LCBO Food & Drink Travel 2025

TOPPING 2 cups (500 mL) heavy cream 2 tbsp (30 mL) icing sugar

3. Place potatoes, onions, tomatoes and bay leaves in pan. Nestle lamb shanks in between vegetables. 4. In a medium-size bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, dried oregano, mustard powder, salt and pepper until creamy. Pour all over lamb and vegetables. Add fresh oregano. 5. Fold parchment on sides over lamb and cover with another piece of parchment. Tuck top parchment down sides, ensuring it is covered tightly to seal in moisture. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake in oven until lamb and potatoes are fork-tender, 4 to 41/2 hours. 6. Raise oven temperature to 500°F (260°C) and remove foil and top parchment. Bake until lamb is golden, 7 to 8 minutes. GREEK EKMEK KATAIFI This luxurious dessert is a testament to the artistry of Greek pastry-making. It features a delicate layer of kataifi pastry (shredded phyllo) soaked in honey syrup and topped with a velvety aromatic custard layer, then whipped cream, cinnamon and pistachios. Each decadent bite is a symphony of textures and flavours. Mastic is a resin from a tree in the Mediterranean, and it has an earthy, herbal flavour. You can find it at Greek and Mediterranean grocers, though you can substitute vanilla extract in a pinch. HONEY SYRUP 2 cups (500 mL) wildflower honey 1/2 cup (125 mL) water 2 strips lemon zest 3-inch (8-cm) piece cinnamon stick KATAIFI 1/2 lb (225 g) kataifi pastry, thawed 1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing dish 3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped raw pistachios CUSTARD 4 cups (1 L) whole milk, at room temperature 1/4 cup (60 mL) cornstarch 7. Serve lamb and vegetables straight from pan accompanied by pesto yogurt. Serves 6

1/2 tsp (2 mL) pure vanilla extract Ground cinnamon for dusting 5 tbsp (75 mL) chopped raw pistachios

1. For the honey syrup, place ingredients in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Butter a 2.5 × 8 x 14-inch (6 × 20 × 35-cm) baking dish.

3. For the kataifi, place pastry in a large bowl. Using your fingers, break apart pastry into fluffy shreds—there should be no clumps. Pour in butter and gently toss. Spread evenly on bottom of baking dish. 4. Bake until pastry is crisp and golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, remove lemon zest and cinnamon stick from honey syrup. Remove pastry from oven and immediately pour honey syrup evenly all over. Gently push down pastry with a spoon to level it. Sprinkle 3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped pistachios evenly on top. Set aside for 1 hour to absorb syrup and cool. 5. For the custard, whisk milk, cornstarch, but ter, mastic, vanilla sugar and eggs in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until it comes to a simmer. Continue whisking on medium so custard doesn’t clump or stick to bottom of pan until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. 6. Remove from heat and whisk in orange blos som water. Let stand for 5 minutes and place a piece of plastic wrap against surface of custard to prevent skin from forming. Cool completely. 7. When cooled, spread custard evenly over pastry. Press plastic wrap against custard and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. (You can pre pare dessert to this point one day in advance.) 8. For the topping, place cream, icing sugar and vanilla in chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high until firm peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Spread whipped cream evenly over custard. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.

2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground mastic 3 pkgs (8 g each) vanilla sugar 4 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten well 2 tbsp (30 mL) orange blossom water

9. Right before serving, lightly dust with cinna mon and top with 5 tbsp (75 mL) pistachios.

Serves 6 to 8

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