LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2017

ROASTED DATES WITH SERRANO HAM

3 Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and ja- lapeño to the pan. Sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining spice mix- ture and cook for 30 seconds. Place vegetables in an ovenproof baking dish or Dutch oven and place meat on top of vegetables, nestling it in. Pour wine into frying pan, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, scraping up any bits on the base of the pan until wine reduces slightly. Add stock, tomato paste and star anise, bring to boil and pour over meat. Cover with a lid. 4 Bake for 2 hours or until meat is tender with a little resistance to the fork. Add dates and lemon and stir together. Cook another 45 min- utes to 1 hour or until meat is fork-tender. Cool and refrigerate overnight if preferred (making fat easier to remove). 5 Remove lamb from sauce and slice into ½-inch-thick (1-cm) slices. Skim fat from the sauce and discard. Return meat and reheat sauce with all its vegetables, reseasoning with salt and pepper if needed. 6 Arrange on a platter and garnish with cor­ iander. Serves 4 to 6

Ideally you would use a Spanish soft blue cheese such as Cabrales, but it is much easier to find Gorgonzola. 1 Cut 12 pitted dates in half, but do not cut all the way through. Open like a book and stuff each date with about 1 tsp (5 mL) blue cheese or finely chopped Manchego. Fold in half. Cut 6 slices of serrano ham in half lengthwise and wrap a piece around each date. Place dates on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil and bake at 400°F (200°C) until ham is crispy and cheese is melt- ing, about 10 minutes. Serves 6

LAMB WITH WARM SPICES AND DATES Medjool dates will disintegrate into the sauce while dates bought in packages will stay firm- er. It is a matter of personal preference which kind to use. The cooked lamb does not always cut in beautiful slices, as shoulder is somewhat uneven. Persevere. You could cut in chunks if you prefer. Serve with basmati rice and stir- fried mixed greens such as kale, Swiss chard, spinach or escarole lettuce. 1 boned rolled shoulder of lamb or 4 lamb shanks, 3 lbs (1.5 kg) total Salt and freshly ground pepper

DATES ROLLED IN HONEY & PI STACHIOS

1 Remove pits and stuff 12 dates with about 1 tsp (5 mL) soft goat cheese each. Brush stuffed dates lightly with 1 tbsp (15 mL) honey. Roll in ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped pistachios. Serves 6

2 tsp (10 mL) garam masala 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin 1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander ½ tsp (2 mL) cinnamon ½ tsp (2 mL) cayenne 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil

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Georgian Hills Marechal Foch VQA LCBO 483883

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DATES STUFFED WITH TAHINI & ALMONDS

3 medium onions, about 4 cups (1 L) cut in wedges 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut in 2 inch (5 cm) pieces, about 3 cups (750 mL) 4 celery sticks cut in 2 inch (5 cm) pieces, about 2 cups (500 mL) 1 head of garlic, sliced in half 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced, about ¼ cup (60 mL) 1 cup (250 mL) red wine 2 cups (500 mL) beef stock 2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste 3 star anise 1 cup (250 mL) halved dates 2 tbsp (30 mL) pickled or preserved lemon

1 Remove pits from 12 dates. Mix ¼ cup (60 mL) tahini with ½ cup (125 mL) ground almonds, 4 tsp (20 mL) harissa paste and 1 tsp (5 mL) za’atar until it is paste-like. Roll into balls and stuff dates with the mixture. Sprinkle dates with more za’atar. Serves 6 CHOCOLATE-COCONUT- COATED DATES 1 Remove pits and stuff 12 dates with 2 pis- tachios each. Freeze until firm, about 15 min- utes. Melt ⅓ cup (80 mL) dark chocolate with 1½ tsp (7 mL) coconut oil, stirring, about 1 min- ute. Cool for 5 minutes. Dip frozen dates into chocolate mixture allowing excess to drip off. Place on parchment paper and sprinkle with about ¼ cup (60 mL) shaved coconut. Freeze until set, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight. Serves 6

ESCAROLE SALAD The vinaigrette can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Take it out half an hour before using, as the vinaigrette will solidify when chilled.

VINAIGRETTE 1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard 2 tbsp (30 mL) white wine vinegar ⅓ cup (80 mL) olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper ½ cup (125 mL) thinly sliced red onion Salt to taste

Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped coriander 1 Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C).

8 cups (2 L) escarole lettuce, broken into pieces 1 Whisk together mustard and vinegar. Slow- ly whisk in oil until mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper. 2 Toss onions with a sprinkling of salt and leave for 5 minutes. Toss lettuce and onions with vinaigrette and serve at once. Serves 6

2 Season meat with salt and pepper. Combine garam masala, cumin, ginger, coriander, cin- namon and cayenne. Heat a large frying pan over high heat and add oil. Add meat fat-side down and brown well, about 2 to 4 minutes a side. Transfer to a baking sheet. Scatter 1 tbsp (15 mL) of spice mixture over lamb.

244  FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2017