LCBO Food and Drink Spring 2016

4 cups (1 L) water Salt and freshly ground black pepper

ing potatoes; pour water over. Arrange lamb over potatoes and drizzle all with remaining marinade. Season the lamb only with addition- al salt and pepper. 5 Roast for 2 hours, or until a meat thermom- eter inserted in thickest part of leg registers 140°F (60°C). Tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before removing lamb to a board and carving into slices. Serve with potatoes. Serves 10 WHAT TO SERVE Domaine Hatzimichalis Cabernet Sauvignon LCBO 538074 $17.95 Cabernet Sauvignon goes really well with lamb! Try this solid example. Packed with cassis, mint and earthy spicy flavours, along with a firm structure, it is the perfect foil to the Greek-style lamb roast. The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy Red VQA VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 149237 $19.95 Inspired by Veneto’s ripasso-style wines, this local red offers mouth-filling ripe currant fruit, dried berry and herb notes and enough structure to make it the per- fect complement to the rich and gamey flavours in the lamb dish.

8 baby carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds 2 heads of baby white cauliflower, broken into small florets 2 heads of baby green cauliflower or romanesco, broken into small florets 6 baby zucchini, sliced into thin rounds 6 baby patty pan squash, trimmed and thinly sliced ½ cup (125 mL) frozen peas or petits pois ¼ cup (60 mL) finely chopped chives 1 Place tahini, lemon juice and roasted garlic in a blender; set aside. 2 Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat; add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and water to pot, bring to a boil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in carrots, return to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add both types of cauliflower, zucchini and patty pan squash; once again bring back to a boil. Cook an additional 7 minutes or until vegeta- bles are tender. Stir in peas and remove from heat. 3 Strain 2 cups (500 mL) stock from the soup into blender containing the tahini (return vegetables to soup pot); liquefy. Stir tahini mixture into soup. Divide between 10 soup bowls and garnish each with a generous pinch TIP  To make roasted garlic, trim top from a whole head to expose individual cloves. Drizzle cut surface with 2 tsp (10 mL) of olive oil and wrap head in foil. Roast in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and tender. of chives. Serves 10 $15.65 Food and wine of similar origins typically have a natural affinity. This Greek Moschofilero’s delicate fla- vours of citrus, apple and herb will complement those in the dish while the crisp acidity refreshes the palate. Creekside Sauvignon Blanc VQA LCBO 620724 $13.95 Sauvignon Blanc is well suited to vegetable-based dishes such as this soup. The typical herbaceous and grassy lemon-lime flavours in this wine will provide a perfect complement to this course. A delicate ripe fruit core enhances the natural sweetness of the car- rots and peas. WHAT TO SERVE Troupis Fteri Moschofilero AOC LCBO 392936

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH LEMON FETA POTATOES No Greek Easter celebration would be com- plete without lamb, but my favourite part of this delectable centrepiece is the tangy, drip- ping-enriched potatoes over which the lamb roasts. You’ll need to marinate the lamb over- night, so plan accordingly. Using a resealable plastic bag ensures the marinade stays in con- tact with the meat—purchase extra-large ones to fit the joint. ½ cup (125 mL) olive oil ¼ cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp (5 mL) salt, plus extra for seasoning 1½ tsp (7 mL) coarsely ground black pepper 2 tbsp (30 mL) dried oregano 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh thyme 5 to 6 lbs (2.2 to 2.7 kg) bone-in leg of lamb 5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick 4 oz (125 g) Greek sheep’s milk feta, crumbled ½ cup (125 mL) water 1 In an extra-large resealable plastic bag (or a sturdy, clean and leak-free plastic grocery bag), combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Insert lamb leg, remove as much air as possible from bag and seal; massage marinade into lamb and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight, turning over roughly midway through. 2 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 3 Heat a large, heavy-bottom roasting pan, or skillet large enough to hold the lamb, over medium heat on the stovetop. Open bag con- taining lamb and scrape leg of as much garlic as possible, returning garlic to the bag; reserve marinade. Brown lamb on all sides and remove to a board; if using roasting pan, wash and dry. 4 Brush bottom of roasting pan with some of the reserved marinade. Arrange half of the potato slices, overlapping, in the bottom of the pan; brush with additional marinade and sprinkle feta evenly over. Cover with remain-

BABY VEGETABLE & TAHINI SOUP

Bursting with colour, this luxurious and deli- cious version of takhinosoupa (a traditional Lenten fasting dish eaten on Good Friday) is chock full of baby vegetables now commonly available at many large grocers—and is noth- ing short of celebratory. The traditional, more austere version of takhinosoupa contains no vegetables and only a handful of orzo or rice. ⅓ cup (80 mL) tahini 3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice 4 cloves roasted garlic, peeled and mashed (see TIP) 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 cartons (480 mL each) or 4 cups (1 L) homemade chicken stock

106  FOOD & DRI NK SPRING 2016