Canada Day Appetizers

Happy Canada Day!

Canada Day, 2008. My dad, brother Jordan, cousin Emily and Libby enjoying our first Canada Day weekend up at our 10 acres of land! Ahhh, the fun we get up to!

 

Hello my friendly followers and Happy Canada Day weekend!

I thought appetizers featuring red and white would be appropriate for today's quick blog! I say quick because I am racing off to work, then my sweetie and I are off camping at our 10 acres of land in Norfolk County, ON! Then, on Monday our family and friends are all gathering to watch the firework bonanza my brother Jordan has been planning since Victoria Day! And, as you can see form the photo above, we like to have fun on Canada Day! Ha! I hope you all have a great Canada Day and please remember to play it safe!

Simple and Tasty Recipes:
 

Ontario Cherry Tomato and Bocconcini Skewers

(makes 12)
 

12 Ontario cherry tomatoes, washed

12 bocconcini balls, cherry or small sized, not pearl

12 fresh basil leaves

Good quality extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

*Balsamic vinegar (*optional)

Thread one cherry tomato onto a skewer.

Wrap a piece of basil around a bocconcini ball and thread onto the same skewer.

Repeat until all are on skewers, alternating the placement of the tomatoes and bocconcinis for fun!

Place on a platter, drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle with the sea salt. Also drizzle the balsamic vinegar, if using.
OR...
Use the same ingredients, just larger sliced tomatoes and larger sliced bocconcini balls for a La Caprese Salad (pictured below)!
 

La Caprese Insalata

Greek Inspired Bruschetta

(serves two)

1 large Ontario ripe tomato, diced

a handful of kalamata olives, halved, pits removed

1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1/3 tsp dried)

feta cheese, crumbled

4 slices of bread

extra virgin olive oil

1 large garlic clove

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

.combine the tomatoes, olives and oregano in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and drizzle in some olive oil, set aside

.grill the bread until it's toasty, rub with the garlic clove and drizzle with some olive oil

.top your bruschetta with the tomato mixture, crumble over some feta cheese, enjoy!

 

Fresh Ontario Tomato Salsa (Salsa Fresca)

( serves 4)

3 large ripe Ontario tomatoes, chopped

1 small Ontario onion, finely chopped

1 clove of Ontario garlic, finely chopped

½ to 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

½  lime, juice freshly squeezed

Sea salt to taste
 

Combine everything in a large bowl. Give it a good stir, taste and adjust the seasoning with the sea salt. Add a little extra lime, jalapeno or cilantro to suit your tastes. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

 

 

Ceviche with Ontario Summer Vegetables

(serves 4 to 6 as a main, 8 to 12 as an appetizer)

500 gr firm white ocean fish, sashimi grade (I used halibut but red snapper, cod and sea bass are all great choices), small to medium dice, it's up to you

1 1/2 cups lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 8 good sized limes)
1 small onion, diced

1 tomato, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/4 cucumber, diced

1 avocado, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1 to 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, good quality

Sea salt to taste

*optional additions:

- finely chopped manzanilla green olives

- your fave hot sauce

- a splash of tomato or Clamato juice

- ketchup

- a pinch of sugar

- orange juice

- sweet corn

- sweet potatoes

 

In a shallow non-reactive bowl (I prefer glass or stainless steel) combine the fish, onion and lime juice. Cover the surface with a sheet of plastic wrap and gently press down to make sure all of the air out and the fish is submerged. Place in the fridge for 1 to 4 hours, depending on how 'cooked' you want your fish to be (the longer it sits, the more firm it will become).

Remove from the fridge, pour the contents of the bowl through a fine mesh strainer and place the fish mixture into a clean non-reactive bowl. Combine with the rest of the ingredients, adding as many of the optional ingredients as you wish!

Keep refrigerated until being served.

Serve with your fave corn chips, tostadas or plain crackers. Provecho!

Spring Green Risotto with Ontario Asparagus

"Asparagus inspires gentle thoughts." Charles Lamb

 

Hiya followers, how are you all doing?! It's been a while hasn't it?

My husband and I took a long awaited trip to Scotland and England and now we're back! We're back to lovely weather and all of the lovely fresh produce that is now in season! I am one of those weird people who wait all year long to enjoy locally grown Ontario asparagus. Although it is sometimes difficult to resist, I choose to not partake in eating asparagus any other time of the year, to avoid those out of season, foreign stalks. Call me crazy, I know! Today's recipe is made with our own homegrown asparagus. Yum! I swear, it is the best asparagus I've ever had and I've been adding it into just about every meal we eat. Now, make sure to savour every last bite, my followers, because before we know it, our local asparagus will be gone and if you're like me, you'll have to wait another year until it is back again. What a sad thought!

 

Spring Green Risotto with Ontario Asparagus

(serves 3 to 4)

1 1/2 cups green peas, fresh or frozen

1 cup asparagus, washed, trimmed and cut into bite size pcs

1 litre vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade or store bought

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp butter, separated

1 onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 cup Arborio rice

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated plus extra shaved for garnish

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

In a small pot of salted water, boil the peas for 2 to 3 mins, remove and process half to make a paste, set aside. Next, boil the asparagus for 2 to 3 mins until just cooked, remove and set aside.

In a small pot, bring the stock up to a boil, turn down to a low simmer and have a ladle handy. You might not use all of the stock.

In another larger pot, on medium heat, add the olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook until softened, 4 to 5 mins. Stir in the rice. Stir in the wine with 1/4 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low, add in a couple of ladles of the heated stock and stir until absorbed. Continue to add a ladle of stock at a time and stir until the rice is fully cooked, 15 to 18 mins. Stir in the set aside veggies, the grated cheese, parsley and the rest of the butter. Add more stock until the rice achieves the consistency that you desire. Taste and adjust the seasoning, serve immediately. Enjoy!

Wild Asparagus! Fortnum and Mason, London, England

 

Purple Asparagus! Fortnum and Mason, London, England.

 

Asparagus! Harrods, London, England.