LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2017

¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cloves 2 tsp (10 mL) salt

aluminum roasting pan is best) filled with 1 inch (2.5 cm) water in centre of kettle. If us- ing the allspice berries, sprinkle over charcoal and replace grate. 4 Place chicken over indirect heat, close lid and cook for 20 minutes. Move chicken to hot- ter edges over direct heat and cook 5 to 7 min- utes longer per side, uncovered, or until crisp, dark brown and juices run clear. Remove to a board and let rest for 10 minutes. 5 Meanwhile whisk together mayonnaise, ap­ ricot jam and green onion. Peel and cut avo- cados into thick slices and sprinkle with lime juice. Split buns. 6 To assemble sandwiches, carve chicken from the bones and divide meat and juices be- tween bottom buns; top with avocado slices. Spread top buns liberally with the mayon- naise before placing on sandwiches. Makes 6 sandwiches $13.25 Tame the heat of jerk spice with a crisp, refreshing la- ger beer. Red Stripe is the ideal partner for this iconic Jamaican dish. Wernesgrüner Pilsner LCBO 427831, 500 mL $2.05 Wernesgrüner’s balanced hops character and subtle fruitiness underscore the spicy notes of the sandwich without intensifying the heat. FLAT-TOP PORTERHOUSE & SMOKY STEAK SAUCE Both the sauce and steak benefit greatly by using wood chips, whether you’re using gas or charcoal. Adding them just before cooking your steak-sauce ingredients amplifies the smoke flavours. Adding them when you light your grill provides more subtle flavour to the steak. HOUSE STEAK SAUCE 1 cup (250 mL) dry oak or mesquite chips Oil for greasing griddle 3 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise 1 small onion, peeled and halved, root end left intact WHAT TO SERVE Red Stripe Lager LCBO 676841, 6 pk

½ tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper 1 cup (250 mL) oak smoking chips, soaked in water for 1 hour 2 inch-thick (5 cm) porterhouse steak, 2½ to 3 lbs (1.25 to 1.5 kg) Salt and pepper 3 tbsp (45 mL) salted butter, thinly sliced 2 tsp (10 mL) chopped thyme 1 Arrange a cast-iron griddle or large frying pan over grates and preheat grill to 500°F (260°C). Sprinkle wood chips over coals (or ar- range a smoking box on a gas grill), and lightly oil griddle. 2 Place tomatoes on flat-top, cut-side down, along with the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes per side with the lid closed or until lightly charred all over; remove. Add dates to griddle and cook for 2 minutes per side or un- til caramelized. Let cool. 3 Peel the charred garlic and add to blender along with the tomatoes, dates and onion; add vinegar, Worcestershire, cayenne, cloves, salt and pepper. Process until glossy and smooth. (Steak sauce can be made up to a week in ad- vance and kept covered and refrigerated.) 4 For the steak, add 2 to 3 smoking chunks to charcoal when lighting (or arrange chips in a smoking box on a gas grill). Place a cast-iron griddle or large frying pan on grate, close lid and preheat to 400°F (200°C). 5 Season steak generously with salt and pep- per. Place steak on griddle; do not oil. Close lid and cook for 8 minutes per side for medium-rare. Just before removing, arrange butter over steak and sprinkle with thyme. 6 Tent steak with foil and let rest for 5 min- utes. Carve into ½-inch-thick (1-cm) slices and serve with steak sauce. Serves 4 to 6 WHAT TO SERVE  Mill Street Distillery Root Beer LCBO 461459, 6 pk $14.90 The earthy and spicy nuances of traditional root beer accentuate the smoky-sweet flavours of the classic steak sauce. Serve over plenty of ice.  Neustadt 10 W30 Brown Ale LCBO 64642, 473 mL $3.05 With aromatic roasted and smoky notes, this brawny ale can easily stand up to grilled steak. The creamy tex- ture contrasts with the piquancy of the sauce.

JERK CHICKEN SANDWICHES

Cooking jerk over gas is a missed opportu- nity. The way to great jerk, the sort that makes you dream of ditching your job for Montego Bay and a jerk shack on the beach, is undoubt- edly cooking over wood—and lump charcoal is just that. Technique is also important: too hot a fire and the delicious marinade burns; let it cook too quickly and good quality jerk chicken’s telltale pink meat will be white instead. JERK PASTE 6 green onions, roughly chopped 1 to 4 Scotch bonnet peppers, stemmed 2 cloves garlic 4 tsp (20 mL) thyme leaves 1 tbsp (15 mL) ground allspice 1½ tsp (7 mL) coarsely ground black pepper 2 tsp (10 mL) salt 2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice 1 tbsp (15 mL) dark soy 4 tsp (20 mL) packed dark brown sugar 12 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 1 cup (250 mL) dried allspice berries (optional) ⅔ cup (150 mL) mayonnaise 2 tbsp (30 mL) apricot jam 2 chopped green onions 2 small ripe avocados Juice of half a lime 6 soft white buns 1 For jerk paste; combine all jerk ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. 2 Toss chicken with half (about ⅓ cup/80mL) of the jerk paste. Refrigerate remaining paste, covered, for up to a week. 3 Bring lump charcoal-fired grill to 325° to 350°F (160° to 180°C). Push charcoal to edges of kettle and place a drip tray (a disposable ½ tsp (2 mL) ground nutmeg ¾ tsp (4 mL) ground cinnamon

4 skin-on garlic cloves 10 Medjool dates, pitted ¼ cup (60 mL) malt vinegar 3 tbsp (45 mL) Worcestershire sauce Pinch cayenne

152  FOOD & DRI NK SUMMER 2017