LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2017

RECIPES With wine, beer and spirit recommendations by the LCBO’s Knowledge Resources Group.

TIP  For toasts, cut day-old baguette, cia­ batta or rustic white bread into very thin slices. Lightly drizzle a baking pan or 2 with olive oil. Lay toasts in a single layer. Bake 15 minutes in preheated 300°F (150°C) oven. Turn toasts and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes or until very dry with edges begin- ning to get golden. Cool and store air tight. Use as a giant crouton in salads or serve as crackers with cheese or soup. $14.95 Green herb, citrus and vibrant fresh fruit flavours make for an excellent match to the herbal and earthy ele- ments in this dish. The structure of underlying, zingy acidity provides a foil to the richness of the Caesar dressing. Foss Maraï Extra Dry Prosecco VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 729392 $19.95 Light apple, herb and citrus tones provide a pleasant contrast to the dominant flavours of the salad. The zesty sparkle and refreshing acidity cut through the rich textures of the Caesar dressing, cheese and bacon, cleansing the palate. FARFALLE WITH CHÈVRE & FRESH HERBS This one-pot creamy pasta is the adult version of mac ’n’ cheese! It can also be a vegetarian main dish, in which case the recipe serves three to four quite well. The goat cheese can be replaced by havarti or cheddar for a milder flavour, although the tangy chèvre goes very well with grilled beef. 1 lb (500 g) farfalle pasta 3 oz (90 g) mild chèvre (soft goats’ milk cheese) or other cheese 3 oz (90 g) cream cheese 2 cups (500 mL) milk ½ cup (125 mL) lightly packed mixture of coarsely chopped fresh chives, basil and parsley 3 tbsp (45 mL) all-purpose flour 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice ½ tsp (2 mL) salt WHAT TO SERVE  Trius Sauvignon Blanc VQA LCBO 221804

garden variety from page 64

⅛ to ¼ tsp (0.5 to 1 mL) cayenne pepper 2 cups (500 mL) lightly packed baby spinach or 1 cup (250 mL) coarsely chopped watercress Numerous tiny colourful tomatoes, cut in half,

or small chunks of ripe tomato Gratings of Parmesan cheese

1 Boil pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions, usu- ally about 11 minutes, or until al dente. 2 Meanwhile, combine cheeses, milk, herbs, flour, juice, salt and cayenne in a blender. Whirl until fairly smooth. 3 Place spinach in a colander. When pasta is cooked, pour some of the hot pasta water over spinach to wilt. Add drained wilted spinach to blender. Continue to drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Drain. 4 Whirl contents of blender until just tiny pieces of green are visible. Pour into the now- empty pot and return to medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or un- til sauce is bubbling and thickened. 5 Add pasta to sauce. Stir constantly for 5 minutes or until pasta is hot and well-coated with sauce. Serve immediately garnished with tomato and gratings of Parmesan. Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish WHAT TO SERVE  Vineland Cabernet Franc VQA LCBO 594127 $14.95 This fresh and fruity red combines spring cherry, green fruit and dried-herb notes—flavours that will harmo- nize with the chèvre, herbs and leafy greens. It also of- fers enough structure to contend with the rich creami- ness of the cheese sauce. Henri Bourgeois Les Baronnes Sancerre VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 542548 $26.95 Grassy, mineral, grapefruit and light gooseberry fla- vours in this wine provide a great match to the fresh herbs, spinach and watercress and the pungent nature of the goat cheese.

ASPARAGUS SALAD, CAESAR-STYLE

As our most prominent early vegetable, fresh asparagus should be celebrated in as many ways as possible—for example, in this Caesar- inspired salad.

3 lbs (1.5 kg) fresh asparagus ⅔ cup (150 mL) creamy-style Caesar dressing 8 to 16 crisp toasts (see TIP) 8 to 16 slices bacon, cooked to a crisp ½ cup (125 mL) freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

1 Snap off woody end of each asparagus. Save the ends to make vegetarian stock or discard. Slice asparagus diagonally approximately every inch (2.5 cm). 2 Drop cut asparagus into rapidly boiling wa- ter. Cook for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain well: it can be cov- ered and refrigerated for up to a day. 3 Toss asparagus with dressing to taste. Place in small heaps in serving bowls. Tuck a toast or 2 to the side and add 1 or 2 slices of bacon, either whole or coarsely cut up. 4 Scatter Parmesan overtop. Serve right away accompanied by additional toasts. Serves 6 to 8

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