This fresh salad looks beautiful layered in a jar, plus it stores and travels easily, too!
Perfection in a jar
Ingredients:
- 4 Mason jars or 4 of your nicest medium-sized drinking glasses
- 3 cups (750 mL) cherry or grape tomatoes, red and yellow
- 1 to 2 heirloom tomatoes
- 1 to 2 avocados
- Two 8–10 oz (225–300g) balls of burrata cheese
- 1 cup (250 mL) Basil Cashew Pesto
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) toasted pine nuts
- Cracked black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish
Method:
Roast the cherry (or grape) tomatoes and set aside.
Slice the heirloom tomatoes and cut the avocado in half-moon wedges.
In the Mason jars, begin to layer the ingredients. Start with the tangy roasted tomatoes, a little bit of the fresh tomatoes, some burrata cheese, avocado, and then a dollop of the Basil Cashew Pesto. Keep layering until you get to the top.
Top each jar with toasted pine nuts, some cracked black pepper, and fresh basil. It looks and tastes beautiful.
Courtesy Mary Jo Eustace
www.maryjo.tv
Click HERE to buy the book.
Tags: appetizer, gluten free, salad, vegetarian
Prosciutto provides a touch of saltiness and a crisp contrast to tender grilled asparagus. Serve bundles warm with a drizzle of olive oil.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Serves 6
Grilled prosciutto and asparagus bundles
Ingredients:
- 36 thin spears fresh Ontario Asparagus (about 1 bunch)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 12 thin slices prosciutto
Method:
- Wash and break asparagus stalks where they snap easily; discard ends. Dry and toss with oil and season with pepper. Bundle 3 spears together; wrap 1 piece of prosciutto around asparagus.
- Place bundles on greased grill over medium to medium-high heat; grill, turning occasionally, until asparagus is bright green and tender and prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Drizzle bundles with olive oil.
Tags: appetizer, asparagus, prosciutto, side dish
Feature the jewels of the season on crisp toasts with goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. If you cannot find balsamic glaze, just drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves 6 (12 appetizers)
Grilled asparagus and goat cheese appetizers
Ingredients:
- 1 baguette
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, halved
- 12 oz (375 g) Ontario Asparagus, trimmed
- Pinch each salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) Ontario Goat Cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) balsamic glaze
Method:
- Slice baguette diagonally into 12 (1/2-inch/ 2 cm) thick slices. Brush with 4 tsp (20 mL) of the oil. Place on greased grill over medium heat. Grill for 2 to 4 minutes, turning once, until light golden. Transfer to serving platter. Rub each slice with cut side of garlic; set aside.
- If asparagus spears are thick, slice in half lengthwise. Place asparagus on rectangular grill topper or in grill basket. Brush with remaining oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat, turning once, until tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Cut spears into thirds.
- Spread goat cheese evenly over each baguette slice. Top with asparagus spears. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Tip: To serve the appetizers warm, just pop them back on the barbecue once you have spread with goat cheese and heat them for another minute or two.
Tags: appetizer, asparagus, cheese
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Makes: 6 adult servings
Lentil, kale and sausage soup
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 Italian sausages
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 leek, white part only, sliced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 156-mL can tomato paste
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 small bunch kale, stems removed, chopped, about 8 cups
- 540-mL can lentils, drained and rinsed
- grated parmesan, optional
Method
- Heat a large, wide saucepan over medium. Add oil, then sausages
- Turn sausages occasionally until they lose their pink colour, 4 to 6 min. Remove to a plate.
- Add onion, leek, carrots and garlic to pan. Cook until onion starts to soften, about 3 min. Meanwhile, thinly slice sausages.
- Stir in tomato paste, coriander, salt, sausages and any juices. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until flavour develops, 5 more min. Pour in 4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Stir in kale and reduce heat to medium.
