LCBO Food & Drink Travel 2025

CURRIED CHICKEN SCHNITZEL WITH CURRY KETCHUP

TIP Lemon cheeks are like lemon wedges, but seedless, prettier and easier to squeeze. To cut, hold the lemon vertically and cut into four pieces around the core (you should have 2 full cheeks and 2 half cheeks). A quick online search yields lots of how-to videos.

by stirring 1/4 cup (60 mL) piment furikake with 1/2 cup (125 mL) butter until evenly mixed. Wrap in plastic wrap and roll into a log. (Refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.) 2. For the crepes, whirl eggs, milk, 3/4 cup (175 mL) water, flours, butter and salt in a blender until very smooth. Transfer to a pitcher. Cover and refriger ate overnight to let flours hydrate. 3. When ready to cook crepes, vigorously stir crepe batter. If batter seems too thick to swirl, slowly stir in remaining water, 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time until batter is evenly mixed and the con sistency of paint. 4. Set a large nonstick frying pan, at least 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter, over medium heat. Carefully rub with a bit of butter using a spatula to coat evenly. When hot, add 1/4 cup (60 mL) batter to pan and immediately swirl, tilting the pan in each direction to get a large round crepe, about 8 inches (20 cm) wide. (Don’t worry if it takes a few practice crepes to get it right.) Cook until crepe is lightly golden and set enough to be flipped, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula or carefully pulling lifted edges with your fingers, flip crepe. 5. Immediately crack an egg into centre of crepe right after flipping. Use your spatula to spread egg white over surface of crepe (without breaking yolk) so white cooks through. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp (30 mL) grated cheese. Top with small torn pieces of ham, leaving the yolk exposed. When egg is almost cooked, use spatula to fold in crepe edges so it’s roughly a square. Cook until egg is cooked through and cheese is melted, 4 to 6 minutes from when egg is cracked in. 6. Transfer to a plate. Enjoy crepe immediately with a pat of piment furikake butter. Sprinkle with pinches of remaining piment furikake, if desired (see TIP). Repeat with remaining ingredients for more servings. TIP Let remaining piment furikake mix dry out by leaving uncovered overnight. Store in a reseal able container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. WHAT TO SERVE Château des Charmes Brut Sparkling VQA VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 224766, $29.95 Contrast the fully dressed crepe with a brut bub bly to cut through the richness of the egg and cheese, and let the subtle spice of the furikake shine forth. Makes 10 to 12 servings

Super crispy and doused with curry ketchup, these delicious schnitzel will make you dream of Berlin. When purchasing the chicken, you may find the tenders are still attached to the meat. If that’s the case, consider them a bonus and remove them from the breast. They can be sep arately pounded, dredged, then fried as a snack for the cook. You can find Hela brand curry ketchup at Denninger’s (denningers.com). 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1/2 lb (225 g) each Salt to taste 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour 11/2 tsp (7 mL) curry powder 4 large eggs 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard 2 cups (500 mL) unseasoned bread crumbs Canola oil for frying Shaved green cabbage, lemon cheeks (see TIP) and curry ketchup (preferably Hela brand) for serving 1. Place each chicken breast on a piece of parchment paper and cover with a second piece of parchment. Pound, using a rolling pin, until chicken breast is between 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch (3 mm and 5 mm) thick. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Repeat with remaining breasts. Season both sides with salt. 2. To set up a breading station, whisk flour with curry powder in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Beat eggs with Dijon in a second shallow bowl or plate. Place bread crumbs in a third shallow bowl or plate. Working one breast at a time, coat with flour mixture, shake off excess then dip in egg mixture. Coat evenly, allowing excess to run off before transferring to bread crumbs. Lightly press bread crumbs into meat to adhere. Transfer breaded breasts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining breasts. 4. Pour a 1/4-inch (5-mm) depth of oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-duty frying pan. Set over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add 1 breaded breast. Cook, flipping halfway through, adjusting heat as necessary, until deeply golden-brown and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a separate wire rack set over a baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining breasts. 5. To serve, arrange schnitzel on a platter along with cabbage and lemon cheeks. Generously drizzle curry ketchup over schnitzel. Serve imme diately with additional curry ketchup. Serves 4 3. Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C).

WHAT TO SERVE Hofbräu Dunkel LCBO 415950, 500 mL, $3.90

A crisp lager is great with fried and breaded chicken, but the curry spices and ketchup call for a beer with subtle malty character. Step up, dark lager!

SAVOURY BUCKWHEAT CREPES WITH PIMENT FURIKAKE BUTTER

Create a lively and bright spice mix of French meets-Japanese ingredients using dried pepper and orange zest with nori seaweed and sesame seeds. Sprinkle it over a finished dish, or mix it into a compound butter for spreading over these Breton-style crepes. They’re inspired by a dish I enjoyed at the hugely popular Le Breizh Café in France. Make this dish vegetarian by dropping the ham. Try sautéed mushrooms and/or spinach instead. PIMENT FURIKAKE BUTTER 2 tsp (10 mL) ground dried red pepper such as Piment d’Espelette or paprika 3 tbsp (45 mL) sesame seeds 1 tsp (5 mL) each dried minced onion

and freshly grated orange zest 1/2 sheet dried nori, folded and very finely chopped 1 tsp (5 mL) fleur de sel or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) Diamond Crystal kosher salt 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature

BUCKWHEAT CREPES 2 eggs 3/4 cup (175 mL) whole milk

11/4 cups (310 mL) water, divided 3/4 cup (175 mL) buckwheat flour 1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour 2 tbsp (30 mL) melted butter, cooled, plus more for cooking 1/4 tsp (1 mL) Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) table salt 12 eggs 1½ cups (375 mL) grated cheese such Gruyère or Comte 12 slices roasted ham 1. For the piment furikake, mix dried pepper, sesame seeds, minced onion, zest, nori and salt in a small bowl. Make into a compound butter

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TRAVEL 2025 ————————