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Pea Pesto Pasta

Enjoy this spring staple in four easy recipes, sure to please. Easy-peasy.

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

¼ cup (60 ml) roughly chopped, toasted pine nuts, divided

1 cup (250 ml) baby arugula

1 cup (250 ml) basil leaves, plus extra for garnish

4 oz (125 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, divided

1 lemon, zest and juice

2 tsp (10 ml) kosher salt, plus extra to taste and for cooking pasta

1 tsp (5 ml) pepper

1 cup (250 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups (500 ml) frozen peas, blanched

2 tbsp (30 ml) crème fraîche

1 x 12 oz (350 g) package cheese-stuffed tortellini

chili oil, for garnish

Instructions

Combine garlic, 2 tbsp (30 ml) pine nuts, arugula, basil, 3 oz (90 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a blender. Blend while slowly drizzling in olive oil until you have a smooth purée. Add peas and pulse until peas are roughly chopped. It should look chunky. Transfer to a bowl, fold in crème fraîche and adjust seasoning.
Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Add cooked tortellini plus ¼ cup (60 ml) pasta water to pea pesto and mix, adding more pasta water if sauce is too dry.
Divide pasta into 4 bowls and garnish with chili oil, remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano and basil.

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Drink Pairings

Irish Oat & Potato Cakes with Whiskey-Cured Salmon & Herbed Crème Fraîche

Impress your brunch guests with these Whiskey-Cured Salmon, Irish Oat, and Potato Pancakes. Enhanced by a jalapeño-herbed crème fraîche, this hearty meal is guaranteed to receive much praise. For the salmon curing, opt for Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey and pair the meal with Veuve Du Vernay Brut Rosé for a truly delightful experience.

Ingredients

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS FOR WHISKEY-CURED SALMON:

1½ lbs (750 g) skin-on salmon fillet, rinsed under cold water, patted dry, pin bones removed

1 cup (250 ml) kosher salt

½ cup (125 ml) dark brown sugar

2 tbsp (30 ml) black peppercorns

2 tbsp (30 ml) juniper berries

1 bunch fresh dill

1 bunch fresh thyme

½ cup (125 ml) Irish whiskey

INGREDIENTS FOR HERBED CREME FRAICHE:

½ cup (125 ml) packed fresh dill

1 cup (250 ml) packed fresh parsley leaves and tender stems

1 tbsp (15 ml) capers, rinsed

¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice

¾ cup (175 ml) crème fraîche or sour cream

INGREDIENTS FOR OAT & POTATO CAKES:

3 medium baking potatoes, peeled

2 green onions, trimmed and finely sliced

¾ cup (175 ml) rolled oats

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt

½ tsp (2 ml) freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest

6 tbsp (90 ml) each unsalted butter and grapeseed oil, for cooking

Instructions

To make Whiskey-Cured Salmon, line a baking dish large enough to hold salmon with plastic wrap and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together salt, sugar, peppercorns and juniper berries.
Sprinkle half the salt mixture over bottom of prepared baking dish and spread half the dill and thyme on top. Lay salmon, skin-side down, on herbs and drizzle with whiskey. Cover with remaining dill and thyme and top with remaining salt mixture.
Tightly wrap salmon with plastic wrap and weigh down with several tin cans. Refrigerate salmon for 24 hours. Turn salmon over, continue to weigh down with cans and refrigerate a further 24 hours.
When ready to serve, remove salmon from plastic wrap and using back of a knife or a spoon, scrape curing mixture off fish. Place salmon, skin-side down, on cutting board. Thinly slice salmon into diagonal strips, leaving skin behind. Cured salmon may be made ahead and refrigerated, uncut, for 5 days.
To make Herbed Crème Fraîche, place dill, parsley, capers, olive oil, jalapeño (seeded if you don’t want sauce to be spicy) and lemon juice into a food processor. Blend, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until you are left with a slightly chunky sauce. Add crème fraîche to a medium bowl and ripple half green mixture throughout. Spoon remaining sauce into a bowl.
To make Oat & Potato Cakes, shred potatoes using large holes of a box grater. Then place potatoes on a large tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Place drained potatoes in a large bowl along with green onions, oats, eggs, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined and set aside for 10 minutes.
In a 5-in (12 cm) frying pan, heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) of both oil and butter over medium heat. Add potato mixture and spread evenly. Cook until bottom is nicely browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Invert potato cake onto a plate and then slide it back into pan. Continue to cook until again nicely browned on bottom, about another 8 to 10 minutes*. Repeat this step 6 times for 6 cakes, keeping cakes warm in a 200 F (95 C) oven. *You can also make one large oat and potato cake, following the directions, in a non-stick, 12-in (30 cm) frying pan. When ready to serve, slice into wedges and serve as described.
To serve, divide Oat & Potato Cakes among warm serving plates. Top with a good dollop of Herbed Crème Fraîche and thin slices of Whiskey-Cured Salmon. If desired, garnish with additional green onions, lemon zest, capers and thinly sliced red onion.

