Barbecued Pork

A really great recipe I got from Food and Drink Winter 2000.  A standard take-out Chinese dish that works well with mini pitas brushed with hoisin sauce and toasted in the oven.  Also great with rice or noodles.

2 - 10 oz (600g) pork tenderloins

MARINADE
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp Scotch whisky
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp 5 spice powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

GLAZE
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp wine vinegar
1 tbsp scotch whisky
1 tsp sesame oil

1. Place pork in large baking dish (I actually do this in a ziploc freezer bag - I find I get a more even marinade).  In medium bowl, combine marinade ingredients and pour over pork making sure it is well coated.  Marinate pork overnight or at least 6 hours refrigerated.
2. To make glaze, heat honey, soy sauce, vinegar, scotch and sesame oil together in pot.  Stir until well combined and reserve.
3. Preheat oven to 400F.  Place rack over foil lined baking sheet.  Add 1/2 cup water to baking dish.  Place pork on rack.  Brush with glaze.  Roast 10 minutes, turn over and brush with more glaze.  Bake another 10 minutes, glaze again and cook 5 minutes longer or until juices run clear.  
4. Cool, thinly slice and serve on platter.  Scatter with green onions.

Pear and Cranberry Galette with Poire William Sorbet

This is a wonderful dessert…it would work well with apples and walnuts as well if you do not like Pears and Cranberries.  I did not have time to make the Poire William Sorbet but it looks so good that I included it.

From Food and Drink Holiday 2000.

PASTRY
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut in 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup cream cheese cut in 1 inch pieces
1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp lemon juice

FILLING
6 pears, peeled and diced in 1 1/2 inch chunks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp quick cooking tapioca or flour

GLAZE
1 egg beaten with a pinch of salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar

1. Place flour, salt, butter, cream cheese and lemon rind in food processor.  With on off motion pulse fats into flour until the size of small peas (I did this by hand with a pastry cutter). Add lemon juice and pulse for a few more turns.  Remove pastry from processor and combine into a ball by hand.  Pastry may seem dry but it comes together when you knead it.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 450F.
3. Toss together pears, sugar, cranberries, lemon juice and tapioca.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Roll pastry out in 15 inch circle and place on cookie sheet.  Pile fruit mixture onto pastry leaving a 3 inch border.  Press border up over fruit forming a free form shape.  Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350F and bake 30 minutes longer or until pastry is browned and fruit is bubbling.  Cool.  Serve with Poire William Sorbet.

Serves 8

POIRE WILLIAM SORBET

Because of the high alcohol content, this sorbet has a soft set.  It keeps for at least 2 weeks.

2 cups unsweetened pear juice

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup Poire William

1. Stir together juice, sugar and water in a pot.  Bring to boil, remove from heat and cool.  Stir in Poire William.  Freeze overnight.  Remove from freezer and add to food processor.  Process until smooth (You could also use a blender or beaters).  Refreeze for at least 4 hours.

Baked Ham with Bourbon Citrus Glaze

Love this glaze, from Food And Drink 2000.

4 kg bone-in smoked ham
2 tbsp coarsely grated orange zest
2 tbsp coarsely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup bourbon whisky, rye whiskey or amber rum
1/2 cup 3 fruit marmalade (I used a mango chutney)
2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Remove skin and trim fat from ham leaving a 1/4 inch thick layer.  Score the fat to make a diamond pattern.  Place ham in a shallow roasting pan and bake, uncovered for 1 hour.  Drain off fat.
3. Meanwhile, blanch orange and lemon zest in a small saucepan of boiling water for 1 min to remove bitterness.  Drain and reserve.
4. Puree bourbon, marmalade, honey and mustard in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
5. Generously brush ham with bourbon glaze and sprinkle zests over top.  Bake, basting with glaze every 15 minutes for 1 hour or until nicely glazed and meat thermometer registers 140F (60C).  Add a small amount of water to bottom of pan if glaze begins to burn.  Transfer ham to a warm platter, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 15 minuter before carving.

Serves 8 to 10 with generous leftovers

Sensational Burgers Three Ways

A family favourite!  It is nice to change up the regular burger now and again.

Burger Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp grated onion
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
500g lean ground beef or turkey
Cheese
Hamburger buns (I like the thin ones)

Glaze Ingredients below

1. Whisk the egg with the onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper.  Crumble in the beef (or turkey if making the Mango Tango Turkey Burger). Mix gently.  Chill the mixture for 15 minutes; then divide into 4 equal sized patties.  Preheat the grill to medium high and grease the grate.  Set the patties on the preheated grill and cook, covered for 6 minutes.
2. Flip the burgers and reduce the heat to medium.  Choose a glaze below and mix ingredients.  Brush with some of the glaze.  Grill turning and brushing with glaze for 6 to 8 minutes or until 90C inside. Brush with any remaining glaze and top with cheese (if using) before removing from the grill.  Serve on buns with traditional garnishes.

*reduce Worcestershire Sauce to 1 tbsp if using turkey.

