Main (con)Course, Anytown, Ontario, Canada

The signature drink:

"Hat Trick"

Maple Liquor (4 oz)

Canadian Club rye (1 oz)

Grated ginger (2 Tbsp)

Ginger ale (1 can)

Ginger beer (1 bottle)

 add more rye to taste :) 

Loosely based on the Ginger Zydeco from Food & Drink magazine (Spring 2008)

To drink:

East Dell - Black Cab 2007

Trius - Red 2007

Mike Weir - Cabernet Merlot 2007

Jackson Triggs - Meritage 2007 (although we didn't quite get to this bottle)

Peller Estates - Icewine 2007

(I apologize for the picture quality)

The Canadian main course (recipes follow):

Bison Burgers with Oka cheese and/or Canadian Cheddar

Roast Maple-Glazed Salmon

Wild Mushroon Risotto - the wild mushrooms qualify this as a Canadian dish!

Wilted Spinach with Roasted Garlic - a good substitute for fiddleheads, since they won't be out for a few weeks!

Bison Burgers with Cabernet Onions and Cheddar

Bon Appétit |  February 2009

 

  2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  3 cups sliced onions (about 2)

  3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry red wine

  1 pound ground bison (buffalo)

  2 tablespoons chopped shallots

  1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

  1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

  4 organic hamburger buns

  6 ounces sliced Wisconsin white cheddar cheese

  Dijon mustard

 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium- high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until tender and golden brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to sauté until very tender and well browned, about 15 minutes longer. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.

Preheat broiler. Gently mix meat and next 3 ingredients in large bowl. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle burgers with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook until well browned, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Open buns and arrange, cut side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Place cheese slices on bun tops. Broil until cheese melts and bottom halves are lightly toasted, about 1 minute. We had people top with mustard and onions at the table.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bison-Burgers-with-Cabernet-Onions-and-Wisconsin-Cheddar-351256

 

Roast Maple-Glazed Salmon

Epicurious  | May 2003

 1 2-pound piece of boneless salmon (cut from the wide end of the fish)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup rum (we used Mount Gay dark rum - my favourite)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

 

The recipe suggests a 2 hour marinating time. We did about six hours...and it was wonderfully flavourful!

Set the fish, skin side down, in a plastic container or shallow baking dish large enough to hold it flat.

In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, rum, and mustard. Rub the fish all over with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, turning once or twice.

Set the oven at 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Set the salmon on the baking sheet skin side down.

Roast the salmon for 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with the tip of a knife. Remove from the oven and slide onto a platter to serve. I think I overcooked this a bit - check after about 11 mins, just in case!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roast-Maple-Glazed-Salmon-10808

  

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Bon Appétit |  December 1999

 3 14 1/2-ounce cans vegetable broth

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

1 pound assorted wild mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini and stemmed shiitake), sliced

1 cup arborio rice* or medium-grain rice

1/2 cup dry Sherry

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)

3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

 

Bring vegetable broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low; cover and keep broth hot.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter with olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add wild mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are tender and juices are released, about 8 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat. Add Sherry and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add 3/4 cup hot vegetable broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining hot vegetable broth 3/4 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh thyme. Serve warm. 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Wild-Mushroom-Risotto-102654

I doubled this recipe and didn't need to! Several of the comments for this recipe also suggested adding peas, which I did at the last minute. They were quite tasty and prevented the dish from looking like a horrible, brown blob.

 

Wilted Spinach with Roasted Garlic

Bon Appétit |  November 2007

 12 garlic cloves, peeled

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 6-ounce bags fresh spinach

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place garlic on foil; drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Wrap garlic in foil; roast until soft, about 20 minutes.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add spinach and garlic with oil from foil packet. Sauté until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer spinach to bowl and serve.

This was a VERY loose translation. I also sautéed two onions and added them to the mix (actually 4 8 oz bags of spinach - we have leftovers of that, too!).  Spinach is just a tasty side - add onions and garlic and it's terribly good!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Wilted-Spinach-with-Roasted-Garlic-240366

 

That's it for the mains - we'll post the recipes for the apps and desserts (yes, there were two desserts as well!) soon...stay tuned.