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Appetizers
Corn and chili pepper pancakes with smoked trout and horseradish cream
Alberta is criss-crossed with gurgling trophy trout streams and Calgary's Classic Smokers makes incredible cold-smoked trout for discriminating customers. Feel free to substitute tiny coronets of cold smoked salmon, gravlax or lox in this attractive appetizer.
These savoury pancakes, made with famous Taber corn, can also be served as a light meal, topped with sour cream and freshsalsa, or as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish. 6 ounces cold-smoked trout or salmon, sliced paper thin 375 g
Pancakes:
3 ears fresh corn
2 fresh jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced
1 chipotle chile, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
2 eggs
1 cup flour 250 ml
1/2 cup cornmeal 125 ml
1 teaspoon baking powder 5 ml
1 teaspoon salt 5 ml
1 cup milk 250 ml
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt 50 ml
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons minced cilantro 45 ml
Horseradish cream:
1/3 cup spreadable cream cheese 75 ml
1 tablespoon prepared horsradish, drained 15 ml
1 teaspoon wasabi powder 5 ml
freshly ground black pepper
1 green onion, minced
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add corn. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Cool corn and cut kernels from cobs. Set aside.
2. Place corn kernels in a bowl with chopped jalapeno, chipotle, red pepper, garlic and green onions.
3. In food processor, combine eggs, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and milk and whirl until smooth. Add the vegetables and pulse just to mix. Stir in cilantro. Let stand at room temperaure for 30 minutes.
4. Whisk together the cream cheese and horseradish until smooth. Add the wasabi and mix to combine well. Season with a little black pepper and set aside. Chill.
5. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, make pancakes, each about 1-2 inches in diameter for cocktails (or larger if serving as a side dish). Cook, turning once, until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.
6. To serve, place a dollop of horseradish cream on each pancake (or cracker). Separate the thin slices of smoked fish and cut each in half. Roll each piece of smoked fish into a trumpet-shaped coronet and set one on each hors d'oeuvre. Sprinkle with a few pieces of minced green onion or cilantro and serve. Serves 6.
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Fresh tomato salsa
There's nothing better than vine-ripened tomatoes that are simply served - like this fresh tomato salsa that you can scoop up with tortilla chips or serve alongside grilled chicken or fish.
1-2 pound ripe heirloom tomatoes, a mix of colours and varieties
1 small white onion or 2 shallots, chopped
1 hot chile pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Chop the tomatoes into small cubes. Combine with the onions or shallots and chile pepper and stir gently to combine.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and lime juice, and stir again. Let the salsa sit at room temperature for 1 hour to allow flavours to blend. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
Makes 2-3 cups.
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Stilton and bacon puffs
These easy little puffed choux pastries make the perfect finger food to serve alongside a glass of chilled champagne at your next cocktail party.
1 cup water 250 ml
1/2 cup butter, chopped 125 ml
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 ml
1 cup all-purpose flour 250 ml
4 large eggs 4
1 1/2 cups crumbled Stilton or Blue Ermite 325 ml
4 slices double-smoked bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled 4
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 ml
1. In a saucepan, combine the water, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour all at once, beating with a wooden spoon.
2. Return the saucepan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from the side of the pan and forms a ball.
3. Continue to beat until the melted butter begins to bead on the surface of the dough. Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate well. The dough should be smooth a glossy.
4. Cool to room temperature and stir in the blue cheese, crumbled bacon and black pepper.
5. Use a teaspoon or a piping bag to drop 1/2-inch mounds of pastry onto lightly greased baking sheets, about 1-2 inches apart. Dip a pastry brush in beaten egg and smooth the tops.
6. Bake at 400-425°F for 15-20 minutes, until the pastries are crisp and golden. Make sure they're well cooked or they may collapse. Serves 8-10.
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