LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2016

4 sprigs mint Some edible flower petals if available A few drops aged balsamic vinegar A few drops extra virgin olive oil Pinch fleur de sel 1 Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).

WHAT TO SERVE Casa dos Vinhos 5 Year Old Madeira LCBO 27375 $19.95 This uniquely styled dessert wine exudes intense baked fruit, burnt sugar and spiced plum flavours all wrapped in a sweet, dense and richly textured pack- age. These elements are supported by great acid bal- ance allowing the wine to meld perfectly with this cake. Armagnac de Montal VSOP LCBO 618496 $54.70 Armagnac is a great aged French brandy that’s slightly less recognized but no less complex than Cognac. Try it and appreciate how its dried plum, caramel and brown sugar flavours and spice tones complement the flavours in the dessert.

2 Blend ingredients for butter on high in blender for 1 to 2 minutes or until they are the consistency of almond butter, scraping down the blender as needed. Add more oil only if the mixture is too thick. Reserve. 3 Mix ricotta with chives and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cut puff pastry into 4 squares. Cut each square in half, forming 2 triangles. You should have 8 pieces. Place 1 tbsp (15 mL) ricotta mixture in centre of each triangle and spread out slightly. Lay equal amounts sliced prosciutto over ricotta in each triangle. Brush top tip of each triangle with egg wash, then roll over fromwide end to tip, press- ing tip over to seal. Transfer to a parchment- lined baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Bake for 8 minutes or until puffed and golden. 4 Preheat grill to high. 5 Brush plums with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on grill, flesh-side down, and char until you have nice grill marks, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from grill and cool. Cut each plum half into thirds so you have 12 segments. 6 Smear 2 tsp (10 mL) hazelnut butter across each serving plate. Top with 3 plum segments. Strew baby greens and mint overtop and add a few flower petals. Drizzle with a few drops of balsamic and olive oil. Sprinkle with fleur de sel. Add a pastry twist to the plate. Serves 4 $3.10 Served chilled, this lovely local cider presents piquant apple flavours and a hint of sweetness that will natu- rally match to the fruit, nut, ricotta and prosciutto ele- ments in the salad. The crisp malic acidity and gentle sparkle cleanse and refresh the palate. Beringer Sparkling White Zinfandel LCBO 430389 $12.95 Berry, plum and melon fruit tones in this sparkling rosé will provide a pleasant complement to similar elements in the salad. In addition, the balanced sweetness, effer- vescence and fine acidity give an enjoyable contrast to the richness of the ricotta and hazelnut and to the salti- ness of the prosciutto, enhancing the match. WHAT TO SERVE Brickworks Batch: 1904 Cider LCBO 394015, 473 mL

ALSATIAN PLUM CAKE This mouth-watering cake is made like a sponge, but the addition of yeast as a leavener gives it a more solid texture that provides the structure to add lots of plums. Blue plums are the best for baking as far as texture and taste are concerned. Butter to grease pan Parchment paper 2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar 2 lbs (1 kg) blue plums, halved, pitted

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour 2 tsp (10 mL) instant dry yeast ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt 2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon zest 1 tbsp (15 mL) ground star anise 6 eggs 1¼ cups (310 mL) granulated sugar

PLUM SALAD WITH RICOTTA AND PROSCIUTTO TWI STS

1 Grease a 9-inch (23-cm) tube pan gener- ously with butter, ensuring sides and tube are well coated. Cover the bottom of pan with buttered parchment paper and sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange enough plum halves, skin-side down, to cover base of pan. Chop remaining plums. 2 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 3 In a bowl sift together flour, yeast and salt. Stir in lemon zest and star anise. 4 Beat eggs in a stand mixer at medium speed for 30 seconds. With mixer running, add sugar in a slow, steady stream. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until mixture triples in volume, thickens slightly and is pale in colour, about 4 minutes. If using a hand mixer, this could take up to 15 minutes. 5 Gently fold flour mixture into batter until incorporated. Stir in chopped plums and pour batter into pan. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Run a knife around tube and edges of pan to help release cake. Invert onto a cooling rack and unmould. Serves 8

Serve one or two twists per salad—they are also a great nibble with drinks if you are left with extra. HAZELNUT BUTTER ½ cup (125 mL) toasted hazelnuts, skinned 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper RICOTTA AND PROSCIUTTO TWISTS ½ cup (125 mL) ricotta

1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped chives 1 tsp (5 mL) chopped thyme Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 piece of pre-rolled frozen puff pastry, 10 x 10 inches (25 x 25 cm), defrosted 4 pieces prosciutto, thinly sliced 1 egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt SALAD 2 yellow or red plums, halved and pitted 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 cups (500 mL) baby greens

158  FOOD & DRI NK SUMMER 2016