LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2017

An Appetizing supper from page 106

½ cup (125 mL) light coconut milk ¾ tsp (4 mL) salt Zest of 1 lime

WHAT TO SERVE Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling VQA LCBO 213983 $29.95 This local bubbly is made in the traditional manner, and like all great sparkling wines it is food-friendly and will add a classy feeling to your meal. The fresh pear and citrus flavours and toasty, earthy tones combine with palate-refreshing acidity and fine bubbles to make $20.20 Chablis is spawned in a cool climate, which allows it to become a benchmark unoaked expression of the Char- donnay grape. This example exhibits zingy acidity and mineral-flinty green apple and citrus fruit flavours that will provide both a complement and contrast to the flavours and textures of the smoked trout pots. Both the garnish and the chicken can be pre- pared a couple of days ahead here, but the rice is best the day it’s made. It needs to set up for an hour at room temperature, so plan accord- ingly. Resist the urge to put it in the fridge, be- cause, once chilled, the rice will become hard and unpleasant. CURRIED CHICKEN 2 tbsp (30 mL) coconut or peanut oil 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, finely grated or chopped 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated ginger 2 tsp (10 mL) mild curry paste it a seamless match to the dish. Albert Bichot Chablis AOC LCBO 458851 CURRIED CHICKEN ON COCONUT RICE CAKES 1¼ cups (310 mL) light coconut milk 6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, each cut into 6 pieces 3 tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped cilantro ¼ cup (60 mL) finely chopped roasted unsalted cashews Juice of ½ lime GARNISH Peanut or canola oil for frying ½ cup (125 mL) uncooked thin rice vermicelli noodles, broken into 1 to 2 inch (2.5 to 5 cm) lengths Pinch salt COCONUT RICE CAKES 1½ cups (375 mL) calrose, or Japanese sushi rice ¼ cup (60 mL) unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted 1½ cups (375 mL) water Pinch ground cloves Pinch ground nutmeg ½ tsp (2 mL) ground cumin ¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon 1 plum tomato, flesh coarsely grated, skin discarded

1 For the chicken, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; add onion and fry, stirring fre- quently, until deeply golden, 10 to 12 minutes. 2 Stir in garlic, ginger and curry paste; cook 1 minute. Sprinkle spices over and stir to com- bine; add tomato and coconut milk. Stir in chicken and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until thickened. Set aside. (Chicken may be made to this point, covered and refrig- erated for up to 3 days until ready to serve.) 3 For the garnish, heat a 2-inch (5-cm) depth of oil over medium heat in a medium pot to 400°F (200°C). Fry noodles in 2 batches until puffed, about 10 seconds; remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined bowl. Sprinkle with salt and set aside. (Noodles may be made up to 3 days in advance and kept uncovered at room temperature.) 4 For the coconut rice cakes, combine all but the lime zest in a medium saucepan; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in lime zest. 5 Turn out into a lightly greased 8-inch (20‑cm) square baking pan; press down using a large to spoon to make it level and compact. Cover with cling wrap and let stand for 1 hour or un- til room temperature—but for no longer than 2 hours. Flip out onto a cutting board and cut into 36 squares. 6 To serve, heat chicken on stovetop until warm; stir in the chopped cilantro, cashews and lime juice. Place a piece of chicken and small amount of sauce on each rice cake. Garnish each with a small amount of crispy rice noodles. Makes 36 pieces WHAT TO SERVE Angels Gate Gewürztraminer VQA LCBO 58594 $14.95 Curry-inspired dishes work wonderfully with the fla- vours of aromatic wines such as this local Gewürztra- miner. In addition, the off-dry and fruity nature of the wine will moderate any spicy heat on the palate. Railway City Dead Elephant Ale LCBO 272104, 473 mL $3.15 The bold hoppy character of this local IPA is the per- fect foil to the flavours and pungency of the curry in these mini cakes. Served cold, it offers sweet malt, bal- anced bitter hops and carbonation to tame any spice and gently refresh the palate.

WARM SMOKED TROUT POTS

Serving little mini-casseroles of decadent smoked fish enrobed in velvety sauce is sure to turn guests into fans. The beauty here is that you don’t need to break a sweat for the adula- tion—nor do you need to admit to such things. Piment d’Espelette is a modestly spicy pepper powder from France. It can be substituted with ¼ tsp (1 mL) paprika mixed with a pinch of cayenne if you like. 1 cup (250 mL) crème fraîche 2 oz (60 g) sharp cheddar, grated ¼ tsp (1 mL) piment d’Espelette 1 tbsp (15 mL) well drained prepared horseradish 8 oz (250 g) skinned and boned smoked trout, broken into small bite-sized pieces 1 In a small pot over medium heat, bring the crème fraîche to a boil and reduce until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the cheese. When it has melted, stir in piment d’Espelette and horse- radish. 2 Toss smoked trout with 3 tbsp (45 mL) chives and divide mixture between twelve ½-cup (125-mL) heatproof ramekins. Spoon an equal amount of crème fraîche mixture over each. (Pots may be prepared to this point and held in fridge, covered, for up to a day.) 3 When ready to serve, broil prepared rame- kins 2 inches (5 cm) from top element, for 3 to 4 minutes or until bubbling and lightly golden. Let stand 10 minutes and garnish each with a pinch of remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) chives. Serve each with a toast soldier. Makes 12 servings TIP  To make toast soldiers, toast ½-inch- thick (1-cm) slices sourdough, trim off crusts, and cut into long pieces about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) long. Toast soldiers can be made a couple of hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature. ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped chives, divided 12 sourdough toast soldiers (see TIP)

246  FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2017