Burrata 2 ways

Caprese Salad with Figs and Burrata

  • 1 ball Bel Gioioso Burrata
  • 5 cups Cherry Tomato
  • 4 fresh Figs, quartered
  • 2 tbsp freshly chopped basil leaf + more for garnish
  • 2 tbsp Frantoi Cutrera Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp Belberry Purple Fig Balsamic Glaze

Black Pepper and Favuzzi Fleurs et Sel to taste.

Slice your figs in to quarters and your tomatoes either into halves or quarters depending on how small they are. Fan them out on a plate, leaving a space in the centre where you will place tow Burrata. Pour your olive oil and balsamic glaze around the plate, sprinkle on the chopped basil and finish with a bit of black pepper and the fleurs et sel. The colours from the flower petals in the fleurs et sel will bleed into the Burrata which looks really beautiful so let the salad sit for 10 min before serving to allow for the magic happen. Garnish with tiny basil leaves.

Pan Fried Gnocchi with Lemon Herb Butter and Burrata

  • 1 ball Bel Gioioso Burrata
  • 1 pack La Molissana Gnocchi Di Patate
  • 4 tbsp Olive Oil, divided
  • 4 tbsp Emma Grass Fed Butter, divided
  • 5 cups Cherry Tomato
  • 1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice + 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 sprigs fresh Thyme + more for garnish
  • 2 sprigs fresh Rosemary+ more for garnish
  • Salt and Black Pepper to taste
  • Favuzzi Fleurs et Sel to finish

In a frying pan, set to medium/low heat, melt 2 tbsp butter and mix with 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the gnocchi and cook for 10-15 min, stirring occasionally until they are crispy and starting to brown.

Gently slash each of the tomatoes, just piercing the skins but otherwise leaving them whole. This will allow for the exchange of flavours between the sauce and the tomatoes when you’re cooking them.

In a small sauce pan, melt 2 tbsp butter and mix in 2 tbsp olive oil. Add garlic and red onion and cook until soft. Add the two whole sprigs of thyme and Rosemary to the mix, no need to cut them up. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and mix everything well. Now add the tomatoes and cook for 5-10 mins or until they start to get soft but still retain their shape.

Remove the cooked tomatoes from the sauce with a slotted spoon and set aside. Remove and discard the cooked sprigs of Thyme and Rosemary. Now pour the sauce over the cooked Gnocchi, making sure they are all coated. Transfer them onto a serving dish, spoon the tomatoes on top and then add the Burrata on last. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Spicy Chorizo and Potato Hash

  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed and pre boiled
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 Wine Chorizo, sliced
  • 1 can Jesse Tree Fine Foods Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can La Molissana Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 medium Onion, diced and divided
  • 1/4 cup Italissima Marinated Pepper Strips
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil, divided
  • 1 tbsp Spanish Paprika, divided
  • 1 tbsp Gia Garlic Paste, divided
  • 1 tbsp fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh Parsley, finely chopped + more for garnish

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Preheat your oven to 355 degrees Celsius.

For the sauce:

In a small sauce pan heat 1 tbsp Olive Oil, then add 1/2 tbsp Garlic Paste and 1/2 of the diced onion and cook until it begins to lightly brown. Add the can of Diced Tomatoes, Rosemary, Parsley, 1/2 tbsp of Paprika and salt and pepper and simmer on low for 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.

For the Hash:

In a cast iron or oven safe skillet heat 1 tbsp of Olive Oil. Add 1/2 tbsp Garlic Paste and the remaining half of the onion and cook until it begins to soften. Add the sliced Chorizo and cook for 2-3 mins, then add the Chickpeas and Marinated Pepper Strips and cook for another 2-3 mins, stirring continuously. Now add the cooked potatoes, 1/2 tbsp of Paprika and salt and pepper. Cook for 5-10 mins, allowing for the potatoes to crisp up a bit and absorb some of the flavourful oil from the Chorizo. Now stir in the tomato sauce and make sure everything in the skillet is well coated.

For the Eggs:

Crack the eggs on top of the hash, being careful not to break the yolks and to try and space them out evenly. Put the skillet in your oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the egg whites have set but the yolks are still runny.

