LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2018

ROASTED VEGETABLE PÂTÉ The depth of flavour from the roasted vegeta- bles will surprise you in this vegetarian spread (that is truly simple to make). It keeps well in the fridge and can be frozen, too, so it’s great for giving as a host gift for a dinner party, to a neighbour or as part of a selection of treats for a food-loving family member. Pack it into wide-mouth canning jars or decorative rame- kins. Add a small spreading knife and a box of fancy crackers to complete the gift. 1 small cauliflower, chopped, about 5 cups (1.25 L) 2 cups (500 mL) peeled, cubed eggplant 1 onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil About 2 tbsp (30 mL) red wine vinegar, divided 1 tsp (5 mL) chopped fresh thyme Salt and freshly ground pepper ½ cup (125 mL) unsalted raw sunflower seeds ⅓ cup (80 mL) 35% cream, plus extra Fresh thyme sprigs 1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. 2 Combine cauliflower, eggplant, onion and garlic on baking sheet. Stir together oil, 1 tbsp (15 mL) vinegar, chopped thyme, 1 tsp (5 mL) salt and ½ tsp (2 mL) pepper. Drizzle over veg- etables and stir to coat evenly. Spread out into a single layer. 3 Roast vegetables for about 50 minutes, stir- ring twice, until browned and very soft. Remove from oven. Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) vinegar over vegetables and stir to scrape up brown bits from foil. Let cool completely on baking sheet. 4 Meanwhile, combine sunflower seeds and ⅓ cup (80 mL) cream in a bowl; let stand for 15 to 30 minutes. 5 Transfer roasted vegetables to a food pro- cessor and add sunflower seed mixture. Purée until smooth. Add a little more cream, as nec- essary, to make a thick but spreadable consis- tency. Check seasoning and add salt, pepper and a little vinegar to taste, as desired. 6 Pack into 3 wide-mouth 1-cup (250 mL) can- ning jars, ramekins or decorative dishes. Top with thyme sprigs for garnish. Cover and re- frigerate for at least 2 hours, until set, or for up to 1 week (or freeze for up to 2 months; let thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving). Let stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before serving. Makes about 3 cups (750 mL)

BRINE A JUICIER BIRD. Get the full recipe and more juicy ideas at www.KikkomanCanada.com

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PASTRAMI ON A PRETZEL BUN Hot pastrami on a chewy pretzel bun, a slather of mustard and melted Swiss cheese makes a very fine sandwich indeed. You may like the addition of sauerkraut for some extra punch, or leave it off for a milder sandwich. If the buns are small, you may want to make extras and serve one-and-a-half or two per person. Check a local bakery for pretzel buns, or get adventur- ous and make some yourself. A dense multi- grain bun makes for a good alternative. 12 oz (340 g) sliced pastrami 4 pretzel buns, cut in half Yellow mustard ¾ cup (175 mL) drained sauerkraut (optional)

3 Spread cut sides of buns with mustard, to taste. Using tongs, lift pastrami from foil, drain- ing off liquid, and arrange on bun bottoms, top with sauerkraut (if using) and sprinkle with pepper. Top each with a slice of cheese. Leave sandwiches open and place on baking sheet. 4 Bake in oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Place bun lids on sandwiches and serve hot. Serves 4 $2.60 The sweet malty character in this classic lager balances with the tartness from the mustard and sauerkraut and complements the sweet and salty character in the pret­ zel bun. Wellington Special Pale Ale LCBO 190439, 473 mL $3.10 Patterned after traditional English pale ales, balanced malt and hops impart flavours of biscuit and caramel in this beer, making it a great companion to such a fla­ vourful sandwich. WHAT TO SERVE Holsten Festbock LCBO 334276, 500 mL

Freshly ground pepper 4 slices Swiss cheese 1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

2 Divide pastrami into 4 equal portions. Place each portion in a separate pile approximately the same diameter as the buns on a large piece of foil. Wrap with foil and seal edges. Place on a baking sheet and heat in oven for 5 minutes or until sizzling. Place buns directly on oven rack and heat alongside pastrami.

FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2018 235