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Drink Pairings

Steelhead Trout served with Caper Olive Tapenade

Light and fresh Easter.

Ingredients

Serves 4

½ cup (125 ml) chopped Castelvetrano* olives

1 tsp (5 ml) caper liquid

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped capers

½ cup (125 ml) chopped parsley

½ cup (125 ml) chopped cilantro

1 lemon, zest only

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar

3 tbsp (45 ml) + ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, divided

1 tsp (5 ml) honey

salt and pepper, to taste

1.5 lbs to 2 lbs (750 g to 1 kg) whole steelhead trout fillet

seasonal vegetables, for garnish

Instructions

To make caper olive tapenade, in a small mixing bowl, add olives, caper liquid, capers, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, red wine vinegar, 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine and set tapenade aside.
Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C).
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, place trout skin-side down. Coat with remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until internal temperature of 120 F to 125 F (49 C to 52 C) for medium rare and 130 F (54 C) for well done.
Serve on a platter with seasonal vegetables, for garnish and olive tapenade alongside.
* Substitute with Manzanilla olives or other, as desired.

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Drink Pairings

Steamed Clams in White Wine Sauce

Life can be hard, making dinner shouldn't be! This Steamed Clam recipe in White Wine Sauce doesn't get any easier and makes for a great dressed up weeknight meal. Abruzzo Pinot Grigio Mare Di Sirena or Chablis William Fevre Champs Royaux 2020 make great wine pairings for this meal.

Ingredients

Serves 4

3 tbsp (45 ml) butter, divided

1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 fresh chili, finely chopped

1 cup (125 ml) dry white wine

2 cups (250 ml) whipping cream

4 lbs (2 kg) clams, cleaned*

1 bunch dill, chopped

½ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

3 lemons, halved

loaf of fresh bread, to serve

Instructions

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, shallots and chili and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add white wine and reduce by half.
Add cream and clams and cover with lid. Cook until clams have opened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Discard any clams that have not opened.
Add dill, parsley, remaining butter, juice of half a lemon and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine. Check seasoning of broth and adjust as desired. Serve with sliced or torn bread and remaining lemons.
* To clean clams, fill a large bowl with 4 cups (1 L) cold water, add 1 heaping tablespoon salt and mix until dissolved. Add clams and let sit undisturbed for 20 minutes to 1 hour to purge clams of any sand in them. Remove clams from water and transfer to a sink. Do not just pour clams out, as you would be covering them in sand you just removed. Scrub clams with a stiff-bristled brush under cold running water to remove any dirt or barnacles on shells. Discard any open clams that do not close when you clean them, this means they are dead.

