Early Summer 2024 Issue

Recipes from the Early Summer 2024 issue of Food & Drink magazine.
63 Pins
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12 Sections
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11mo
By
LCBO Food & Drink Magazine
Though their season is brief, beloved British Columbian spot prawns are such a Canadian treat. Cook them while they’re super fresh with their shells on and savour them simply with a mix of sweet and softened garlic, oil and butter. Be sure to soak up any leftover juices and sauce with grilled crusty bread.
Lobsters are usually available, but late spring/ early summer is the season when their price often drops. Canadians have been known to toast this occasion with lobster rolls, but since there are many ways to enjoy this beloved ingredient, we decided to roll it up into a crispy fried risotto ball. Here, a little lobster goes a long way! Note: Start this recipe the day before you plan to serve it.
Canadian oysters are available all year-round, but late spring and early summer are great times to seek them out. These bivalves are excellent on their own, but when enjoyed alongside this spicy, tart tomato salad, they’re even better. The punchy mignonette is an excellent complement to both the oysters and the sweet-tart tomatoes.

Fishing for Complements - Canadian seafood recipes

5 Pins
Turn things around by rimming a glass vertically instead of horizontally. You know that thing where you tell someone to do one thing and they do the opposite? It’s like that, but better because this is what you wanted all along.
Foam-topped cocktails are often dusted with a dry garnish, but why stop at the top? Probably because you’d spill your drink if you tried to dust the side, too, but we’ve sorted that little dilemma for you. You’re so very welcome.
Picture this: you’re at a fancy hotel bar somewhere in the tropics. It’s peak-sun out there, but the vibe inside is dark and sultry. Overhead fans lazily whir above your head. This is the garnish in your glass, no matter if you’re a sweet or savoury sort.

Dressed to Impress - Bold cocktail garnishes

10 Pins
Cottage cheese is having a moment, so we’ve transformed it into a smoky, creamy, ranch-like dip generously flecked with charred serranos and scallions. It’s drizzled with trendy hot honey and served with grilled sourdough rubbed with garlic, though you could also pair it with crackers or flatbreads. Look for hot honey at well-stocked supermarkets and online—popular brands include Peace River, Mike’s and Zing.
Tangy dill pickles are the real star of this new-wave potato salad. After a flash on the grill, fingerlings are tossed in a vibrant pickle vinaigrette with peppery arugula and more chopped pickles. Finally, toasted walnuts add textural contrast to this picnic-perfect salad.
Jasmine tea brings its delicate fragrance to an easy brine for pork tenderloin. A sweet-savory dry rub adds another layer of flavour before it hits the grill. Finally, a fresh, crunchy salad of cool cukes and tender herbs is like a rug that ties the room together.

All Fired Up - Grilling trends

6 Pins
Mochi cake has a unique dense, bouncy texture, thanks to a sweet rice flour called mochiko. It’s not interchangeable with rice flour, so it may require a trip to a specialty store or Asian grocer. This cake is flavoured with mango and given a colourful swirl of icing inspired by tie-dye.
This effortlessly gorgeous cake is a classic for good reason— caramelized fruits shine bright atop a delicate crumb. In this version, white cake gets a tropical makeover with coconut and lime. If you’ve never flipped an upside-down cake before, get ready for one of the more satisfying baking experiences.
The birthday cake is a beloved symbol of celebration. Here, we’ve worked the enduring combination of vanilla cake and rainbow sprinkles into whoopie pies. Basically cake sandwiches, they’re the perfect dessert for parties where there are more guests than seats.

Rainbow Connections - Colourful desserts

3 Pins
In this fun twist on tacos, discs of pasta are held together by mozzarella and Parmesan, then filled with juicy meatballs and marinara sauce. Topped with crisp garlic chips, they’re a unique way to enjoy spaghetti and meatballs and are sure to be a new family favourite.
These South Asian–inspired “tacos” feature tandoori cauliflower, a crunchy raw veggie salad and cool cilantro yogurt on soft, pillowy naan. It’s a vegetarian riot of tastes and textures, made easy by using store-bought naan. On its own, the kachumber salad is a delicious side dish with just about everything from chicken curry to burgers.
A popular Indigenous street-food dish, these “tacos” can be found at many Powwows. Traditionally made with beef, venison or moose meat, this version is fully vegan, featuring navy beans stewed with tomato. Instead of a tortilla, the base is crispy, pillowy fry bread, or bannock, which is also great for dessert, served warm smeared with maple butter.

Into the Fold - Taco twists

4 Pins
These spicy, slurp-tastic noodles come together in the same time it would take to peruse a takeout menu. Whether you make them for lunch, dinner or a late-night snack, they are sure to become a regular part of your repertoire. Many Korean grocers carry Samyang plain instant ramen noodles, so you don’t have to waste the flavour packet.
A thick slab of tofu is pan-fried, basted in salty-sweet teriyaki sauce and served on a toasted bun with cured cukes and spicy mayo. It’s a gloriously messy veggie burger, perfect for people who eschew faux meat. Available at most Asian supermarkets, superior Kikkoman Takumi Original Teriyaki Sauce is worth seeking out.
This Middle Eastern–inspired salad features spiced chicken tenders, charred eggplant, peppery arugula, juicy cherry tomatoes and tangy feta. As for spice blends, use Lebanese seven-spice, Baharat, or even garam masala in a pinch.

