Lentil and Apple Salad

Serves 8

  • 1 medium Ontario Beet
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 slices bacon, cut into thin strips
  • 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) lentils, preferably green
  • 1/2 cup diced Ontario Carrot
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (approx)
  • 1 Ontario Garlic clove, minced
  • 2 Ontario Apples
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese (optional)

1. Peel beet and cut into pieces no larger than 1/2-inch. Place on large baking sheet and toss with about 1/2 teaspoon of the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast in 400°F oven, stirring once or twice, until beet is tender, 15 to 25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in small frying pan, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 7 minutes. Remove to paper towel and pat dry.

3. Drain lentils and rinse with water, then drain well. In medium-size serving bowl, stir together beets, lentils, carrot and parsley.

4. Whisk together remaining olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; stir into lentil mixture.

5. Core apples and coarsely chop; stir into salad. Taste and add a little more lemon juice, salt or pepper if needed. Sprinkle with bacon and feta (if using).

Serve at room temperature. (Salad will last refrigerated for a few days.)

Recipe from Foodland Ontario.

 

Savoury Harvest Brussels Sprouts

Serves 6

  • 1 1⁄2 pound Ontario Brussels Sprouts
  • 2 medium Ontario Carrots
  • 3 strips side bacon
  • 1 ;small Ontario Onion (chopped)
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons Ontario Liquid Honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
  • 1⁄2 cup shredded Swiss or Mozzarella cheese

1. Trim Brussels sprouts; cut an X in base of each. Cut carrots into 1-inch pieces. In saucepan of simmering salted water, cook Brussels sprouts and carrots for 3 minutes or more, or until desired tenderness. Drain well and set aside.

2. In large ovenproof skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

3. Drain all but 1 Tbsp fat from skillet. To skillet, add onion, and hot pepper flakes if using; cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 min. or until softened but not browned. Stir in honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Add reserved sprouts and carrots; toss to coat well. Chop reserved bacon; sprinkle over top. Sprinkle with cheese. If skillet handle is not heat resistant, wrap in foil.  Bake on middle rack of 400°F oven for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Recipe from Foodland Ontario.

 

Stove-top Broccoli and Mushroom Quiche

Serves 5

  • 2 Ontario broccoli stalks (about 3/4 lb total)
  • 2 medium Ontario potatoes, scrubbed or peeled
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1⁄4 cup light ricotta cheese
  • 1⁄2 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1⁄3 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 1⁄2 cups Ontario mushrooms (thinly sliced)
  • 1⁄2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (shredded)
  • 1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Remove broccoli heads and break or cut into small florets. Save stems for another use. In saucepan of rapidly boiling, lightly salted water, cook florets until just tender, about 2 min. Drain through colander; set aside.

2. Parboil potatoes in gently boiling water until just tender. Cool then slice thinly. Set aside.

3. In bowl, whisk together eggs and ricotta until blended. Whisk in Parmesan cheese, flour, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in milk until smooth. Set aside.

4. Cover handle of non-stick 10 inch (25 cm) oven-proof skillet with foil. Add oil and heat, swirling pan to coat sides. Cover bottom and partway up sides of pan with overlapping potato slices. Cook 4 minutes over medium heat or until undersides of potatoes are becoming golden.

5. Place broccoli and mushrooms over potatoes; gently pour in ricotta filling. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until edge is set. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese; broil for about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is set. Cool 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. 

Recipe from Foodland Ontario.

 

Provencal Turkey Breast

Coat both sides of a 1 ½ pound boneless turkey breast with Herbes de Provence.  Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter in large skillet. Brown turkey on both sides. Turn heat to low. Pour ½ cup dry white wine and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar around turkey. Cover pan. Simmer  gently for ½ to ¾ hour or until turkey is fully cooked and no pink can be seen when you cut into turkey. Slice and arrange slices on platter. Drizzle pan juices over.

How to Roast a Turkey a Day Ahead

1. Prepare and roast the turkey as you usually do, with or without stuffing. While turkey cooks, cook potatoes with garlic cloves, then mash with sour cream, cream cheese, and pepper (this recipe is in PamCooks 2 on page 88. Or use your own favourite make-ahead mashed potato casserole recipe.) Be sure to save potato cooking water to make the turkey gravy.

When the turkey is fully cooked, remove from oven and let stand at least 20 minutes before slicing.

2. Transfer whole turkey to cutting board for slicing. Remove stuffing and place in microwave-safe or ovenproof dish,. Cover and refrigerate. Pour pan juices into large measuring cup or bowl; remove and discard fat. Pour some of the pan juices onto the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish - enough to cover bottom. Use 2 dishes if turkey is large. Set a cake cooling rack in baking dish or dishes. Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil. Poke holes all over the foil.

3. Transfer remaining pan juices back to roasting pan and make gravy using potato-cooking water. Transfer gravy to storage container; cover and refrigerate.

4.Slice turkey, separating white and dark meat if desired. Layer slices in prepared baking dish - do not place more than 1 ½ inches of sliced turkey in each dish. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate. Be sure to save and refrigerate or freeze carcass to make stock.

5. One hour before dinner time, preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place pans of turkey (still covered tightly with foil) in oven and heat for 30 to 45 minutes, or until heated through. Check turkey after ½ hour to avoid overheating. When turkey feels hot to the touch, lower oven temperature to 200 degrees F to keep warm until serving time.

6. Potatoes and stuffing can either be reheated in oven with the turkey or in the microwave. Reheat gravy in pot on stove until just boiling.

Recipe from PamCooks 2: More Favourites from the Trillium Cooking School by Pam Collacott