LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2024

GRILLED FLANK STEAK & MUSHROOMS WITH COMPOUND BROWN BUTTER Browning butter before turning it into a com pound butter gives it a nutty sweetness that flatters both grilled steak and mushrooms. The recipe will make more butter than you need, but it freezes well and is excellent on everything from steamed cod to boiled lobster to baked potatoes. Grilled flat beans or green beans make a great side for this dish. 1/2 lb (225 g) unsalted butter 2 small cloves garlic, grated on a rasp, divided 1/2 tsp (2 mL) fine sea salt, plus more for seasoning 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated lemon zest 1 tsp (5 mL) finely chopped thyme 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped parsley 2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lemon juice 1 lb (455 g) flank steak Freshly ground pepper to taste 1 lb (455 g) small cremini or button mushrooms Lemon wedges for serving (optional) 1. In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat, stirring often, until beginning to foam. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter smells sweet and nutty, and turns golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately pour butter into a large heatproof bowl. 2. Stir 1 clove garlic, 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt, lemon zest, thyme and parsley into hot butter. Cool butter until it’s mostly solidified again—if your kitchen is warm, you might have to pop it in the fridge. Break up butter and beat with a hand mixer until whipped and emulsified. 3. Remove 1/3 cup (80 mL) butter for mush rooms. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Scrape remaining butter onto a piece of parchment paper. Form into a small log and wrap well, twisting ends to seal. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 1 week. (It will also keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.) 4. In a small bowl, mix remaining garlic and lemon juice, and rub all over steak. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside at room tempera ture while preparing rest of dish.

CHERRY TOMATO AND BASIL CLUSTER Clip or purchase small clusters of ripe cherry tomatoes on the vine. Depending on their size, 3 to 5 tomatoes on each vine are ideal. Hang on or clip to the side of the glass. Top with cocktail and tuck several sprigs of basil beside tomatoes. CITRUS MOON Using a paring knife, score peel of an orange in a top to bottom fashion, into four equal-sized segments (or a large lemon into three). Remove each peel segment in one piece. Again, using a paring knife, place a single piece pith side up on a cutting board and remove as much pith as possible. Using a round metal cookie cutter as wide as the peel will allow, cut a single large round from the segment. Repeat with remain ing segments. Pour your cocktail and slide a single round into the top of the ice. LIME SUN Cut a lime in half through its “equator.” Using one half, cut a single slice a scant 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick. Reserve other half and keep smaller piece for juice. Using a paring knife, lay lime wheel flat on a cutting board and segment the pulp as you would segment a half grapefruit to serve in its peel. Cut through the segment walls at the core of the lime to detach from each other. Turn the wheel inside-out so the pulp is on the outside and the dark green peel is inside. Using the reserved lime half, turn it cut side-down on the cutting board. Slide the inside-out lime wheel over, coaxing the peel flush with the cut face of the half-lime. Create a slit parallel to the sun “flames” on the half lime, about one third of the way through. Use this to prop on side of glass, and fill with cocktail (and ice if using). CITRUS PEEL CONFETTI Using a paring knife, score peel of one large orange in a top to bottom fashion, into eight equal-sized segments. Do the same with two lemons, but score peel into six segments each. Repeat with two limes, scoring peel of each into four segments. Remove each segment in one piece. Using a paring knife, place a single piece of peel pith side up on a cutting board and remove as much pith as possible; the thin ner the peel, the less bitter the confetti. Use a paper hole punch to create citrus peel confetti by following the edge of each piece of peel and punching along its full length. Garnish each cocktail with 1 tbsp (15 mL) confetti.

7. Grill steak, with lid closed, until nicely seared, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, flipping once, until it’s done to your liking, about 2 minutes for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and place 2 to 3 slices of cold compound butter overtop. Tent with foil and rest for 10 minutes. 8. While steak is resting, reduce heat on grill to medium-high, about 400°F (204°C). 9. Grill mushrooms, covered and turning occa sionally, until lightly charred and tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. 10. Slice steak against grain and trans fer to serving platter with lemon wedges, if desired. Serves 4

WHAT TO SERVE Frescobaldi Chianti Rúfina Nipozzano Riserva DOCG LCBO 107276, $24.95

This structured Chianti, with black cherry and cedar flavours, seamlessly matches the grilled steak, while its natural acidity balances the rich butter in the dish.

Dressed to Impress from page 91

SHAVED RADISHES & BABY BEETS Collect a small handful each of colourful scrubbed radishes and baby yellow or candy cane beets, and very thinly slice using a man doline. Place in a large bowl of ice water and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 6 hours. Thread the curled and buckled vegetables on a skewer and dress each skewer with a pinch of kosher salt before placing over glass.

5. Preheat grill to high, about 500°F (260°C).

6. Melt 1/3 cup (80 mL) reserved compound butter. Place in bowl with mushrooms. Sea son with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Thread evenly on 8 small metal or soaked wooden skewers.

Makes enough garnish for 5 drinks

114 FOOD & DRINK EARLY SUMMER 2024