Pre-heat your oven to 300 F or 150 C. Beat butter, sugar and cocoa powder, and then add the flour until it forms a paste in your hands. If too crumbly, add a drop of water. Roll your mixture on a surface dusted with sugar until it is about ¼” thick. Use cookie cutters to create your heart shapes.
Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 30 mins.
Allow to cool on a rack until crisp, and then let your creative side take over for the decorations! Enjoy!
Slow Cooked Peppercorn Short-Ribs by Kerr Street Cafe
Ingredients
10 boneless beef short ribs
¼ cup olive oil or bacon fat
5 sprigs of thyme
5 sprigs rosemary
2 whole yellow onions roughly chopped
2 large carrots cut lengthwise
2 stalks celery
1 tbsp ginger sliced
2 tbsp black peppercorn
2 tbsp fennel seeds
3 dried bay leaves
3 cups red wine (any red will do)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Create a “rack” with the celery, carrots, and onions for the short ribs to sit on in a large roasting pan. Add rosemary, thyme, ginger, peppercorns, fennel seeds, and bay leaves.
Heat a 12” skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil or bacon fat. Heat until fat runs quickly over skillet and add short ribs, 2-3 at a time. Sear short ribs 2 min or until golden brown on each side.
Transfer seared short-ribs to the rack you’ve created in the roasting pan and add red wine. Liquid should reach ¼ way up the pan.
Cover with parchment and aluminum foil. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour. Bring down temperature to 250 degrees F and keep in overnight or for 6 hours.
Once ribs are (super) tender remove from oven, keep covered and let rest for at least 1 hour. Transfer ribs to another pan and strain liquid.
Place liquid in the freezer or fridge until fat has solidified. Remove fat and reduce liquid to ¾.
Serve ribs with beef juices and finish with daikon and edible flowers.
Guinness Steak & Mushroom Boxty by Fionn MacCool's
Recipe courtesy of Fionn MacCool's and by Chef Bryan Jurek Visit them at primepubs.com, or call 905-332-9990
Ingredients
Guinness Steak & Mushroom Filling:
Olive oil 2 tbsp (30 ml)
Diced beef 2½ lbs (1.3 kg)
Salt and pepper 2 tbsp (30 ml)
Onions, 1” diced ½ lb (225 gm)
Tomato paste 1 small can (125 ml)
Guinness 1 cup (250 ml)
Brown sugar 2 tbsp (30 ml)
Dijon mustard 1 tbsp (15 ml)
Red wine vinegar 2 tbsp (30 ml)
Cloves, crushed ½ tsp (2.5 ml)
Beef gravy* 4 cups (1,000 ml)
Button mushrooms 1lb (454 gm)
Corn Starch 3 tbsp (45 ml)
Potato Boxties
Mashed potatoes, cold 1¼ cup (265 ml)
Eggs 1 large
Flour 1½ cups (325 ml)
Salt and pepper ¼ tsp (1.25 ml)
Sour cream 4 tbsp (60 ml)
Instructions
Method: Guinness Steak & Mushroom Filling
Heat olive oil in large pot over medium high heat.
Season the beef with salt and pepper and sear on all sides in large pot.
Add diced onions and tomato paste and stir into the seared beef. Sauté for about 2 minutes.
Add Guinness to pot and stir well. Then add brown sugar, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, cloves and beef gravy. Stir well.
Finally add mushrooms to pot and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until beef is fork tender (approx. 1½ hours).
Combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Whisk in the slurry in small amounts and allow to cook out for about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust thickness as you see fit, adding more slurry if needed.
Method: Potato Boxties
Place all ingredients into mixing bowl and mix thoroughly until smooth for approximately 1 minute.
Divide mixture into 6 even size balls. Dust a work surface with flour and roll each ball into a round disc approx. 8” in diameter.
Place each round into a pre-heated sauté pan. Cook over medium heat until golden brown on both sides flipping half way through.
Carefully remove boxties from pan and allow to cool on a baking sheet. Once boxties are cooled, spoon Guinness Steak & Mushroom filling onto one half of the boxty and fold other half of boxty over filling.
Drizzle with sour cream and serve with your favourite side salad.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Bryan Jurek, available at Fionn MacCool’s Oakville and Burlington.
By far this is the most requested dish in our cooking classes!
Butter Chicken does not have to contain butter in it. You can stir some in right before serving but we find this dish just as delicious without the added fat.
