LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2022

6. Just before serving, scoop into small bowls. Or, make a parfait by topping sorbet with store-bought or homemade whipped coconut topping (recipe follows) and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

garlic, and a touch of honey in the sausage meat result in something you’ll want to eat by the mittful. 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) lean ground pork 1/3 cup (80 mL) hoisin sauce 1/2 cup (125 mL) bread crumbs 1 tbsp (15 mL) honey 1 tsp (5 mL) salt 1 tbsp (15 mL) sriracha 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated Freshly ground black pepper 1 sheet pre-rolled frozen puff pastry, thawed Flour as needed 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten 3 tbsp (45 mL) sesame seeds 1. In a large bowl, combine pork, hoisin, bread crumbs, honey, salt, sriracha and garlic. Add a few grindings of coarsely ground black pepper. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. 2. Cut a piece of parchment paper roughly the size of a baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle with flour and unroll your puff pastry overtop. Sprinkle pastry with a bit more flour and gently roll out with a rolling pin to lengthen into a 10 x 12-inch (25 x 30-cm) rectangle. 3. Working lengthwise, leave a 1-inch (2.5-cm) border on one side and arrange the sausage mixture in a log-like roll parallel to the border. Brush border with egg yolk. Using the parchment, lift pastry from the other side and bring into contact with egg-washed border to enclose meat (the ends of the sausage roll will remain open). Use a fork to seal long edge. Carefully transfer parchment and roll to baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

1 cup loosely packed assorted tender herbs, such as mint, basil, dill, cilantro, chives and tarragon 1 mini cucumber, thinly sliced 2 radishes, thinly sliced Coarsely ground black pepper Maldon salt

1. For the cracker, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).

Makes 2 3/4 cups (680 mL) for 4 servings

2. Cut the flatbread into a rectangle roughly 8 x 12 inches (20 x 30 cm) or cut two thin-style pitas into two rectangles, each half that size. Place on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Set aside.

WHIPPED COCONUT TOPPING Refrigerate a can of coconut milk for at least 2 hours. When chilled, scoop out solid coconut cream, separating it from coconut liquid, and place it in a bowl. Whip cream using an electric mixer until soft and fluffy. Splendour on the Grass from page 90 CRACKER FOR A CROWD Lately, I’m into drama—the bigger the cracker, the deeper my satisfaction. Luckily, flatbreads are little more than undercooked crackers, and Middle Eastern shops have lots of options at the ready—choose a very large one and make one big cracker to share. If a standard supermarket is all you’ve got, use a couple of large, thin pitas (don’t split them as they’d be too thin for the cream cheese topping here) to make 2 smaller (but still large) crackers instead of one. Pack the cracker, spread and toppings separately and assemble once you’ve settled in. CRACKER 1 large flatbread, about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick, or 2 large, thin pitas 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 1/4 tsp (1 mL) kosher salt SPREAD 4 oz (125 g) cream cheese, softened 1 clove garlic, finely grated 3/4 tsp (4 mL) curry powder 1 green onion, finely chopped 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice Pinch salt

AÇAÍ SORBET Icy sweet-tart sorbet can make you feel lighter (or at the very least, not heavier) after you eat it, making this dessert the ultimate way to finish off an epic feast. 3 pouches (100g each) of unsweetened açaí purée 1/2 cup (125 mL) agave syrup 1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice, about 2 oranges 1. If you have an ice-cream maker, freeze bowl of ice-cream maker until frozen, about 8 hours. 2. Using a rolling pin, break up açaí purée in pouches. Cut open and add purée to a blender. Blend açaí purée with syrup and orange juice until smooth. 3. If using an ice-cream maker, set frozen bowl in ice-cream maker. Turn on and slowly pour and scrape in açaí mixture. Mix until chilled, 30 minutes. To firm up, scrape into an airtight container and place in freezer. 4. For preparation without an ice-cream maker, freeze mixture in a wide resealable container or dish for 2 hours. Using a fork, scrape and stir until evenly mixed. Repeat this every hour, 2 to 3 more times, in order to reduce ice crystals.

3. For the spread, mix all ingredients together. Cover and chill.

4. When you’re ready to serve, tear any larger herbs into smaller pieces. Smear the cracker(s) with the cream cheese spread, top with the cucumber and radish, then the herbs. Give it a few grinds of black pepper and sprinkle with a little Maldon salt. Break into smaller pieces to serve.

Serves 6

WHAT TO SERVE Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi DOCG VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 250696, $19.95

Gavi’s refreshingly crisp acidity will counter the crust and creamy, cheesy texture, while the wine’s herbal notes match perfectly with similar ingredients in the recipe.

SWEET, SAVOURY SAUSAGE ROLL

Two easy-to-find supermarket condiments do all of the heavy lifting here. Hoisin, a sweet and vinegary brown sauce full of Chinese five-spice powder, and sriracha, a hot-sweet North American take on a very different Thai sauce by the same name, are both flavour bombs in bottles. A little of each, some

4. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).

5. Freeze until firm, at least overnight. Sorbet will keep well, covered and frozen, for up to 1 week.

5. Score three short slashes on top of roll to vent, brush with remaining egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake on

160 FOOD & DRINK EARLY SUMMER 2022