Mustard Greens with Goji Berries
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 5
1 tsp (5 ml) vegetable oil
1 tsp (5 ml) minced garlic
2 tsp (10 ml) organic, low-salt chicken bouillon paste/base
1 tbsp (15 ml) dried goji berries
¼ cup (60 ml) + 1 tbsp (15 ml) water, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) cornstarch
1 lb (500 g) mustard greens, blanched and shocked in ice water (Can substitute another type of Asian green if mustard greens not available)
Instructions
- Heat a wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds) Add chicken bouillon, goji berries and ¼ cup (60 ml) water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Make a slurry with remaining water and cornstarch. Add slurry to pot and stir to combine. Cook over low heat until sauce has thickened.
- Add greens and increase heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently, until greens are hot. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
Steamed Chicken and Leek Dumplings
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
1 lb (500 g) ground chicken
1 tbsp (30 ml) microplaned or grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, microplaned or grated
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped Chinese leek (Use Chinese chives or regular leeks if you cannot find Chinese leeks)
2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) dark soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) cornstarch
1 package round dumpling wrappers, about 1 lb (500 g)
Dipping Sauce, to serve, recipe follows (optional)
DIPPING SAUCE
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) Chinese black vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
1 pinch crushed, roasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- To make chicken filling, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl except wrappers and dipping sauce. Have dumpling wrappers ready and a small bowl filled with water.
- To make dumplings, place 1 tbsp (15 ml) of chicken filling in middle of a wrapper. Dip your finger in water and run it around edge of half of wrapper. Fold wrapper in half and pinch outside edges together, overlapping as you go, to seal edges in a crescent shape.
- Repeat with remaining dumplings. Dumplings can either be steamed right away, or frozen in a single layer, then placed in an airtight bag or container and frozen until ready to serve.
- To cook dumplings, line a bamboo steamer with parchment paper or a lettuce leaf. Lay dumplings in a single layer (not touching) in steamer. From fresh: Steam over medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through. From frozen: Steam over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through. Serve with desired dipping sauce.
- For DIPPING SAUCE, mix all ingredients together. Serve dumplings with dipping sauce and chili sauce or oil.
Drink Pairings
Steamed Rice Parcels
Ingredients
Serves 6
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) minced ginger
¼ lb (125 g) pork belly, roughly chopped
¼ lb (125 g) pork shoulder, roughly chopped
4 green onions, finely sliced
2 tsp (10 ml) light soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) dark soy sauce
2 tsp (10 ml) oyster sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
2 cups (500 ml) cooked jasmine rice
3 frozen banana leaves, washed and dried
Instructions
- In a wok or heavy bottomed saucepan, over medium-high heat, stir-fry ginger in oil just until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add pork belly and shoulder, spread it around bottom of pan and let cook without stirring until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Flip meat and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned. Add green onion, light and dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil and water. Cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add rice and mix until fully combined.
- Lay out banana leaves and divide rice evenly between them. Fold each banana leaf into a package that will fit in your steamer. Secure each package with butcher’s twine. The packages can be steamed right away or refrigerated until ready to serve. Steam packages over medium heat for 10 to 25 minutes, or until heated through. Steaming time will depend if rice is refrigerator cold or at room temperature.
Drink Pairings
Lobster Noodles
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
2 x 2 lb (1 kg) whole live lobsters (Alternately, have your fishmonger cook the lobster for you and begin at step 2)
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) minced ginger, plus fried julienned ginger, for garnish
2 tbsp (30 ml) minced garlic
1 x 10 oz (300 g) package yee-mein (longevity) noodles, boiled per package instructions, then drained
¼ cup (60 ml) black bean sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
4 green onions, thinly sliced on the bias
Instructions
- If cooking lobster yourself, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add lobsters and cook over high heat for 14 minutes (2 minutes per pound). Remove lobsters from water and immediately place in an ice bath until completely chilled. Once lobsters have chilled, twist off heads and save for another use.
- Cut tails into 1-in (2.5 cm) slices and set aside. Remove meat from claws and chop meat into small chunks, then set aside.
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, then ginger and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add yee-mein noodles, black bean sauce, soy sauce, sugar and cooking wine. Stir-fry until noodles are hot and evenly mixed with sauce. Add chopped lobster claw meat and mix until combined.
- Transfer noodles to a warm serving platter.
- Return wok to heat and add sliced lobster tail. Add 2 tbsp (30 ml) water to wok and cover with a lid. Heat lobster slices just until warmed through, then toss with any remaining liquid in the wok. Arrange lobster slices over noodles and garnish with green onions and crispy ginger.
Drink Pairings
Baked Goat's Cheese Dip
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 cup (250 ml) goat’s cheese
½ cup (125 ml) cream cheese
½ cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp (5 ml) Herbes de Provence
1 lemon, zest only
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- In a medium mixing bowl, add goat’s cheese, cream cheese and Parmesan. Using an electric mixer, mix ingredients until thoroughly combined. Place in small ovenproof dish or small cast iron skillet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned and bubbling.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic and herbs. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon zest.