Solo Suppers - Dinners for one

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With its easy formula of fresh OJ and Champagne, the classic Mimosa is a brunch staple for a reason. That doesn’t mean we can’t bring it up to speed with current trends, like this tweaked version that calls for Lambrusco instead of the usual French bubbles. Lambrusco, an Italian sparkling red that’s traditionally served chilled, comes in several styles—some are sweeter, lighter-coloured or fizzier than others, but they’re all great when mixed with a little juice and soda.
French café society is fuelled by simple and bouncy lower-alcohol cocktails like this highball, which is an easy mix of sparkling Italian lemonade and Lillet—a French aperitif that’s made in Bordeaux by blending a small amount of fruit liqueur and herbs with white wine and then aging it in oak casks. Thanks to a touch of bitterness balanced with sweet fruit, it mixes well with just about anything.
Watermelon is the quintessential summer fruit, and it’s hard to resist the urge to “slushify” it by blending it up with a little fizz to turn it into a refreshing summer slushie. In this case, we used Spanish cava, a dry, fresh and bright bubble made according to the méthode traditionnelle of letting the second fermentation happen in the bottle—the same way sparkling wine is made in France.

Wine in the Mix - Wine cocktails

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Two classic cocktails in one, this drink starts as a Martini and morphs into a G&T. Choose any gin expression for your base spirit, from classic to contemporary to global.
1 oz gin over ice, topped with fruit-flavoured sparkling water and seasonal fruit garnish
The classic cocktail is bright red, but different gins help create a rainbow of Negronis, with the same refreshingly sweet-bitter balance of the original drink.

Gin is In - Gin cocktails

5 Pins
Add sultry smoke flavour to the classic summertime combo of lemonade and iced tea before flipping it into the Italian soda realm with the addition of fizz. The result is a big-batch punch that is superb with barbecued dishes.
This recipe is a great way to take advantage of in-season rhubarb and make a stunning sipper. Bitter-tart flavours mingle, making a complex-tasting and satisfying cocktail.
Trim half of a fresh pineapple and cut into large cubes. Add pineapple, 2 cups (500 mL) granulated sugar and 2 cups (500 mL) water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let mixture simmer until very tender and pineapple flavour infuses into syrup, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer mix to a blender and pulse lightly. Using the back of a ladle, swirl and push through a sieve into a sterilized jar. Add 1 tsp (5 mL) flaky sea salt and stir to mix.

Bubble Up - Italian soda cocktails

7 Pins
This flavourful Spanish spin on classic French gougères is especially light and airy due to an extra egg white. They’re best served straight from the oven, but you can bake them a few hours ahead and rewarm if needed. You could also freeze the piped batter right on the cookie sheet and bake straight from frozen—just give them a few extra minutes of baking time.
A quick pickling gives the season’s first strawberries a gentle savoury edge and makes them shine in gorgeous crostini with tangy labneh. You can make the berries up to 2 days ahead, though they will become sharper in flavour and softer in texture the longer you let them cure. Splash the leftover brine into soda water for a refreshing, shrub-type beverage.
Darkly roasted almonds give a deep flavour to these small servings of panna cotta. Rhubarb adds a splash of colour and tangy sweetness, while crushed amaretti cookies deliver a nutty crunch. Make sure to save the almonds after you’ve strained them out—they’re excellent on oatmeal or cereal.

Porch Party - Cinq a sept menu

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Since packaged English muffins are built to be shelf-stable, you have to make them yourself to appreciate the joys of one hot off the griddle. The yeasted rounds are filled with air pockets, which form the perfect vessels for catching melting butter when toasted. For maximum nook and cranny exposure, use a fork to split the muffins open.
Choux pastry, which is used to make cream puffs, also creates a light, airy donut, known in some circles as a French cruller. Using a star-shaped piping tip creates extra crevices and surface area to catch the sweet, tangy citrus glaze. They make the most wonderful parting gift at brunch.

Parental Guidance - Mother's and Father's Day recipes

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There seem to be endless ways to put a new twist on the classic Negroni. This tasty variation is slightly more assertive than the original, and you can use either blanco or reposado. It’s also delicious with dry vermouth in place of sweet.
Cutting mini cukes into trendy spirals allows them to absorb more dressing and catch bits of peanut, chili and cilantro in their accordion-like folds. The sweet, sour and savoury dressing is inspired by the Vietnamese dipping sauce nuoc cham. Salting the cukes beforehand is an important step; it draws out some of the water in the cukes, so the dressing isn’t diluted.
While the Aperol Spritz gets all the headlines, many discerning drinkers prefer its swaggering cousin made with Campari. It’s still fizzy and refreshing, but the bolder aperitivo gives it more punch. The classic 3:2:1 formula lends itself well to many tasty variations, some of which we’ve provided here.

More Recipes - Additional recipes from the issue!

7 Pins