LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2019

CHEFs’assembLY FOR MOM & DAD from page 84

2 Depending on your tolerance for heat, pound 1 to 3 chilies and garlic into a coarse paste using a mortar and pestle (see TIP 2). Add tomatoes and beans. Lightly bruise the mixture until liquid releases. 3 Peel papaya, and shred into ⅛-inch (3-mm) matchsticks (see TIP 3). 4 Transfer papaya, carrots, eggplant and shrimp to a serving bowl. Add green bean mix- ture and reserved dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with peanuts. 5 Spoon papaya salad onto plate and, if desired, pile cabbage and coriander leaves alongside. Makes about 3 cups (750 mL); serves 2 people TIP 1  To make tamarind paste, combine 8 oz (225-g block) tamarind pulp with 2 cups (500 mL) boiling water in a heatproof bowl. Let stand 15 minutes then strain through a fine sieve, discarding any pith and pips. To make a substitute for tamarind paste, mix 1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice, 1 tbsp (15 mL) dark brown sugar and 1 chopped date; purée them together with a stick blender. TIP 2  To replace mortar and pestle, place ingredients in a sturdy plastic bag and squeeze out the air. Using a rolling pin or the back of a pot, pound the ingredients until slightly pasty. TIP 3  To make the papaya slivers, use a cheese grater to grate the papaya or cut it the traditional way by hacking into the peeled papaya with your knife along its length until there are numerous vertical cuts, and then shaving off a thin layer. Repeat until you have enough green papaya slivers. You can also use a mandoline with the shredder blade or a julienne peeler. WHAT TO SERVE Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling VQA VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 80234 $16.95 This local Riesling offers appealing lime, grapefruit, honey and apple elements that complement the salad’s exotic flavours. The wine’s sweetness and acidity will work with the natural sweetness of the shrimp and papaya while taming the spicy elements in the dish. Astoria Prosecco LCBO 593855 $15.70 Prosecco is a great option to accompany summertime fare. The complexity of citrus and pear, floral and herbal tones are well paired to the salad’s own flavours. The pal- ate-cleansing bubbles, fresh apple acidity and sweetness will provide a great contrast to the texture and spice.

ONTARIO STRAWBERRY & BAS I L ICE CREAM Fragrant early-season Ontario strawberries are the best! You shouldn’t mask their flavour in an eggy custard-based ice cream. Here, some of the egg is replaced with corn syrup, which low- ers the freezing point of the cream and helps prevent ice crystals from forming, something homemade strawberry ice creams are prone to because of the moisture added by the berries themselves. 1 lb (455 g) strawberries, hulled ¾ cup (175 mL) sugar, divided 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice 1¼ cups (310 mL) whipping cream, divided 1 egg yolk ¼ cup (60 mL) corn syrup 1¼ cups (310 mL) whole milk 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped basil leaves, preferably Thai basil 1 Finely chop 6 strawberries and add to a bowl along with ¼ cup (60 mL) sugar and the lemon juice; set aside. 2 In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ cup (125 mL) sugar, ½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream and egg yolk. 3 Whisk together corn syrup, remaining ¾ cup (175 mL) whipping cream andmilk in a pot over medium heat. Once bubbling at edges, pour over egg mixture, whisking constantly. Let cool for 10 minutes, cover and chill for 2 hours. 4 When ready to churn, purée remaining strawberries in a blender; add basil and pulse until finely chopped. Stir into cream mixture. Pour into ice creammaker and prepare accord- ing to manufacturer’s instructions. In the final few minutes, strain macerated strawberries (save syrup for another use if desired) and add to ice cream maker. Once evenly distributed, scrape ice cream into a airtight container, and freeze until firm. Makes about 4 cups (1 L)

PAPAYA SALAD (SOM TAM) Chef Regular’s recipe is the most authentic pa- paya salad I have ever made, but ingredients could be a problem if you do not live in a city with an Asian market. Here are several substi- tutions. You can use fresh shrimp instead of dry, about ¼ lb (115 g) small shrimp, cooked. An Asian eggplant will replace the tiny round Thai eggplants that are generally used. Long beans are authentic: they are about 12 inches (30 cm) long, but about 8 regular green beans will work too. This recipe doubles beautifully and can be served with sticky rice, if desired. 3 tbsp (45 mL) fish sauce 2 tbsp (30 mL) tamarind paste (see TIP 1) 2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh lime juice 2 tbsp (30 mL) coconut sugar 1 to 3 Thai red bird’s-eye chilies 1 garlic clove, peeled 6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half, about ⅓ cup (80 mL) 2 long beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces, about ¼ cup (60 mL) ¼ green papaya, washed and seeded (about 2 cups/500 mL) 1/2 cup (125 mL) julienned carrots 2 Thai eggplant, halved, seeds removed, and cut lengthwise into matchsticks 1/2 cup (125 mL) large dried shrimp, chopped if desired 1 cup (80 mL) roasted peanuts, chopped OPTIONAL GARNISH 2 thin wedges Flat/Taiwanese cabbage 8 sawtooth coriander leaves (also called culantro) or 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh cilantro leaves

1 Combine fish sauce, tamarind paste, lime juice and coconut sugar. Set aside.

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122  FOOD & DRI NK EARLY SUMMER 2019