LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2024

PESTO & PASTA 2 cups (500 mL) packed fresh mint leaves 1 cup (250 mL) roughly chopped parsley 1 cup (250 mL) roughly chopped green onion 1/2 cup (125 mL) roasted pistachios 3/4 cup (175 mL) extra virgin olive oil Salt to taste 1 lb (455 g) Italian dried rigatoni or similar tubular-shaped pasta 1 cup (250 mL) sliced sugar snap peas 3/4 cup (175 mL) grated Pecorino Romano 2. In a medium bowl, mix lamb, garlic, parsley, Pecorino Romano and salt until combined. Form heaping 1-tbsp (20-mL) portions into balls. Place on oiled baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes, shaking pan halfway through to turn meatballs. Remove from the oven and set aside. 3. To make pesto, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add mint, parsley and green onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green, about 90 seconds. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Cool, drain again and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. 4. Add blanched herbs, pistachios, olive oil and salt to a blender. Blend until a smooth, even pesto forms, about 2 minutes. Set aside. 5. In a large pot of lightly salted water, cook pasta according to instructions on package. Reserve 1 cup (250 mL) pasta water then strain pasta in colander. 6. In another large pot, heat pesto and 1/4 cup (60 mL) pasta water over medium heat. Stir to combine then add pasta and meatballs. Stir to coat in pesto and heat through. If it seems dry, add more pasta water as needed. 7. Transfer pasta to a serving platter. Garnish with sliced sugar snap peas and Pecorino Romano. WHAT TO SERVE Rocca delle Macìe Chianti Classico DOCG VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 741769, $20.95 The black cherry and cedar notes in this classic Tuscan wine harmonize well with the gaminess of the lamb and the basil and mint notes of the pesto. 1. For the meatballs, preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Serves 4 to 6

1. For the lemon curd, set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. In a medium non-reactive pot, heat egg, yolks, butter, sugar, lemon juice and zest over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is gently simmering and thick enough to coat back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Whisk in salt then strain mix ture, pushing it through sieve with a silicone spatula. Press a piece of plastic wrap against surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. 2. For the cake, preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease two 8-inch- (20-cm-) round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. 3. Sift flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Mix and set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, oil, zest and vanilla until combined. Set aside. 4. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks on medium for 1 minute. Add 1 cup (250 mL) sugar. Beat on medium-high until mixture turns pale yellow and increases in volume by four times, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low. Gradually add buttermilk mixture. 5. Stop machine and fold in dry mix with a silicone spatula until just combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Wash and dry bowl and whisk of stand mixer and put back on machine. 6. Add egg whites to bowl of stand mixer. Whisk on medium until frothy, about 1 minute. With motor running, gradually add remain ing 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar. Increase speed to medium-high. Whisk until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. 7. Gently stir about 1/2 cup (125 mL) egg whites into cake batter until just combined. Fold in remaining egg whites in two additions until just combined. Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centres comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Wrap cakes tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight—chill ing will make it much easier to cut into layers. 8. Using a sharp serrated knife, trim a thin layer off tops of each cake to make the surface level. Carefully cut each cake in half horizon tally so you have four even layers. 9. To make the frosting, place egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in clean bowl of a stand mixer. Create a double boiler by heat ing 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water in a small pot over medium-low heat. Place bowl with egg whites over pot—the bottom should not touch water.

Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 175°F (79°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Place bowl on stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes. Add vanilla and salt. Whisk 30 seconds more. 10. Place 2 cups (500 mL) frosting in a piping bag with no tip. Place a cake bottom, cut side up, on a cake stand. Pipe a thick perimeter of frosting around perimeter. Fill middle of frost ing ring with one third of lemon curd. Repeat process twice and top with final cake layer. With a palette knife, apply remaining frosting evenly around sides and top. Using back of a spoon, swoosh icing to create divots and texture. Using a kitchen torch, t orch icing until golden and charred in spots. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight to set before serving. WHAT TO SERVE Martini Asti LCBO 253948, $16.45 Sweet and frothy with grapey perfumed orange flavours, this long-time favourite spar kler is an ideal accompaniment to the candied lemon and white cake flavours of the dessert. Serves 8 to 10

MINT-PISTACHIO PESTO PASTA WITH LAMB MEATBALLS

Pesto pasta gets a spring makeover with mint, parsley, green onions and pistachios. It coats al dente rigatoni and juicy lamb meatballs, sweet sugar snap peas and sharp Pecorino Romano cheese. It’s weeknight-easy, yet impressive enough for a dinner party.

MEATBALLS 1 lb (455 g) ground lamb 2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped parsley 1/4 cup (60 mL) grated Pecorino Romano 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt Canola oil for greasing pan

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