Serves 4

Lemony Butter Beans with Israeli Couscous and Grilled Halloumi

  • 4 cups water
  • 5 cups Epigrain Israeli Couscous
  • 2 jars Jesse Tree Fine Foods Butter Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 Red Onion, thinly sliced
  • 10 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
  • 1 Lemon
  • 1/4 cup Parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 sprig fresh Basil, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp Frantroi Crutrera Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
  • 2 tbsp Victoria Taylor’s No Salt Lemon Pepper seasoning
  • 1 tbsp Baart Ground Sumac
  • 1 tbsp Gia Soffritto Vegetable Base

Salt and Pepper to taste

Add vegetable base to 4 cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil on the stove, then add the couscous. Cook it like pasta, draining any excess liquid after the couscous is fully cooked (about 10 mins). Once the couscous is drained, mix in 1 tbsp of olive oil to prevent the granules from sticking together and set aside.  

 

In a bowl combine the juice and zest of the lemon with 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, sumac, and sliced onions. Mix well and allow the onions to macerate in the dressing for about 10 minutes before adding the beans and tomatoes and mixing so that everything is fully coated. Add the freshly chopped basil and parsley, mix again and set aside.  

 

Allow the bean salad to sit at room temp for about an hour so that the beans can marinate in the dressing. The couscous will be better at room temperature as well so as to prevent the granules from sticking together. The Halloumi should be eaten warm though, so it’s nice and crispy on the outside and soft and squishy on the inside. 

 

When you’re just about ready to serve, begin cooking your Halloumi. Slice it into 1/2 inch thick pieces, drizzle both sides with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Make sure your grill or grill pan is nice and hot before you put the Halloumi on. Cook for about 2 mins per side, or until you achieve nice colour and crispiness on each side of the cheese. 

Plate it all up with the couscous on the bottom, the bean salad in the middle and your grilled halloumi on top. Drizzle with any remaining dressing from the bean salad and serve. 

Serves 5

Fresh citrus and herbs give this simple Mediterranean inspired dish a light, summery flavour. Suitable for vegetarians. To make this recipe vegan, substitute grilled halloumi for 1 cup of toasted cashews. 

 

Stewed Rhubarb and Custard Flutes

 

Filling:

Stewed Rhubarb:

  • 2 cups rhubarb, sliced into 1-inch pieces.
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Presentation:

6 Champagne Flutes

30 Forno Bonomi Italian Amaretti cookies

Fresh mint leaves or edible flowers to garnish.

To make the stewed rhubarb, simmer it together with the sugar and water until the mix becomes thick and pulpy. Set aside to cool a bit.

Prepare your custard according to the directions on the package and let it cool and thicken slightly before use. Or a tin of Ambrosia Devon Custard already to use!

Place one Amaretti cookie in the bottom of each of your champagne glasses. Then add a layer of custard (about 3-4 tbsp), then 2-3 a layer of rhubarb (about 2-3 tbsp). Then add 3 Amaretti cookies and repeat the pattern until the glass is full, finishing with a layer of the rhubarb on top.

Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Garnish with one more Amaretti cookie and fresh mint and flowers.

Serves 6.

Ingredients in bold available in store

 

 

Bucatini a la Carbonara

 

Put your cubed pieces of Guanciale in a cold frying pan and cook until crispy and dark. Starting in a cold pan will help more of the fat to render. Once fully cooked, set aside the pieces of Guanciale, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

In a separate bowl whisk together your Pecorino Romano, eggs and black pepper. Set aside.

Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.

While the pasta is still hot, quickly toss it in the Guanciale fat, making sure everything gets coated. Slowly pour in your egg mixture, making sure to continuously toss and stir your pasta so the eggs form a nice emulsion and don’t scramble. At this point if your sauce is too thick, add a bit of your pasta water to thin it out.

Items in bold available in store

Serves 6.

