LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2017

1 For the satay, combine the coconut milk, lemon grass, 2 tbsp (30 mL) peanut oil and ginger in a blender; process until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Add sugar, turmeric, cumin, pepper and salt; pulse to com‑ bine and set aside. (Marinade may be made up to 5 days in advance and refrigerated.) 2 Cut tenderloin in half along its length; cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick (5-mm) slices. Place in a non-reactive bowl; pour coconut milk mixture over. Gently toss to coat and refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 hours. 3 Meanwhile, prepare your assembly station: in a small non-reactive bowl combine sugar, fish sauce and tamarind paste; stir until sugar is dissolved. Add pineapple, shallot and chili. Stir to combine (pineapple mixture may be dressed with the fish sauce mixture up to an hour in advance). 4 Using a sharp knife, remove tough centre rib from the lime leaves and finely sliver; arrange in a small bowl beside the pineapple relish, fried shallots and macadamia. 5 When ready to serve, arrange betel leaves on a large platter or 2, glossy-side up, in a sin‑ gle layer. Heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the remain‑ ing oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high. Using a slotted spoon, remove pork from marinade and fry in a single layer (do not crowd pan), undisturbed for 2 minutes per side or until golden. Repeat with remain‑ ing pork if necessary, refreshing oil if needed. 6 Arrange a couple of pieces of warm pork in the centre of each betel leaf, followed by a gen‑ erous tsp (5 mL plus) of the pineapple relish, a pinch of macadamia and shallots, and a few slivers of lime leaf each. Serve immediately. Makes 24 pieces $20.85 This local Riesling offers appealing lime-grapefruit, honey, pear and floral elements that will highlight the exotic flavours in the dish. A hint of sweetness quells any spice or heat, while the crisp acidity cleanses the palate. Thornbury Village Pickup No. 26 Pilsner LCBO 423137, 473 mL $3.10 This lager offers light malt, herb and citrus notes in a thirst-quenching package that is the perfect foil to these flavourful satay bundles. Serve it cool; its bal- anced bitter hops and carbonation gently refresh the palate. WHAT TO SERVE Thirty Bench Riesling VQA VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 24133

WHAT TO SERVE Henry of Pelham Late Harvest Vidal VQA LCBO 395228, 375 mL $19.95 This quintessential late-harvest Vidal from Ontario offers flavours of honey, apple and candied fruit com- bined with balanced acidity, both complementing and contrasting the flavours and richness of the compote and cheese. Martini and Rossi Asti LCBO 253948 $14.95 For a lower-alcohol alternative, try this classic Italian sparkler with sweet apricot, lemon and orange blossom flavours, along with balanced acidity and lively sparkle. The long list of ingredients here are all usu‑ ally available from a well-stocked Asian gro‑ cer, and that extra mile is oh-so-worth-it. Betel leaves are a common Southeast Asian ingredi‑ ent eaten both raw and cooked. The lime leaves should be nearby in the refrigerated section, while prepared fried shallots (sometimes labelled “fried red onion”) and tamarind paste can be found on the shelves. Arranging your assembly station ahead of time will leave only the pork to finish. A quick fry, and you’re done. SATAY ⅓ cup (80 mL) coconut milk 1 stalk lemon grass, roughly chopped 3 to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 mL) peanut oil, divided 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated ginger 2 tsp (10 mL) packed dark brown sugar BETEL LEAF & PORK SATAY BUNDLES

CHEESE “CAKE” WITH DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE The very simple apricot, raisin and almond compote here belies its dramatic end as dec‑ oration to a beautiful cheese wheel. While Manchego does come in smaller wheels that would be perfect here, those can be harder to find. Your best bet is the widely available 3.4‑kg wheels cut horizontally into your de‑ sired weight, rather than into wedges as is the norm. If you’re purchasing dried apricots in bulk, pick out the smallest ones. DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE ½ cup (125 mL) either Lillet Blanc, late-harvest Riesling or pear or apricot nectar ¼ cup (60 mL) sugar ¼ cup (60 mL) water 1 tbsp (15 mL) apple cider vinegar 1½ cups (375 mL) small dried apricots ½ cup (125 mL) raisins ⅓ cup (80 mL) slivered almonds Circular (if possible) piece Manchego cheese, 3 lbs (1.5 kg) Assortment of fresh herbs and greens to garnish, such as thyme, eucalyptus and cedar 1 In a medium pot over medium heat, combine Lillet, sugar, water and apple cider vinegar; stir to dissolve sugar. Add dried apricots and raisins and bring to a boil. Reduce to low; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until a scant amount of thickened syrup remains, checking frequent‑ ly in the last 5 minutes to avoid burning. 2 Meanwhile, toast almonds in a 375°F (190°C) oven until lightly golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir almonds into hot compote and let stand, covered, until cooled to room temperature. (Compote may be made up to 3 days in ad‑ vance, covered and refrigerated until serving day. Return to room temperature to serve.) 3 Arrange cheese on a cake stand or pedestal and top decoratively with compote. Garnish with herbs and greens and serve alongside baguette and crackers. Serves 12 Thinly toasted baguette slices Assortment of sturdy crackers

1 tsp (5 mL) ground turmeric ¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cumin Pinch white pepper 1 tsp (5 mL) salt 1 lb (500 g) pork tenderloin

TO ASSEMBLE 2 tbsp (30 mL) packed brown sugar 1 tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce ½ tsp (2 mL) tamarind paste 1 cup (250 mL) finely diced pineapple

1 small shallot, finely diced 1 Thai chili, finely chopped 6 makrut lime leaves

½ cup (125 mL) prepared fried shallots ½ cup (125 mL) chopped macadamia nuts 24 betel leaves, trimmed of all but ½ inch (1 cm) stem

248  FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2017