Marinade:
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
¼ cup thick plain yogurt
2 tsp. Arvinda’s Butter Chicken Masala
1 tsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
Sauce:
1 large onion (OR 2-3 medium sized OR 4-5 small onions)
2 tbsp. oil
2-3 each cardamom pods, star anise, cloves, cinnamon sticks and black peppercorns from
Arvinda’s Whole Spices
2 bay leaves
½ cup crushed or ground tomatoes
1 ½ tbsp. Arvinda’s Butter Chicken Masala (use 1 tbsp. for milder flavour, 2 tbsp. for
hotter)
2 tsp. sugar (use 1 tbsp. for sweeter)
½ tsp. salt or salt to taste
¾ cup light cream
¼ cup ground almonds or cashews
½ cup water + extra
½ tsp. Arvinda’s Garam Masala, to garnish
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped, to garnish
Instructions
Marinade: In a large bowl, mix marinade ingredients together. Add chicken and coat well.
Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400F. Put chicken on baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes until chicken is cooked. {Option: Grill on BBQ}. Set aside.
Quarter onion. Boil in water until softened and cooked. Drain and puree in a food processor until onion is fine and smooth.
In a large pan, heat oil on medium-high. Add Arvinda’s Whole Spices. Gently fry for one minute until they sizzle. Add bay leaves.
Add pureed onions. Cook for 10 minutes until onion is reduced and becomes a thick paste.
Add ground tomatoes. Mix. Stir in Arvinda’s Butter Chicken Masala and blend to make a masala paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add cream, sugar and salt and mix into a sauce. Add cooked chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Fold in ground nuts. Add water and mix. Cook for a few more minutes.
Garnish with a sprinkle of Arvinda’s Garam Masala and cilantro.
A buffet style dinner party can take a lot of the stress out of holiday entertaining. These sweet and savoury Korean Kalbi Beef Ribs make a great buffet recipe and can be served with a side of rice prepared in your rice cooker. These multi-purpose ribs may also be cut into smaller pieces and served as a holiday appetizer.
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sweet rice wine
1 onion, minced
1 Asian pear, finely chopped
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
5 lbs Korean style Ontario beef short ribs
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion (if desired)
Instructions
In bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, water, rice wine, onion, pear, garlic, sesame oil and pepper. Transfer beef into a large sealable freezer bag (you may need 2). Add marinade evenly, pressing out excess air from bag, and seal. Turn bag over several times to ensure beef is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight and up to 2 days.
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Drain excess marinade off beef. Grill short ribs, turning once, to desired doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Alternatively, broil on high about 3 minutes on each side. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, if desired. Serve whole pieces as a main course or cut into smaller pieces, using kitchen shears, for a starter or party nibbles.
Chef’s tip: These can be marinated and kept frozen for up to one month. They can be thawed in the refrigerator or cooked directly from frozen by adding about 2 minutes to each side during cooking.
Spicy Ontario salami is complemented with fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and a flavourful pesto. Serve with a fresh green salad for an easy but upscale lunch.
12 slices crusty Italian bread
1/4 cup (50 mL) olive oil
12 slices spicy Ontario salami or sopressata
6 large slices fresh mozzarella cheese (or 12 smaller slices)
12 basil leaves
2 tbsp (25 mL) pesto
Instructions
Brush one side of each piece of bread with olive oil. Top 6 of the slices on the un-oiled side with salami slices, mozzarella and basil leaves.
Brush pesto over the un-oiled side of the remaining bread slices and top to make 6 sandwiches (oiled sides out).
Grill sandwiches over medium high heat in a panini press or skillet until golden and cheese is melted. Slice in half and serve immediately.
OMSPA's German 'Puff' Pancakes With a few changes to a time-honoured traditional recipe and giving special attention to presentation this recipe will put the ohhhhh....into breakfast.
2/3 cup flour
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cut into pieces (about 1 pound)
3 eggs
¼ cup, light brown sugar
5 tablespoons granulated sugar plus more for the tin
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ cup whole milk
Topping Ideas:
Maple syrup
Fresh whipped cream
Strawberry jam
Extra confectioner's sugar
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Double whipped Devon cream
Instructions
Use a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Brush melted butter inside each muffin cup; coat with granulated sugar.
Peel, core and slice each apple.
Toss with brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
Melt 2 T butter in a skillet, then add apples and sauté for 10-12 min. until caramelized (you can add some maple syrup if you wish at this time).
Combine flour, salt, granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, and milk; mix well. Pour batter over apples.
Put into oven after lowering temp. to 400 degrees. Bake 15 min. Pancakes will put up during last 5 min.
Take tin from oven and turn it over on a flat surface to remove pancakes.
Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.
Stir in 1 oz. Kahlúa Mocha liqueur just before serving for an extra decadent cup of Garam Masala Hot Chocolate.
Instructions
In a non-stick pot, add milk, cocoa powder and sugar and bring to a boil. Using a silicone or plastic whisk, mix together until milk is frothy and cocoa powder is well dissolved.
Stir in Arvinda’s Garam Masala and simmer for a couple of minutes.
Pour into a mug and serve with a cinnamon stick to garnish.