Chipotle Salmon Bites and The Best Tuna Melt Ever

 

Chipotle Salmon Bites

To make the salmon salad:

  • 1 can The Fishery Wild Sockeye Salmon
  • 3-4 pieces La Molissana Sun-dried Tomato, finely diced
  • 1 piece Italissima Roasted Red Pepper, finely diced
  • 2tbsp Stonewall Kitchen Chipotle Aioli
  • 2tbsp red onion, finely sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

Drain salmon (remove skin and bones if preferred). In a bowl, mix it together with the onions, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, and chipotle aioli. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To finish

  • 100g Okanagan Chèvre 
  • 1 pack Van der Moulin Rye Snacks

To serve, spread the chèvre onto the rye snacks and top with a dollop of salmon salad.

 

The Best Tuna Melt Ever

To make the tuna salad:

  • 1 whole package (3 cans) Spanish Wild Caught Solid Light Flake Tuna in Olive Oil
  • 3 Hayward’s Pickled Onions, thinly sliced and divided
  • 1 stick celery, finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic Aioli
  • 1 tbsp Edmond Fallot Moutarde en Grains
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Drain your tuna and mix it in a bowl with celery, half of the sliced pickled onions, roasted garlic aioli and mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:

  • 1 baguette (baked fresh in store on Fridays or available by pre order)
  • 100g Gruyere or Emmental, thinly sliced.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice baguette into 4 equal parts and then open them up. Divide the tuna salad evenly between the pieces of baguette and top with sliced cheese. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 5-7 mins or until the gruyere has melted. Garnish with remaining pickled onion slices and serve.

Forest Mushroom Risotto

Rinse dried mushrooms, then soak in 2 cups of water until they are soft and re-hydrated (30-45min). 

Prepare the Bella Italia risotto as directed on the box. 

Add crushed garlic, onions and olive oil to a frying pan and cook until they are soft and reach a deep golden brown. 

Add 1 whole sprig of rosemary to the pan, along with the re-hydrated mushrooms, the Cremini and the nigella seeds. Reserve the mushroom water. Cook until soft. 

Once cooked, add some of the mushroom water to the pan and bring to a light simmer. (Add about 1/4 cup at a time, just enough liquid to create a bit of a sauce). Add 1/4 cup grated ecorino Romano, and some salt and pepper to taste. 

Add the remaining 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano to the finished risotto. 

Spoon the mushrooms and sauce over the risotto, top with remaining nigella seeds, extra Pecorino Romano and garnish with rosemary. 

Serves 2-3. 

McLean’s Pizza Dough

  • 2 cups Semolina Flour
  • 1 tbsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 to 1.5 cups warm water

Whisk together dry ingredients, then mix well with wet ingredients. Add the first cup of warm water, then add up to 1/2 a cup more until dough is smooth and loose. 

Cover and let rise 1 hour. 

Pour dough out onto floured surface. Form it into a loose ball and slap it against the counter a few times, then return it to the mixing bowl, cover and let rise until the dough has doubled in size. 

Pour the dough out onto the floured counter again, and gently stretch the outside edges of the dough out and then tuck them up towards the middle of the dough. Do this until you form a ball, then flip it over seam side down and place it in your mixing bowl again. Cover it up and leave it in the fridge overnight for the flavour to develop.

Remove from the fridge 2 hours before baking and let it rise to room temp. 30 minutes before baking preheat your oven to 500 degrees. 

Lightly flour a baking sheet and stretch your dough out on it , pinching together any holes that form. At this point load it up with your favourite cheese and toppings.  We recommend:

Once you’re done throw it in the oven and bake for 10-15 min or until the crust is crispy and browned. Enjoy! 

Black Spaghetti with Rustic Kalamata Olive Pesto

Black Spaghetti with Rustic Kalamata Olive Pesto

 

1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

1/3 cup Marcona almonds or pine nuts

1 Roma tomato, seeded and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 cup fresh Parsley, chopped 

1 tsp fresh Lemon juice

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

250g Squid Ink Spaghetti

Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Coarsely chop olives, nuts and parsley. Add to a bowl with tomato, pressed garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and Parm and mix well. 

 

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente, then drain and toss the pasta in the pesto. 

 

Garnish with a sprig of parsley and freshly grated lemon zest. 

 

This recipe serves 4

Spring Salad

Spring Salad

Instructions:

With your greens as your base, layer all the other ingredients, add your dressing and finish it off with toasted walnuts, chopped rosemary and a bit of salt and pepper.

Items in bold available at McLean’s Specialty Foods

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