LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2020

pieces of herb remaining. Stir in 1 tsp (5 mL) salt and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper; scrape the pesto into a large heatproof serving bowl. 3 Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Remove 1/2 cup (125 mL) pasta water and add to bowl with pe- sto. Drain pasta, add to bowl and toss to coat. Top with crumbs and serve immediately. Serves 6 TIP  Making your own bread crumbs from quality day-old bread results in superior crumbs. Very thinly slice desired amount of bread, preferably a sourdough, then chop until pieces are about the size of pearl barley.

3 Combine 1 tsp (5 mL) salt with pepper, coriander, allspice and ginger in a small bowl; rub all over flesh, avoiding the skin. Sprinkle remaining 1 tsp (5 mL) salt over skin. 4 Place on a rack set in a small roasting tin; roast for 2 hours. 5 Increase heat to 425°F (220°C) and cook 20 to 25 minutes longer or until skin has bub- bled and crisped. Remove to a board. 6 Pour off fat from pan and discard; set pan over medium heat. Deglaze the pan with port, scraping up any brown bits; add chicken stock and prunes. Let boil 6 minutes to plump prunes and thicken sauce slightly; serve along- side roast. Using lots of spinach in relation to the pota- toes results in a looser mash that doesn’t feel stodgy beside the decadent pork belly. The lemony flavour helps cut through the richness too. Don’t dry the spinach after washing—the little water clinging to the leaves aids in cook- ing them. 1 pkg (345 g) baby spinach, washed 4 cloves garlic, peeled 2 lbs (905 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 1/4 cup (60 mL) 18% cream 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter 1 Cook the spinach with a little salt in a medium pot, covered, over medium heat until wilted, about 4 minutes; drain in a colander. Set aside. 2 Cook garlic and potatoes in just enough boiling salted water to cover until tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain and return to pot along with spinach. 3 Add cream and butter. Using a wire po- tato-masher, work mixture into a fine, loose mash. Stir in lemon zest, juice and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon zest 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice Pinch nutmeg Salt and freshly ground pepper Serves 6 LEMONY SPINACH & POTATO PURÉE

SPAGHETTI WITH PISTACHIO & COCOA PESTO

It might seem strange to use cocoa in a pasta dish but Italians have been using unsweet- ened cocoa as a spice for hundreds of years. It’s used in one of Rome’s emblematic dishes, coda alla vaccinara , an oxtail and celery stew, it features in complex sweet and sour game dishes, and it’s even used to make a variety of pasta itself. Cocoa nibs are unsweetened broken cocoa beans and are widely available. Their texture is preferable here to ground cocoa powder. PARMESAN CRUMBS 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil 1 cup (250 mL) fresh coarse bread crumbs (see TIP) 1/4 cup (60 mL) finely grated Parmesan cheese Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted roasted pistachios 3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped sage, about 12 leaves 1 tsp (5 mL) salt 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti 1 To make the Parmesan crumbs, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add bread crumbs and Parmesan; season lightly with salt and pepper. Fry, stirring frequently, for 6 to 7 minutes or until golden and crisp; tip into a bowl and set aside. 2 Using a mortar and pestle (or sandwich bag and rolling pin), crush the cocoa nibs into pieces until they resemble coarsely ground black pepper; add to a food processor along with raisins, garlic, olive oil, parsley, pistachios and sage. Process until creamy but with visible 2 tbsp (30 mL) cocoa nibs 3 tbsp (45 mL) raisins 2 cloves garlic 1/3 cup (80 mL) extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup (60 mL) firmly packed parsley

ROAST PORK BELLY WITH PRUNE SAUCE

Pork belly is inexpensive and makes a virtually foolproof roast. It’s also a food lover’s treat. The hardest part here is scoring the skin, an essential step that ensures as much fat as possible can escape from underneath the skin while cooking. If you have the time, place the pork in the freezer for an hour or so before scoring—it helps make easy work of it. 2 lb (905 g) piece skin-on, boneless pork belly 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil 2 tsp (10 mL) salt, divided 1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp (10 mL) ground coriander 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground allspice 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground ginger 1/2 cup (125 mL) ruby port 1/2 cup (125 mL) chicken stock 12 pitted prunes

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 2 Place the pork belly skin-side up on a board; using a sharp paring knife (or a clean, razor-­ sharp box cutter) and ruler, score the skin in 1/4-inch (5-mm) intervals, each 1/4 inch (5 mm) or so deep. Rub pork with olive oil.

Serves 6

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HOLIDAY 2020 FOOD & DRINK