Hamburgers and hotdogs may be the usual BBQ fare, but this summer, why not try something a little bit more robust? Larger joints of meat are just as easy to grill up and the added flavour of a smoky fire gives an extra ‘something’ to the regular meat-and-potatoes supper. This leg of lamb takes about 45 mins to an hour to cook, but the time is well worth it! Served up with this delicious tapenade, a potato salad and some leafy greens…summer never tasted so good!
- 1 cup (250 mL) oil cured black olives, pitted
- 2 tsp. (10 mL) freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tbsp. (20 mL) chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tbsp. (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp. (45 mL) finely chopped toasted almonds
- 1 leg of lamb
- 3 tbsp. (45 mL) chopped fresh thyme and rosemary
- 4 tbsp. (60 mL) chopped fresh mint
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp. (5 mL) sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make the tapenade, coarsely chop the olives. Place in a bowl and add all remaining ingredients, except the salt. Taste and add salt if necessary: it may not need any as the olives can be salty. Leave at room temperature.
Trim excess fat off the leg. Mix together the thyme, mint, garlic, salt and pepper. Smear the spice mix on all sides of the lamb and let marinate for 1 hour at room temperature, or as long as overnight in the fridge.
Place lamb leg on a preheated grill and grill for about 15 minutes per side or until cooked through to medium. Serve with tapenade on the side.
Blueberries are back! And who doesn’t love them? Perfect bites of juicy, anti-oxidant filled goodness – and one of the most versatile berries around. Blissfully baked into sweet confections for dessert, or jazzed up with lime and jalapeño for a savoury snack, they are a great ingredient in many of our summertime dishes. This salad should come with a warning…it is incredibly addictive and I promise it will become an instant favourite. Serve it alongside burgers, salmon, joints of meat or simply alone with an addition of chickpeas for vegetarian protein punch – this delish concoction will suit them all.
Serves 6
- 6 ears of sweet corn,
- 1 cup (250 mL) fresh blueberries
- 4 baby cucumbers, cut into bite size quarters
- 2 large avocado cut in chunks
- 1/4 of a finely chopped large red onion
- 1/4 cup (62 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) honey
- 1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) ground cumin
Fresh cooked corn, cut of the cobb is ideal but 2 cups of frozen sweet corn is a good substitute. Place corn, blueberries and chopped cucumber in a bowl. Finely slice red onion and add to bowl. Chop coriander and add to fruit and vegetable mixture. Gently add in the avocado. Season with sea salt and pepper.
In a separate container with a lid (an old jar so that you are reusing) add the chopped Jalapeno, lime juice, olive oil, honey and cumin. Shake well until emulsified and pour over the salad. Let sit for ½ hour before serving.
If you’re like me, then you’ll agree that every good party deserves it’s own signature cocktail. We recently threw a “Taste of Havana” fête at our cottage over on Bowen Island, and, in keeping with the party’s theme, we decided to serve up mojitos…with a twist! Inspired by the delicious concoctions served at the Seabreeze Lodge on Hornby Island, these ginger-scented bevvies are refreshing, crisp, and have just the slightest hint of the unexpected – the perfect conbination for a superb summer sipper. Try them this weekend – I promise you’ll be back for more!
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2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 lb fresh ginger, peeled and cut into long flat pieces (more surface exposure=more flavour!)
- approx. 2 cups fresh mint
- 2 oz. of light rum – per drink
- 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
- club soda (optional)
Ginger-Scented Simple Syrup
Place water, sugar and ginger into a medium sized non-reactive pan and heat on medium high until boiling. Turn off heat and let sit for at least an hour – the longer the better: overnight is best. Strain into a glass jar and refrigerate until needed. (strained syrup will keep for at least a month in the fridge)
Mojitos – per drink. Multiply as needed.
Pour 1 ounce ginger-scented syrup into a martini shaker. Add a handful of mint leaves, and muddle it together using a wooden spoon handle or the like. Add 2 oz of rum and 1 oz. fresh lime juice. Shake. Pour all over ice in a tall glass and top with club soda. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a slice of lime.
Cheers!
Barbeque season is here! But that doesn’t mean that meal times have to be heavy. Make room on the grill for some lighter faire such as these prawns simply grilled and served with a fresh salsa of tropical fruits. Try the salsa alongside other seafoods such as grilled salmon and halibut, or as an alternative to heavy BBQ sauce with a bone in breast of chicken.
Serves 4
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) diced mango
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) diced papaya
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) diced fresh pineapple
- 1 tbsp. (15 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tbsp. (15 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tsp. (10 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup (62 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 Thai chile seeded and minced
- 24 medium prawns, peeled and deveined
- sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
Prepare salsa by combining the mango, papaya, pineapple. Whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, olive oil and chile. Pour over fruit. Toss lightly.
Heat the grill. Season prawns with salt and pper. Skewer prawns and grill for 1-2 minutes per side or until just cooked.
Serve immediately with the salsa.
The first crop of new potatoes has hit the markets and that means it’s time for all sorts of summery potato concoctions to make an appearance on supper tables and in picnic baskets. This recipe was originally created as one of our signature catering appetisers, but the ingredients work perfectly to make a lovely alternative to classic potato salad. Just cut the new potatoes in half instead of hollowing, add in the rest of the ingredients and give a stir. The juices from the onions will create the sauce. Enjoy along side your favourite BBQ dish or on its own for a light lunch.
Serves 8
- 24 small new potatoes
- 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) sour cream
- 2 yellow onions, sliced thinly
- 2Tbsp. (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cups (125 mL) golden raisins, coarsest chopped
- 1/2 cups (125 mL) pinenuts, toasted
Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and cool. Cut off the tops of the potatoes and hollow out each potato with a melon ballet, leaving sturdy walls and reserving potato pulp.
Coarsely mash the potato pulp, fold in the sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Caramelize onions by placing them in a sauté pan with a little olive oil over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes or until caramelized. Add the raisins and pinenuts. season to taste with salt and pepper.
Fill potatoes shells halfway with the potato mixture and top with some onion mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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