LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2023

THAI-STYLE GLASS NOODLE SALAD WITH SHRIMP & HERBS

5. To serve, toss noodles with green onions and half the herbs. Divide between bowls then top with remaining herbs and cashews. Serve with lime wedges. Serves 6 to 8

3. Whisk flour, baking powder, pepper, garlic powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add butter, then, using your fingers, press each cube into the flour-mixture until no pieces larger than a pea remain. Add scallions, tossing with your hands to combine. 4. Make a well in centre of flour mixture. Pour in buttermilk mixture then stir with a spatula until shaggy. Knead a few times in bowl to bring dough together. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Pat or roll into an 8 x 8-inch (20 x 20-cm) square. Using a bench scraper or a knife, cut into 4 squares. Stack squares on top of each other, then pat down and roll dough into another 8 x 8-inch (20 x 20-cm) sqaure. Repeat cutting and stacking process one more time, then roll dough into a 9 x 12-inch (23 x 30-cm) rectangle. Cut dough into a 3 x 4 grid to make 12 3-inch (8-cm) squares. Lightly trim edges. 5. Arrange biscuits evenly on prepared baking sheet. Transfer to freezer to chill for 10 min utes. Brush with reserved buttermilk mixture (you may not need all of it). Bake on middle rack until tops are dark golden-brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. (When fully cooled, biscuits will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Warm briefly in a microwave or oven before serving.) 6. For the egg salad, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in vinegar then slowly lower in eggs with a slotted spoon. Cook, adjusting heat to maintain a gentle simmer, until eggs are hard-boiled, 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, quickly transfer eggs to a large bowl of ice water. Cool 5 minutes. 7. Drain, peel and halve eggs. Scoop out yolks and transfer to a medium bowl. Set whites aside. Using a fork, smash yolks into a rough paste. Stir in mayonnaise, sugar and salt until well combined. Finely chop egg whites then add to bowl with yolks. Stir until whites are evenly coated. (Egg salad will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.) 8. Serve egg salad and biscuits family-style or assemble sandwiches by splitting each biscuit in half and topping with 1/4 cup (60 mL) egg salad. Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi and scallions, if desired. Serves 6 to 8 WHAT TO SERVE 13th Street Cuvée Brut Sparkling Rosé VQA LCBO 147504, $29.95 This sparkler’s strawberry and citrus flavours match the dish’s savoury elements. The bub bles and lively acidity provide a foil to the egg salad, which completes the pairing.

Cold noodle salads are an easy make-ahead lunch, and especially great when it’s too hot to cook. Shop at your local Asian supermarket and you’ll have no trouble finding all the ingre dients in one place. Cashews could be swapped for fried onions or peanuts depending on the dietary needs and preferences of your group. 2 tbsp (30 mL) rice vinegar 2 tbsp (30 mL) minced garlic 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced ginger 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar 2 red Thai bird’s-eye chilies, finely chopped 1 3/4 lbs (795 g) large black tiger shrimp, peeled, deveined 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil 14 oz (395 g) cellophane noodles (aka glass noodles) 6 cups (1.5 L) finely sliced green cabbage 4 mini cucumbers, cut into thin strips 4 celery stalks, cut into thin strips 2 shallots, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds 4 green onions, thinly sliced 1 cup (250 mL) roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems 1 cup (250 mL) torn Thai basil leaves 1 cup (250 mL) torn mint leaves 1 cup (250 mL) roasted, salted cashews, roughly chopped Lime wedges to serve 1. Stir together fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, ginger, sugar and chilies in a very large bowl. Transfer 2 tbsp (30 mL) of this sauce mixture to a medium bowl to marinate shrimp. Add shrimp and oil to medium bowl and toss to combine. 2. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-­ high heat. Add half the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the very large bowl with the dressing. Repeat with remaining shrimp. 3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain in a large colander, then rinse under cold water until cooled. Let sit in colander to drain for 5 minutes. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut noodles in colander 5 or 6 times to shorten. 4. Add noodles, cabbage, cucumber, celery and shallots to bowl with shrimp and dressing. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 day. 1/4 cup (60 mL) fish sauce 1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh lime juice

WHAT TO SERVE Relax Riesling LCBO 621888, $14.45

This extremely adaptable Riesling is subtly sweet, in contrast to the dish’s spice and salti ness, while the acidity balances the match.

MISO-SCALLION BISCUITS & JAPANESE-STYLE EGG SALAD

Japanese egg salad is a creamier version of the one you might have grown up with. This characteristic texture is achieved by blending the yolks into the mayo before folding in the whites. It is typically sandwiched between two slices of milk bread, but here we’ve opted for a savoury miso-scallion biscuit. Make both in advance for an easy lunch option.

MISO-SCALLION BISCUITS 1/3 cup (80 mL) white miso

1 cup (250 mL) shaken buttermilk 3 1/4 cups (810 mL) all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring surface 1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder 1 tsp (5 mL) coarsely ground black pepper 1/2 tsp (2 mL) garlic powder 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda 1/2 tsp (2 mL) fine sea salt 1 cup (250 mL) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 -inch (1-cm) cubes 4 scallions, thinly sliced JAPANESE-STYLE EGG SALAD 1 tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar 12 large eggs 1/2 cup (125 mL) mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie 2 tsp (10 mL) granulated sugar 1/4 tsp (1 mL) fine sea salt

Shichimi togarashi (Japanese spice mixture) and thinly sliced scallions to serve (optional)

1. For the biscuits, place rack in centre of oven and preheat to 400°F (204°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. 2. Place miso in a medium bowl. Whisk in half the buttermilk, 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, until smooth. Add remaining buttermilk then stir to blend. Reserve 2 tbsp (30 mL) buttermilk mixture for brushing biscuits.

142 FOOD & DRINK EARLY SUMMER 2023