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Drink Pairings

Cauliflower Shawarma served with Tahini Yogurt Sauce

Light Middle Eastern Fair

Ingredients

Serves 2 to 4

½ cup (125 ml) red wine vinegar

½ cup (125 ml) water

1 tsp (5 ml) salt

1 tsp (5 ml) sugar

½ red onion, sliced

1 cup (250 ml) full fat plain Greek yogurt

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup (125 ml) grated cucumber

½ lemon, juice only

¼ cup (60 ml) tahini

½ cup (125 ml) crumbled Macedonian feta

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder

1 tsp (5 ml) cumin

1 tsp (5 ml) paprika

½ tsp (2.5) coriander

½ tsp (2.5) turmeric

¼ tsp (1 ml) cinnamon

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets

2 to 4 pita wraps

¼ cup (60 ml) golden raisins

2 tbsp (30 ml) pine nuts, toasted

½ cup (125 ml) cilantro, leaves only

Instructions

In a small saucepan, heat red wine vinegar and water over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp (5 ml) salt and sugar and cook until dissolved. Pour into a heatproof container and add sliced red onions. Set aside for at least 1 hour to pickle.
To make a tahini yogurt sauce, in a small mixing bowl, place yogurt, garlic, cucumber, lemon juice, tahini and feta. Mix to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Thin with water as desired for consistency. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
In a large mixing bowl, combine garlic powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and olive oil. Add cauliflower florets and toss to coat in spice mixture. Place on a baking tray and bake until golden brown and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes.
To serve, place warm cauliflower on pita and garnish with golden raisins, pine nuts and cilantro. Top with pickled red onions and tahini yogurt sauce.

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Drink Pairings

Chicken Kebabs with Tabbouleh & Garlic Toum

Light Middle Eastern Fair

Ingredients

Serves 3 to 4

1 cup (250 ml) peeled garlic cloves

¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice

3 cups (750 ml) sunflower oil

salt, to taste

6 chicken thighs, cut in half lengthwise

1 tsp (5 ml) cumin

2 cups (500 ml) chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup (250 ml) fine bulgur wheat

2 cups (500 ml) diced cucumber

2 cups (500 ml) diced cherry tomatoes*

1 large bunch curly parsley, chopped

1 bunch of mint, leaves only, chopped

5 green onions, finely chopped

½ cup (125 ml) pitted, chopped Kalamata olives

1 lemon, juice only

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

6 wooden barbecue skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

Instructions

To make garlic toum sauce, blend garlic in a food processor on high until finely minced. Using a spatula, scrape down sides of bowl and add 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice. With food processor on medium speed, slowly stream in about 1 cup (250 ml) oil. Continue to alternate between lemon juice and oil until all is incorporated and mixture has a fluffy, mayonnaise-like consistency. Season to taste with salt and refrigerate**.
In a small bowl, marinate chicken thighs with 1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic toum and cumin. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until ready to cook. Once ready, thread 2 halves of chicken thigh onto a skewer. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Preheat a barbecue grill to medium-high. Grill chicken skewers for 10 minutes or until internal temperature of 165 F (75 C) is reached.
In a saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring stock to a boil. Add bulgur and gently stir. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, but keep lid on for 10 more minutes. Using a fork, fluff bulgur mixture and set aside to cool.
To make tabbouleh, in a large salad bowl, place cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, mint, green onions and olives. Add cooled bulgur and dress with lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve tabbouleh alongside chicken skewers with a dollop of garlic toum sauce.
* Salt to remove liquid, rinse and allow to dry
** It will keep for up to 1 week refrigerated.

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Drink Pairings

Loaded Fattoush Salad with Prawns

Light Middle Eastern Fair

Ingredients

Serves 2 to 3

1 large pita bread, torn into pieces

1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder

¼ tsp (1 ml) salt

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

4 cups (1 L) chopped romaine lettuce

1 cucumber, diced

1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

1 red pepper, seeded and diced

½ red onion, diced

1 x 19 oz (540ml) can chickpeas, rinsed

½ cup (125 ml) Macedonian feta, crumbled

1 cup (250 ml) mint leaves

1 cup (250 ml) parsley leaves

1 tbsp (15 ml) butter

1 garlic clove, minced

15 prawns, deshelled

Salad Dressing, recipe follows

1 lemon, juice only

2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar

1 tsp (5 ml) za’atar spice

1 tsp (5 ml) honey (sweetener)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp (15 ml) Dijon mustard

4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
In a large mixing bowl, add pita, garlic powder, salt and olive oil. Toss to coat. Place on lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
In a large salad bowl, add romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper, onion, chickpeas, feta, mint and parsley. Set aside until ready to serve.
In a medium-sized skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add prawns and cook on each side until cooked through and no longer opaque, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set aside.
To make salad dressing, in a small mixing bowl, add lemon juice, red wine vinegar, za’atar, honey, garlic, Dijon and olive oil. Mix to combine. Toss salad with dressing and serve with prawns on top.