Glazes

Swinging Sweet and Sour

Stir together 2/3 cup ketchup, 1 tbsp each brown sugar and cider vinegar, 2 tsp Dijon Mustard.  Works on beef - use mozzarella cheese 

Smokehouse Shuffle

Stir together 2/3 cup Ketchup, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp cider vinegar, 2 tsp hot sauce.  Works on beef - use crumbled blue cheese

Mango Tango Turkey

Stir together 1/3 cup each HP Sauce and Mango chutney, 1 tbsp each brown sugar and cider vinegar, 2 tsp Dijon mustard.  Works on Turkey - use cheddar cheese

Grilled Salmon Fillets - 3 Ways

Don't let winter stop you from using the barbecue!  These are simple salmon recipes that are definitely kid friendly.

6 boneless, skinless salmon fillets

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Lime Wedges

1. Stir the ingredients for one of the glazes below until smooth.  Heat on high in the microwave for 2 minutes; stop to stir twice.  Reserve.
2. Preheat the grill to medium high; grease the grate well.  Brush the salmon with the oil.  Place the salmon on the grill.  Grill for 3 minutes.  Turn and brush liberally with the glaze mixture.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Close the lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until just barely coral on the inside when tested with a knife.  Brush with additional glaze.  Serve with lime wedges.  Makes 6 servings.

Moroccan Spiced

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp each ground cinnamon and ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp each ground cumin and black pepper

Smokey Chili

1/2 cup Diana Sauce, Western Smokehouse flavour

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp each ground cumin and black pepper

Lemon Tomato

1/2 cup Chili Sauce

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp dried oregano leaves

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp black pepper

Buttery Cinnamon Cake with Apple Compote

I really liked this recipe out of Food & Drink Autumn 2010.  It is simple, flavourful and versatile.  Switch the apples for your favourite fruit like peaches, bananas or pears for a change.  If using apples try a firm tart type for the best flavour.  This cake is best served warm.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon or ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

GLAZE
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon
2 tbsp water

APPLE COMPOTE
4 large red-skinned apples, diced (peeled if desired)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cardamom or ginger
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease the sides of a 9 inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.   Beat in egg and vanilla until blended.  Stir in flour mixture alternately with sour cream, making 3 additions of flour and  of sour cream.  Spread into prepared pan, smoothing top.
3. Bake for about 45 minutes or until tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Let cool in pan on a rack for 30 minutes.  
4. For the glaze, combine sugar, cinnamon and water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Remove ring form cake.  Brush top and sides with glaze and serve warm or slide the cake off the pan onto a rack and let cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the apple compote.  Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and lemon juice in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until apples are tender but still keep their shape.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Serve warm with slices of cake.

Serves 8

Egg Nog Cookies

Another seasonal favourite, you can make these anytime though - just substitute the eggnog with milk.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg or cardamom
2/3 cup butter
1 slightly beaten egg
1/4 cup eggnog
1/2 cup finely crushed butterscotch or rum flavoured hard candies

1 recipe Eggnog Glaze
Yellow Coloured sugar

* In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg or cardamom.  Cut in butter till pieces are the size of small peas.  Make a well in the centre.  Combine egg and eggnog; add all at once to dry mixture.  Stir till moistened.  Cover and chill dough about 2 hours or till firm enough to handle.

* Line a cookie sheet with foil; set aside.  On a well floured surface roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness.  Using cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes, rerolling trimmings as necessary.  Cut small shaped holes inside the shapes, rerolling trimmings.  Place cookie shapes with holes in centres about 1 inch apart on the foil lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle crushed candies into the holes.

* Bake in a 375F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or till edges are firm and light brown.  Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes.  Carefully transfer the cokies on the foil to a wire rack to cool completely.
When cookies are cool, carefully peel the foil from bottoms of cookies.  Spread the cookie tops with Eggnog Glaze.  If desired, sprinkle with coloured sugar.  Makes about 24 cookies

Eggnog Glaze
In a small mixing bowl stir together 3 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp rum extract, and enough eggnog (2 to 3 tbsp) to make a glaze of spreading consistency.

Buttery Cinnamon Cake with Apple Compote

Cinnamon and apples just seem to go together.  This cake has it all and is a great treat with coffee.  I am trying to be good so I did not add either whipping cream or vanilla ice cream to it, but it would taste great if you did.  Serve this cake and compote warm to really enjoy the flavour.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon or ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Glaze
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon
2 tbsp water

Apple Compote
4 large red skinned apples, diced (peeled if desired)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cardamom or ginger
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease the sides of a 9 inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla until blended.  Stir in flour mixture alternately with sour cream, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of sour cream.  Spread into prepared pan, smoothing top.
3. Bake for about 45 minutes or until tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Let cool in pan on a rack for 30 minutes.  
4. For the glaze, combine sugar, cinnamon and water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Remove ring from cake.  Brush top and sides with glaze and serve warm or slide the cake off the pan onto a rack and let cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the apple compote.  Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and lemon juice in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer  over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until apples are tender but still keep their shape.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Serve warm with slices of cake.