LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2023

4. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter over medium heat. Add garlic and thyme. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add green onion. Cook another 30 seconds. Add tomato, sherry and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until you have a thick paste, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add Tabasco, Worcestershire and cream cheese. Stir until combined. Set aside. 5. In a medium saucepan, heat 3 tbsp (45 mL) butter over medium heat. When melted, add curry powder. Cook until sizzling and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in milk—mix well to get rid of any lumps. Return to heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and hot, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in tomato mixture then egg yolks. Reserve four nice pieces of crab to garnish soufflés, then gently fold remaining crab into mixture. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. 6. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gently fold one third of egg whites into crab mixture then fold in remaining whites. 7. Divide mixture between prepared ramekins. Bake until puffed, firm and browned, about 30 minutes. 8. While soufflés are baking, heat remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. When bubbling, add coarse breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring often, until nicely toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small plate. Set aside. 9. Place avocado, yogurt, lemon juice and salt to taste in a small bowl. Mix and set aside. 10. When soufflés are ready, remove from oven and transfer to serving plates. Top with avocado salad, toasted breadcrumbs, reserved crab pieces and chives, if using. Serve immediately.

5. While broth is cooking, quarter bok choy and thoroughly rinse. Cut green leaves into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) thick slices. Set chopped leaves and bulbs aside separately. 6. Remove lid on broth and raise heat to high. Add dumplings and bok choy bulbs. Stir well so dumplings don’t stick to bottom of pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until dumplings are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in bok choy leaves. Serve immediately, drizzled with a little sesame oil and sprinkled with green onions. Serves 4 TIP For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth for chicken and choose a vegetarian dumpling. MANGO JELLY This tropical jelly has no added sugar, so it’s also a great snack to put in your kids’ lunches. We infused the mango nectar, which is a mixed fruit juice product, with dried mango for an extra punch of flavour. Save the strained mango to top yogurt or blend into smoothies. 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) mango nectar, plus more as needed 1. In a small saucepan, bring mango nectar and dried mango to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove from heat, cover and cool com pletely, about 1 hour. 2. Strain nectar, saving solids for another use. Measure out 2 cups (500 mL) mango liquid (top with more mango nectar if you don’t have enough). Sprinkle gelatin over cooled liquid and allow to hydrate for 5 minutes—it should no longer look dry. 3. In a small saucepan, heat nectar and gelatin on low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot, but not boiling—gelatin should be dissolved. Pour liquid into a 6-inch (15-cm) square container. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. 4. To serve, run base of container under hot water until jelly loosens. Turn out onto a cutting board—one that doesn’t smell like onions!—and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes. Serves 4 to 6 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped dried mango 2 sachets (7 g each) powdered gelatin, about 2 tbsp (30 mL) High Expectations from page 81

CRAB & SHERRY SOUFFLÉ WITH CREAMY AVOCADO SALAD

Brimming with Creole flavours and a generous splash of sherry, this divine crab soufflé is a nod to old school NOLA cooking. A superquick avocado salad provides a cool contrast to the hot soufflé. To make coarse breadcrumbs, smash a slice of dried bread inside a reseal able plastic bag. 5 tbsp (75 mL) unsalted butter, divided, plus more for greasing 4 tsp (20 mL) fine dried breadcrumbs 1 medium tomato, halved crosswise 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1/2 tsp (2 mL) chopped thyme 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1/3 cup (80 mL) Emilio Lustau Los Arcos Amontillado Dry Sherry ( VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 375097, $18.95 ) Salt to taste 1 dash Tabasco 1 dash Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup (60 mL) cream cheese, cut into pieces 1/2 tsp (2 mL) curry powder 3 tbsp (45 mL) flour 3/4 cup (175 mL) milk 4 eggs, separated 1 cup (250 mL) cooked crab meat, divided Pinch cream of tartar 3 tbsp (45 mL) coarse breadcrumbs 1 ripe avocado, diced 2 tbsp (30 mL) Greek yogurt 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) fresh lemon juice Finely sliced chives to garnish (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). 2. Lightly butter four 6-oz (170-mL) ramekins then coat with fine breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet. 3. On coarse side of a box grater set inside a small bowl, grate tomato flesh. Discard skins or save for vegetable stock.

Serves 4

WHAT TO SERVE Emilio Lustau Los Arcos Amontillado Dry Sherry VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 375097, $18.95

Sherry boosts the flavour of umami-rich foods like the seafood and cream cheese in our rec ipe. Citrus and briny notes cleanse the palate for the next course.

FOOD & DRINK HOLIDAY 2023 243