sugar has dissolved, transfer to glass container and store in fridge until chilled. THE TURIN SPARKLER To a Highball glass filled with ice, add 2 oz sweet red vermouth and 4 oz ginger ale. Add sliced strawberries, blueberries and a basil sprig. Makes 1 drink SWIRLS & SUNSETS To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add ¼ cup (60 mL) fresh diced watermelon, ½ lemon wheel and 2 oz white cranberry juice. Shake sharply and strain into a glass with ice. Top with 3 to 4 oz rosé wine, and stir to mix. Gar- nish with a watermelon slice. Makes 1 drink

This marinade takes into account the variety of rums available and works well with any. While ponzu and miso may be new ingredients to you (see TIP), once purchased they’ll become staples that’ll last the whole summer barbecue season. Lastly, taste the chili: it should be spicy, like a Scotch bonnet or Thai. Combine your grilled protein with our Tropical Fruit Salad (recipe follows) to further enhance the dish. ½ cup (125 mL) gold, dark, spiced or coconut rum 3 tbsp (45 mL) ponzu 3 tbsp (45 mL) white miso paste 2 tbsp (30 mL) pure maple syrup 2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh orange juice ½ tsp (2 mL) finely minced hot chili pepper 1 to 1¼ lbs (500 to 625 g) shrimp, chicken or pork Salt to taste Fresh mint or green onion for garnish 1 Whisk rum with ponzu, miso, maple syrup, orange juice and chili. Add shrimp, chicken or pork and stir. Refrigerate and marinate a cou- ple of hours for shrimp and at least 2 hours for chicken and pork or overnight. 2 Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp or meat frommarinade. Place marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasion- ally until thickened slightly. Lightly sprinkle shrimp or meat with salt. Then barbecue, bast- ing with marinade until cooked through. The time will depend on what you’re grilling. 3 Serve shrimp or meat on Tropical Fruit Salad or serve salad on the side. Garnish with fresh mint or thinly sliced green onion. Serves 4 TIP  When purchasing ponzu or miso, look for the cleanest ingredient list, and refriger- ate after opening. Both can be found in large supermarkets or Asian grocery stores (miso is refrigerated and often found in the produce section, while ponzu is in the Japanese or Asian aisle). Ponzu is a tart citrus-based liq- uid. Try substituting ponzu for vinegar in a salad dressing. White miso has a pungent fla- vour yet is slightly milder in taste than darker miso. It adds saltiness and depth of flavour to dressings and marinades.

PEACH & TANGERINE SPLASH

Fill a cocktail glass with ice. Add 2 oz peach juice, 1 oz tangerine juice and 3 to 4 ozMoscato. Stir to mix. Garnish with a rosemary sprig. Makes 1 drink

148  FOOD & DRI NK EARLY SUMMER 2016