LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2024

Pops of Flavour from page 33

centre reads 115°F (46°C) for medium-rare, 50 to 60 minutes. (Add about 15 minutes more cook time per desired temperature above medium-rare.) Remove steak from oven and loosely tent with foil to rest. 4. Place shrimp in medium bowl with remain ing 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. 5. For the zip sauce, heat all ingredients except butter in a small pot over medium-low. Stir until well combined then raise heat to high. When it comes to a boil, remove from heat and gradually whisk in butter until emulsified. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve. 7. Grill steak on all sides until well charred, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to wire rack to rest. 8. Clean grill and cook shrimp until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Place in a clean bowl with parsley, green onion, lemon juice and butter, and toss to combine. 9. With a sharp knife, slice steak into 1/2-inch (1-cm) thick slices. Add desired amount of steak on four warmed plates—there will be leftovers—then add the shrimp and sauce. Serve immediately. BLACKBERRY & MINT ROSÉ COOLER The perfect drink to toast a productive day of berry pickling, this bubbly, wine-based drink is flavoured with the dynamic duo of black berries and mint. Crème de cassis brings more dark berry flavours along with its pretty hue. 5 ripe blackberries 4 mint leaves 1 tsp (5 mL) fresh lemon juice 1/2 oz crème de cassis 5 oz sparkling rosé 1 mint sprig to garnish Serves 4 to 6 6. Preheat grill to 450°F (232°C).

top up the purée with water so that you have 1 cup (250 mL) purée total. Transfer to a medium bowl. 3. Whisk sugar and cornstarch together in a small pot. Add 3/4 cup (175 mL) water and bring mixture to low boil over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until syrup thickens up a bit and is clear. Remove pot from heat and cool to room temperature. 4. Add lemon juice, gin and salt and sugar syrup to cantaloupe mixture and whisk together. Keep refrigerated until ready to add to moulds. 5. Put cucumber in clean blender or food processor and blend until completely liquified, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup (60 mL) mint leaves and blend for another 30 seconds or until the cucumber purée is flecked with small mint pieces. If needed, top up the purée with water so you have 1 cup (250 mL) purée in total. 6. Whisk sugar and cornstarch together in a small pot. Add remaining 1/2 cup (125 mL) mint leaves and water to pot and whisk together. Bring mixture to a light boil over medium-low heat. Turn heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened slightly and clear, whisking frequently to muddle mint leaves and release flavour. Remove from heat and let syrup cool to room temperature. Add lime juice. 7. Put gin and salt in a medium bowl. Strain mint syrup into bowl and press on solids with a rubber spatula or back of a spoon to extract liquid and flavour. Whisk together. 8. Pour cucumber purée into mint syrup and mix well. Keep refrigerated until ready to add to moulds. 9. To make layered pops, remove moulds from freezer and add 2 tbsp (30 mL) cantaloupe mixture to each pop mould. Freeze for 1 hour. Add 2 tbsp (30 mL) cucumber mixture to each mould and return to freezer for 1 hour. Insert sticks and freeze for 1 hour. Continue to alternate cantaloupe and cucumber layers as above, freezing for 1 hour after each addition, until moulds are full. Freeze for another 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

CANTALOUPE & CUCUMBER-MINT LAYERED FROZEN POPS

The layering of the fruity and savoury flavours here offers a true taste of summer, but either flavour can be enjoyed solo, too. It takes 7 to 8 hours to freeze all the layers, about 1 1/2 hours per layer. Freeze the finished, lay ered pops overnight for best results! CANTALOUPE MIXTURE 1 cup (250 mL) cantaloupe, rind removed and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes 2 tbsp (30 mL) granulated sugar 2 tsp (10 mL) cornstarch 3/4 cup (175 mL) water 1/3 cup (80 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 1/2 oz gin, such as Ginslinger Handcrafted Dry Ontario Gin ( LCBO 13484, $32.95 ) Pinch of salt CUCUMBER-MINT MIXTURE 3 mini cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch (1-cm) chunks about 1 cup (250 mL) in total 3/4 cup packed (185 mL) fresh mint leaves, divided 2 tbsp (30 mL) granulated sugar 2 tsp (10 mL) cornstarch 3/4 cup (175 mL) water 1/3 cup (80 mL) fresh lime juice 1 1/2 oz gin, such as Laneway No. 11 Gin ( LCBO 27561, $59.15 ) Pinch of salt 1. Assemble plastic moulds if using, and place in freezer while making frozen pop mixture, ideally for 1 hour or more. 2. Place cantaloupe pieces in a food processor or blender and purée for 3 to 5 minutes, or until a smooth, thin purée forms. If needed,

1. Muddle blackberries and mint leaves in a highball glass to a paste consistency.

2. Add lemon juice and crème de cassis. Fill glass with ice. Top with sparkling rosé. Lightly stir and garnish with mint sprig.

Makes 8 frozen pops (using 1/2-cup/125-mL moulds)

Makes 1 drink

FOOD & DRINK SUMMER 2024 129