LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2018

1 Beat eggs in a bowl with a fork and season with salt and pepper. The salt helps the yolk and white coagulate. Heat 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter in a pot or small frying pan over medium-low heat. 2 Add eggs to skillet, reserving about 2 tbsp (30 mL) of mixture. Slowly stir eggs with a fork or spatula until softly scrambled, about 3 to 4 minutes. If they are cooking too fast and dry- ing out, remove from heat and keep mixing. They should be creamy, a little clumpy with some eggy curds in them—but not dry. 3 Stir in the remaining egg mixture off the heat, which will loosen the curd slightly, then stir in the remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter. Sprinkle with chives and more salt if needed and serve over a good sourdough toast. CARAMEL IZED ONIONS Sauté about 1 cup (250 mL) sliced onions in butter until brown and slightly caramelized. Cool a little in the pan then scramble eggs with the onions. SMOKED SALMON At the last minute stir in about 4 oz (125 g) sliced smoked salmon and 2 tbsp (30 mL) dill. SPINACH Sauté 4 cups (1 L) baby spinach in 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter, reserve, then scramble the eggs in the same pan. Stir in spinach, reserved eggs and butter. CHEESE Scramble eggs until just before you add re- served eggs. Crumble in 1/2 cup (125 mL) soft cheeses such as feta, ricotta or cottage cheese or grate harder cheese such as cheddar, or any other melting cheese. Coarsely grated Parme- san is always a winner. BBQ PORK Shred 1 cup (250 mL) leftover pork or chicken with 2 tbsp (30 mL) BBQ sauce. Reheat, reserve and scramble egg. Stir in pork just before add- ing reserved egg and butter. Serves 2

mixture and stir to combine (batter will be stiff). Fold in rhubarb; set aside. 3 Bring a 2-inch (5-cm) depth of oil in a large pot to 325°F (160°C). 4 Using 2 spoons, drop a scant tbsp (15 mL) or so of batter at a time into hot oil, repeating with more batter. Fry in batches for 2 minutes per side, flip and fry 2 minutes longer. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain. (Remove paper and keep warm in a low oven if necessary.) 5 Whisk together the kefir and cream; com- bine the spices in a separate bowl. Divide ke- fir mixture between 6 dessert bowls; top each with an equal number of warm fritters. Drizzle with the chamomile honey and garnish each with a pinch of the spice mixture and a few dried chamomile flowers, if using. Serves 6 $10.10 The delicate spritz of this rosé will cut the richness of the fritter, while the bright red fruit character and delicate sweetness accentuate the rhubarb and honey flavours. Henry of Pelham Special Select Late Harvest Vidal VQA LCBO 395228, 375 mL $19.95 This wine’s luscious fruit flavours and honey notes em- phasize the sweetness of the fritters while contrasting with the tartness of rhubarb and kefir. WHAT TO SERVE Sogrape Mateus Rosé LCBO 166

RHUBARB FRITTERS , KEFIR & HONEY Dried chamomile flowers are used to infuse the honey for this unforgettable gluten-free des- sert. They’re easy enough to find in tea bags, but are often very finely ground. Larger, easier- to-remove whole dried flowers can be found at health food shops and some dedicated tea shops, and they make a really pretty garnish, too. Kefir is a bit more sour than yogurt, and thinner, too—you can substitute one for the other if it makes things easier. 1¼ cups (310 mL) rice flour 3 tbsp (45 mL) potato starch 3 tbsp (45 mL) granulated sugar 1¼ tsp (6 mL) baking powder ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt ½ tsp (2 mL) ground coriander Generous pinch cinnamon 1 large egg ⅓ cup (80 mL) milk 2 tsp (10 mL) finely grated orange zest ¾ cup (175 mL) diced rhubarb (about 1 medium stalk) Grape-seed or canola oil for frying TO SERVE ½ cup (125 mL) kefir ¼ cup (60 mL) whipping cream 1 tsp (5 mL) whole coriander seed 1 tsp (5 mL) whole fennel seed Dried chamomile flowers to garnish (optional) 1 Combine the honey and chamomile, cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside. 2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice flour, potato starch, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and orange zest; pour over flour CHAMOMILE HONEY ½ cup (125 mL) mild, runny honey 2 tbsp (30 mL) dried chamomile FRITTERS

Kitchen Essentials from page 104

PERFECT SCRAMBLED EGGS

Brown eggs are the same inside as white ones. They come from a different breed of hen. There is some discussion about whether deep orange yolks are the gold standard. It is the breed of hen and what they are fed that gives the colour. If you eat with your eyes, an orangey yolk always looks more luxurious, but is not necessarily better. 6 organic eggs, preferably large or extra large Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 3 tbsp (45 mL) room-temperature unsalted butter, divided 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped chives

92  FOOD & DRI NK SPRING 2018