CANADA COOKS!
Awesome celebration ideas for nation’s birthday
Canada Day’s coming up — let’s eat! And let’s enjoy foods reflective of everything that is great about our country (cannabis cooking notwithstanding — that’s for another day and another food page!)
As Canadians, we enjoy foods that pay homage to the places where we live, be it poutine in Quebec to lobster from the Atlantic provinces, to Montreal’s smoked meat, Ontario’s butter tarts, Alberta’s beef, Canadian bacon just about everywhere and, of course, maple syrup. Oh — and beer. It wouldn’t be Canada Day without quaffing a cold one (even a non-alcoholic one) and a barbecue.
And let’s not forget our awesome selection of award-winning wines and spirits — vodka made from our icebergs, ice wines made from our famous grapes.
So, wear your national spirit with pride, and don something red and white this weekend. And pay tribute to this special birthday by paying it forward — donating to a worthy cause, inviting someone over to celebrate, shaking hands with total strangers. And singing our anthem loud and proud.
After all, that’s what being Canadian is all about!
SLOW-COOKER BEEF POUTINE
This super-simple crowdpleasing recipe uses basic pantry ingredients that come together in a snap — you’re free to play all day as dinner simmers in the slow cooker! Recipe courtesy Canadabeef.ca.
½ cup (125mL) barbecue sauce
¼ cup (60mL) EACH red wine, steak sauce and
Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 lbs (1.5 kg) beef blade pot roast
4 large potatoes
1 cup (250mL) cheese curds ⅔
cup (150mL) green onions, sliced
Combine first 6 ingredients in slow cooker. Add beef. Slow cook, covered, on LOW for 8 to 10 hours (or 4 hours on HIGH) or until beef is fork tender.
Meanwhile, cut potatoes into chunky sticks or wedges and toss with some olive or vegetable oil and coarse salt. Place on foil lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Roast in 400F (200C) oven, turning occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes or until browned and tender.
Remove twine from beef; use two forks to pull beef into shreds. Serve over cooked potatoes and top with cheese curds and green onions.
Serves 6.
FRESH LOBSTER ROLLS
Recipe courtesy The Food and Culinary Dietitians of Canada e-cookbook.
11 oz. (320 g) cooked, chopped, and chilled lobster (about 3 small lobsters)
1-2 celery stalks, finely chopped
¼ cup (60mL) mayo
2 2 tsp. Tbsp. (10mL) (30mL) fresh melted lemon butter juice
¼ tsp. (1mL) garlic powder
1 tsp. (5mL) parsley, finely chopped
4 hot dog buns
4 lettuce leaves, coarsely chopped
1 green onion, thinly sliced to garnish
Salt & pepper, to taste
In a large bowl, combine first four ingredients. Chill filling in fridge until use. In a small mixing bowl, combine butter, garlic powder and parsley. Brush outer sides of each bun with butter mixture. In a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat, toast each side of bun for about 1-2 minutes until crisp and golden.Place lettuce in each bun and top with about ½ cup/60mL of lobster filling. Garnish with green onion, if desired, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Makes 4 servings.
MAPLE DROP COCKTAIL
Sure you can use maple syrup everywhere — in this cocktail, courtesy Casamigos Reposado Tequila, it makes for the perfect Canada Day cocktail. Casamigostequila.com.
1.5 oz. favourite tequila
2 Tbsp. (30mL) fresh lemon juice
1½ Tbsp. (22mL) Canadian maple syrup
.5 oz. almond liqueur
2 dashes Black Walnut bitters
Hot Water
Lemon peel
Star anise
Combine all ingredients into glass coffee mug. Top off with hot water. Stir well and garnish with a lemon peel and star anise.
ICE WINE CREME BRULEE
In this delightful version of this famous dessert, Canada’s fave chef Anna Olson does not use eggs — instead uses the acidity of the icewine to set the cream. Courtesy Bake with Anna Olson (Foodnetwork.ca.)
Custard
2½ cups (625mL) whipping cream
¾ cup (175mL) sugar
½ cup (125mL) icewine or other sweet dessert wine
2 Tbsp. (30mL) lemon juice
Oat Brulee & Assembly
¼ cup (60mL) maple syrup
3 Tbsp. (45mL) regular rolled oats (not instant)
1½ cups (325mL) mixed
fresh berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries
Custard: Heat cream and sugar over medium heat and whisk occasionally, heating just until sugar has fully dissolved. Remove pot from heat and stir in icewine and lemon juice. Allow mixture to cool for 15 minutes, then carefully pour into serving dishes (you can use wine glasses, champagne flutes, or other desired attractive glassware, since you will not be using a torch to “brulee” this dessert). Chill overnight to set (these custards need at least 8 hours to set).
Oat Brulee & Assembly: For oat brulee, preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line a pie plate with foil and spray with food release spray. Stir maple syrup and oats until oats are fully coated and then pour this into prepared pie place, swirling to make an even and thin layer. Bake this for 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbling and a darker brown at edges. Cool completely to room temperature.
To serve, gently sprinkle or arrange fresh berries over custards, then break off shards of oat brulee and arrange over berries. Serve immediately.
Serves 6.