- Cover and gently boil, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, 5 to 7 min. Stir in lentils. If soup is too thick, stir in more water
- Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Tags: appetizer, dinner, entree, kale, lentil, main dishes, sausage, soup
Apple and smoked gouda grilled cheese
Makes 4 sandwiches
Ingredients:
- 8 slices of rustic bread
- 100 to 200 grams thinly sliced smoked gouda
- 1 apple, halved, cored and thinly sliced
- Butter
Method:
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat.
- Layer 4 slices of bread with cheese and apple. Top with remaining slices of bread.
- Spread both outside pieces of bread with butter.
- Working in batches, add sandwiches to frying pan and cook until crispy and golden, then flip.
Kary’s Helpful Hints:
- The key to a perfect golden crust and melted centre is low and slow heat.
- You can substitute pear for apple.
- Arugula would add a nice peppery bite to this sandwich.
- The apple adds a nice sweetness eliminating the need for ketchup.
Courtesy Kary Osmond, www.karyosmond.com | Twitter: @KaryOsmond
Tags: appetizer, apples, cheese, dinner, falll, grilled cheese, grilling, lunch, smoked gouda
This dish is a classic Tunisian salad. This salad can be served on its own, or is fantastic with fish or a grilled steak.
Tunisian carrot salad
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 8 large carrots, peeled
- olive oil, to coat and to finish
- ½ cup (125 g) Kalamata olives, pitted and cut into quarters
- 1 ½ Tbsp (25 g) coriander seeds, toasted
- 1 ¼ Tbsp (20 g) cumin seeds, toasted
- 1 ¼ Tbsp (20 g) caraway seeds, toasted
- 2 red bird’s eye chilies, finely sliced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves picked, divided
- 1 batch Harissa Dressing (recipe follows)
- kosher salt, to finish
Harissa dressing
- 5 Tbsp (75 mL) Harissa (see below)
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) white vinegar
- ½ cup (125 mL) canola oil (approx)
- kosher salt, to taste
Harissa
- 4 medium red bell peppers
- 1 tsp (5 mL) whole cumin seeds
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) whole coriander seeds
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 20 long red bird’s eye chilies, seeds removed
- 20 long red bird’s eye chilies (whole)
- ½ cup (125 mL) grapeseed oil
- kosher salt, to taste
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF).
- Cut carrots in half crosswise and then quarter each half, lengthwise. Using a knife, carefully cut the core from each section of carrot. Set core aside for stocks, soups, or feeding to the chooks.
- Coat carrots in olive oil and spread carrot batons evenly on a baking sheet. Place in oven, and roast for 15-minute intervals, tossing carrots gently in between, for up to approximately 45 minutes or until tender. Remove carrots from oven and let carrots cool on baking sheet to room temperature.
- In a bowl, combine carrots, olives, toasted seeds, chilies and ¾ of the cilantro leaves. Dress liberally with Harrisa Dressing, tossing to coat evenly. Season to taste with salt.
- To serve, stack salad so carrots are in a wood stack formation on large flat serving plate. Garnish with remaining cilantro leaves, and lightly dress with olive oil. Serve immediately.
Harissa dressing
- In a blender, combine Harissa, garlic and vinegar. Purée until smooth. Transfer mixture into a bowl. Gently whisk in canola oil to combine. Be careful not to fully emulsify dressing.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Makes about 1 cup (250 mL)
Harissa
- Over a naked flame, blister the red bell peppers until skin is completely blackened. Place blistered peppers in a bowl and cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside and allow peppers to steam while cooling. When peppers have cooled, remove skin and seeds and set peppers aside at room temperature.
- In a dry pan, toast cumin and coriander seeds, tossing continually, for approximately 3 minutes over high heat or until aromatic. Remove seeds from pan and set aside at room temperature to cool.
- In a spice grinder, finely grind cooled toasted cumin and coriander seeds. Tip: Do not grind while hot as spice will burn.