- When ready to serve, drizzle a little extra oil over goat’s cheese.
- Serve with bread or crackers.
Drink Pairings
Polenta Crisps with Tomato Jam
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 10
3½ cups (875 ml) vegetable stock
1 cup (250 ml) polenta
1 cup (250 ml) grated Parmesan
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
½ red onion, diced
1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tbsp (45 ml) balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan over high heat, bring vegetable stock to a boil. Add polenta and stir rapidly with a whisk. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Parmesan and let cool for 2 minutes. Pour polenta into a parchment-lined 10-in x 10-in (25 cm x 25 cm) square baking pan. Place in refrigerator to set, minimum 4 hours (preferably overnight).
- To make Tomato Jam, in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Sauté onion until translucent. Add tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Reduce heat to low and simmer until soft. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Remove block of polenta from pan and cut into 3-in (8 cm) long rectangles. Spray a baking sheet and polenta with oil. Place polenta fries on pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, then flip, bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Using a blender, blend tomato mixture lightly, some lumps should remain. Season jam to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve polenta warm with Tomato Jam on side.
Drink Pairings
Beef Empanadas
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 10
1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
½ yellow onion
1 lb (500 g) ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
2 tbsp (30 ml) all-purpose flour
2 x 9-in (23 cm) frozen pie shells
egg wash (1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk)
salsa and sour cream, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Sauté onion until translucent. Add beef and taco seasoning. Cook meat thoroughly. Set aside to cool completely.
- Heat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Dust a flat surface with flour. Place pie shells on surface. Using a 4-in (10 cm) round cookie cutter, cut 10 rounds. Roll out each round once or twice until dough is ⅛-in (0.25 cm) thick.
- Place some cooled beef mixture in centre of each round. Using a pastry brush, brush half of each round with egg wash. Fold round in half over filling to form a crescent. Take one corner of empanada and pinch hard until it forms an overlap. Fold overlap over remaining dough to form pleats until you have reached the end. Using a pastry brush, brush outside with egg wash.
- Bake on baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve with salsa and sour cream.
Drink Pairings
Roasted Mushroom Salad
Ingredients
Serves 4
½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) grainy mustard
1 tbsp (15 ml) finely diced shallots
salt and pepper, to taste
20 medium-size brown mushrooms, stems trimmed and cleaned
2 medium-size onions, peeled (leave stem intact) and cut each 6 wedges
4 cups (1 L) baby winter greens
½ bunch Italian parsley, leaves only
½ cup (125 ml) crumbled goat’s cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- In a bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, mustard and shallots until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss ⅓ cup (75 ml) of dressing with mushrooms and onions, then spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until mushrooms and onions are cooked through and slightly browned. Let cool slightly.
- Divide winter greens evenly between 4 plates. Place 5 mushrooms and 3 pieces of onion on each plate. Sprinkle parsley and goat’s cheese evenly between each plate and drizzle with remaining dressing.
Drink Pairings
Roasted Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 medium-sized head red cabbage, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) slices (8 slices total)
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp (15 ml) crushed caraway seeds, divided
½ cup (125 ml) sour cream
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) horseradish
½ cup (125 ml) dry farro, cooked per package instructions
1 handful fresh dill, leaves picked into small pieces, for garnish
1 handful pea shoots, stems trimmed off, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C)
- Brush cabbage slices with olive oil and lay on a baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper and ½ tbsp (7 ml) caraway seeds. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until cabbage is cooked through and slightly crisp and browned on some edges.
- While cabbage is roasting, make dressing. Mix together sour cream, lemon juice, horseradish and remaining ½ tbsp (7 ml) caraway seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Lay 2 slices of cabbage per plate, drizzle each serving with 2 tbsp (30 ml) dressing. Divide farro evenly between each serving and garnish with dill and pea shoots.
Drink Pairings
Winter Cobb Salad
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) chunks
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup (60 ml) + 2 tbsp (30 ml) Stilton (or favourite blue cheese)
½ cup (125 ml) thick Greek-style yogurt
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest
½ tsp (2.5 ml) onion powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) garlic powder
2 tsp (10 ml) salt
5 oz (140 g) container baby arugula
2 cups (500 ml) shredded roasted chicken
1 apple, cored, thinly sliced (a crisp variety is best)
2 medium-boiled eggs, shelled, cut into quarters
1 handful candied walnuts
4 strips bacon, crisply cooked and cut into 2 to 3 pieces each
2 tsp (10 ml) chopped chives, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Toss squash with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 20 to 30 minutes, or until squash is tender and lightly browned. Once cooked, remove from oven and cool slightly.
- To make dressing, mix ¼ cup (60 ml) Stilton, yogurt, lemon juice, zest, onion and garlic powders and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- To assemble, place arugula on a large platter. Arrange overtop, squash, chicken, apples, eggs, candied walnuts, bacon and remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) Stilton. Sprinkle with 2 tsp (10 ml) chives. Serve dressing on side.