LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2025

Small Talk from page 76

heat. When it comes to a boil, cover and reduce heat to maintain a very gentle simmer. Cook, flipping at halfway point, until fork-tender, about 11/4 hours. Remove pan from heat and cool for 20 minutes. 2. Carefully transfer bacon to a plate and cool completely. Pat dry with paper towel, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days. Strain cooking liquid, discarding solids. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze up to 6 months for use in soups or future braises. 3. Place potatoes, thyme and bay leaf in a medium-size pot and pour in enough water to cover by 2 inches (5 cm). Place pot over high heat. When it comes to a boil, season gener ously with salt and reduce heat a few notches to maintain a light boil. After 5 minutes, remove thyme with tongs and discard. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a paring knife inserted in centre of largest potatoes meets with just a little resistance, 14 to 16 minutes total. Drain and discard bay leaf. 5. Brush a large, heavy-duty, nonstick baking sheet generously with oil. Arrange potatoes evenly on sheet. Using bottom of a mug, lightly crush potatoes until roughly 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. Brush potatoes generously with oil and season lightly with salt. Bake in upper third until lightly brown and crispy, 20 to 25 minutes. 6. While potatoes are roasting, cut bacon crosswise in 24 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces, saving rest for another use. Heat a little oil in a medium-size nonstick frying pan over medium. When hot, add bacon in a single layer. Cook until nicely browned, about 1 minute per side. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate. 7. When potatoes are done, remove from oven and loosen potatoes with a spatula. Top each potato with a piece of cheese and bacon. Return to oven and bake just until cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven, cool 5 min utes then carefully transfer to a serving platter. Garnish each potato with a tiny dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of chives. 4. Place rack in upper third of oven, 6 inches (15 cm) from broiler. Preheat to 450°F (232°C).

FRIED MORTADELLA SLIDERS WITH PROVOLONE & ARUGULA The simplicity and deliciousness of Anthony Bourdain’s mortadella sandwich made it go viral years after his passing, and it remains a social media darling today. In his cookbook Appetites (Ecco, 2016), he gives credit to São Paulo as the birthplace of this iconic sanduìche . We’ve turned it into minis and added arugula for bite. 1/4 cup (60 mL) mayonnaise 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard 1 tbsp (15 mL) grainy mustard 12 mini brioches or round dinner rolls 24 thin slices mortadella (not light), about 18 g each and 51/2 inches (14 cm) diameter 11/2 tsp (7 mL) canola oil 8 slices provolone, about 18 g each, each cut into three even triangular pieces Handful baby arugula 1. In a small bowl, mix mayo and mustards until evenly combined. Transfer to an airtight con tainer. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks. 2. Line two large, heavy-duty baking sheets with foil. Halve buns and place on one sheet, cut sides up. 3. Fold each mortadella slice in half twice to make a four-layer triangle and place on other prepared sheet. Heat oil in a large, nonstick frying pan over medium-high. Fry 8 folded mortadella slices until brown and crispy, 1 to 11/2 minutes per side. Return to baking sheet. Repeat two more times with remaining morta della. When done, top each slice with a piece of provolone. 5. Broil buns on top shelf, watching carefully, until lightly toasted, 45 to 60 seconds. Remove from oven. Broil mortadella-provolone piles just until cheese has melted, about 1 minute. 6. Smear both sides of buns with mayo mix ture, saving rest for another use. Top each bottom with two mortadella-provolone piles and a little arugula. Close sandwiches and serve immediately. 4. Place rack 4 inches (10 cm) from broiler. Preheat broiler on high.

SMASHED POTATO BITES WITH BRAISED BACON & APPENZELLER

Crispy smashed potatoes go from being a side to a starter with the help of smoky braised bacon and robust Alpine cheese—it’s like a mash-up of Swiss raclette and a loaded baked potato. Be careful when buying potatoes as some of the bagged mini potatoes are too small for this dish. Save the bacon braising liquid to use in coq au vin or mushroom risotto. BRAISED BACON 1 lb (455 g) piece slab bacon 1 small onion, thinly sliced 1 bay leaf 1 cup (250 mL) dry, fruity red wine 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted chicken stock POTATO BITES 24 mini potatoes, about 11/2 inches (4 cm) diameter, 13/4 lbs (795 g) total 2 bushy sprigs thyme 1 bay leaf Salt to taste Canola oil for brushing potatoes and cooking bacon 5 oz (140 g) Appenzeller or Gruyère cheese, sliced thin and cut into 11/4-inch (3-cm) squares Sour cream and finely sliced chives to garnish 1. For the bacon, remove rind from bacon and freeze it for another use. Cut bacon into 1/2‑inch- (1-cm-) thick slices. Place in a skillet that will fit them snugly—10-inch (25-cm) should be perfect. Top with onions and bay leaf. Pour in wine and stock. Place over medium-high

Makes 12 sliders

Makes 24 bites

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———————— HOLIDAY 2025