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Drink Pairings

Honey Szechuan Lamb Ribs

Globally inspired lamb recipes

Ingredients

Serves 2 to 6

2 lbs (1kg) lamb ribs, trimmed and cut into individual ribs

1-in (2.5 cm) piece ginger, peeled and grated

½ small onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp (30 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine

2 tbsp (30 ml) oyster sauce

¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil, divided

2 tbsp (30 ml) Szechuan peppercorns, crushed, divided

2 tbsp (30 ml) cumin, crushed, divided

10 garlic cloves, roughly chopped, divided

2 tsp (10 ml) chili flakes, or more to taste

¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce, divided

¼ cup (60 ml) + 2 tsp (10 ml) honey, divided

2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil

2 tsp (10 ml) toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish

1 handful cilantro leaves

Cucumber Salad, to serve, make ahead, recipe follows

6 mini cucumbers, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) rounds, then crushed with side of a knife

1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 birds eye chili, thinly sliced

1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar

2 tsp (10 ml) mirin (sweet rice wine)

1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil

1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

In a dish large enough to hold lamb, combine ginger, onion, Shaoxing cooking wine, oyster sauce, 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil, 1 tbsp (15 ml) Szechuan peppercorns, 1 tbsp (15 ml) cumin, half the garlic, 1 tsp (5 ml) chili flakes, 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce and 2 tsp (10 ml) honey. Add lamb and marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Remove ribs from marinade to a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes.
While ribs are roasting, in a small saucepan, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and add remaining Szechuan peppercorns, cumin, chili flakes, soy sauce and honey. Add sesame oil and sesame seeds. Stir to combine and set aside.
When ribs are done, remove from oven and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour honey sauce over top and toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve with Cucumber Salad.
For Cucumber Salad: In a large bowl, mix ingredients together and serve. Serves 2 to 6

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Drink Pairings

Lamb Merguez Pizza

Globally inspired lamb recipes

Ingredients

Serves 4

1⅓ cups (325 ml) warm water*

1 x 7 g package dry yeast

1 tbsp (15 ml) honey

3½ cups (450 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tsp (10 ml) salt, divided

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, plus extra to coat dough and meatballs

8 oz (225 g) lamb merguez sausages, casing removed

½ large eggplant, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) cubes

vegetable oil, for frying

1 cup (250 ml) tomato sauce

½ head kale, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) slices, blanched

8 dried black olives, roughly chopped

8 oz (225 g) fresh mozzarella

1 oz (30 g) Manchego cheese, shaved

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, mix water, yeast and honey and let sit for 5 minutes. Add flour, 1 tsp (5 ml) salt and olive oil and mix to combine. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes, or until smooth. Cover with olive oil, return to mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Roll merguez into tablespoon-sized balls (about 24 balls), lightly coat with olive oil and roast just until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, toss eggplant in 1 tsp (5 ml) salt and mix. Let sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, use a paper towel to remove any liquid from eggplant. Fill a medium-sized saucepan with 1-in (2.5 cm) vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant in batches, until golden brown, and drain on paper towel. Set aside.
Once dough has risen, cut in half and roll each half into balls. Dust with flour and let sit on counter for 10 minutes to rest.
Roll or stretch a piece of dough to about a 10 to 12-in (25 to 30 cm) round and transfer to a parchment-lined 12 to 14-in (30 to 36 cm) pizza pan.
Cover dough with up to half the tomato sauce, then top with half each of merguez meatballs, kale, eggplant, olives and mozzarella. Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C) and bake pizza until crust is golden brown and cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with half of the Manchego. Repeat with remaining dough and ingredients.
* This recipe can be made with store-bought premade pizza dough, If you are using premade pizza dough, skip step 1.

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Drink Pairings

THIT KHO VIETNAMESE BRAISED PORK & EGGS

A multicultural potluck to celebrate Lunar New Year.

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

2 oz (60 g) palm sugar

2 lbs (1 kg) pork belly, cut into 2-in (5 cm) cubes

2 shallots, sliced

4 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce

1 tsp (5 ml) freshly ground pepper

1 x 17½ oz (520 ml) can coconut water

4 eggs, medium boiled, peeled and halved

2 bird’s eye chilis, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

Instructions

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat palm sugar over medium heat until melted. Stir and continue heating until golden brown and caramelized, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Carefully add pork and toss until sugar has dissolved. Add shallots, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, pepper and coconut water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and continue cooking for about 1 hour or until pork is just tender.
Remove lid and continue cooking for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until sauce has reduced and thickened. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with eggs, chilis and green onions. Serve with jasmine rice.

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Drink Pairings

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