- In a food processor, combine garlic cloves, chilies and ground spices. Process on high until smooth. Add bell pepper flesh and pulse until smooth. Note: Over-puréeing the mixture will turn its colour to orange rather than a desired deep red.
- Transfer mixture to a bowl, and add 115 mL of grapeseed oil. Gently stir to combine. Season mixture to taste with kosher salt, and transfer to an airtight container. Seal the surface of the harissa with 10 mL of grapeseed oil and cover with a lid. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Makes about 2 ¼ cups (565 mL)
Courtesy Chef Adam Hynam-Smith, author, Curbside: Modern street food from a vagabond chef (November 2014–Whitecap Books)
Tags: appetizer, carrot, salad, side dishes, summer, tunisian, vegetarian
Warm summer lamb-loin salad with honey thyme vinaigrette
Ingredients:
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 teaspoon of chopped fresh Thyme
- 1 tablespoon of chopped shallots
- 1 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon of Honey
- 6 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons of White Wine Vinegar
- Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste
Salad
- Mixed Greens or any leafy greens of your preference (washed of any sand and thoroughly dried)
- Heirloom carrots (peeled)
- Radishes (washed with cold water)
- Raw Sheep’s Milk Feta (set aside for final assembly)
Lamb
- Loin of 1 Lamb from your local butcher (cleaned of any fat or sinew)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Method:
Vinaigrette
- In a small mixing bowl combine all the ingredients except for the Olive Oil.
- Using a whisk, slowly add the Olive Oil to emulsify the vinaigrette.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Set aside.
Salad
- If the leafy greens are whole, using a knife, chop the leafy greens into bite sized portions (2 inch cubes) otherwise, set aside.
- Using a peeler, peel long strands of the heirloom carrots and submerge in ice cold water to keep crisp.
- Using a knife or a Japanese mandolin, thinly slice the radishes and also submerge in ice cold water.
Lamb
- Pre-heat a skillet over medium heat
- Season the Lamb Loin with Salt and Pepper
- Add a few tablespoons of Olive Oil to the pre-heated skillet
- Sear the Lamb Loin for 2 – 3 minutes or depending on the thickness of the Lamb (times may vary depending on what colour you might want to achieve. For this method, we are looking for a medium-rare doneness)
- After the entire Loin is seared, set it aside to rest for approximately 5 minutes.
- Slice thinly before serving.
Assembly
- On a plate, assemble the mixed greens, shaved carrots and radishes.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette around and on top of the mixed green mixture.
- Place the sliced Lamb Loin around the salad or mixed on top.
- Crumble the Raw Sheep’s Milk Feta around the finished salad.
- Serve and enjoy!
Courtesy Paul Boehmer, Boehmer Restaurant, www.boehmer.ca
Tags: appetizer, entree, grill, lamb, salad, summer
This simple and yummy side dish is the perfect complement to any picnic or BBQ.
Cucumber-potato salad
Ingredients:
- 750 g fingerling potatoes, sliced into 1/4-in. rounds
- 3 mini cucumbers, sliced into 1/4-in. rounds
- 3/4 tsp salt, divided
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 3 tbsp white-wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped dill
Method:
Boil potatoes in a large saucepan of water set over high just until fork-tender, 12 to 15 min. Drain and cover with cold water until cool, about 5 min.
Massage cucumbers with 1/4 tsp salt until thoroughly mixed in a large bowl. Let stand until liquid begins to seep out, 10 min. Scoop cucumbers into a strainer and squeeze out excess liquid.
Whisk oil with vinegar and remaining 1/2 tsp salt in same bowl. Season with fresh pepper. Add parsley, dill, cucumbers and potatoes. Toss until well coated.
Prep 10 min | Total 40 min
Serves 6 | Per serving 177 calories, 2 g protein, 22 g carbs, 9 g fat, 2 g fibre, 228 mg sodium. Good source of vitamin B6.
Tags: appetizer, cucumber, picnic, potato, salad, summer
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