Chocolate Beet Cake

Recipe/photography courtesy of Foodland Ontario Preparation Time: 20 minutes Roasting Time: 60 minutes Baking Time: 50 minutes Serves 8 3 Ontario beets (about 1 lb/500 g) 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 1-1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 3 Ontario eggs 1/4 cup vegetable oil …

Chef Cory Vitiello’s Mediterranean Salmon with Herbs

Serves 4 Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes This dish is a make-at-home variation of Chef Vitiello’s Salmon Fresca available exclusively at Cactus Club Cafe Sherway Gardens. Ingredients: 24 oz ocean wise steelhead, skin and pin bones removed (Or other good quality, ocean wise salmon) 1 pint of …

Holiday baking

There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh-baked goodies at the holidays, their delicious aroma filling your home with an undeniable warmth. In honour of this special season, we’ve put together a recipe collection of Christmas classics and delicious treat with a twist that are sure to delight your family …

Cottage Cocktails

By Carmelo Giardina Imagine: you’re at the cottage seated comfortably in your Muskoka chair, enjoying the summer sun, shoes off.  (Substitute your own backyard paradise if no cottage is available.) Everything is perfect. Well, almost perfect. You’re missing something. Obviously you need the right beverage to go with those cool …

Wild Mushroom Carnaroli Risotto with Truffle Oil

Ingredients: 1 cup Carnaroli rice 4 cups vegetable stock 1/2 cup white wine (something dry and drinkable) 300 g mixed mushrooms 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 3 sprigs of fresh thyme 1 shallot, small dice 1 tbsp mascarpone cheese 2 tbsp Parmigiano cheese 1 tbsp cold butter Balsamic glaze Truffle …

Coriander and Cumin Crusted Yellow Fin Tuna

Ingredients: 1 quail egg 25 green beans 15 fingerling potatoes 10 nicoise olives 6-7 cherry tomatoes White balsamic vinaigrette, to taste (recipe below) 80 g tuna fillet 60 g mixed greens 10 g fresh coriander 2 g dried cumin White Balsamic Vinaigrette 200 ml canola oil 25 ml white balsamic …

Smoked Fish Pate

– courtesy Cascata Bistro, Carlisle Smoked Fish Pate 2 sides of smoked trout, skin removed 1/3 cup minced roasted red peppers zest of half a lemonjuice of half a lemon4 oz mascarpone2 tbsp sour creamsalt and pepperdash of Tabasco  Mash all ingredients together until well combined. Serve with crackers.

Three Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto

– recipe courtesy of The Open Cork, MississaugaThree Mushroom &  Asparagus Risotto 1 medium or half one large portobello mushroom, sliced6 small oyster mushrooms, sliced 8 small button mushrooms, sliced1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter2 tsp (10 mL) red onion, diced1 tsp (5 mL) sundried tomato, diced1 cup (250 mL) …

Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp Tacos-courtesy Barra Fion, Burlington This is an easy but delicious dish that can be prepared to serve a few, or many. Grilled tortilla shell filled with guacamole, lime slaw, pico de gallo and sautéed shrimp with crumbled queso fresco. At the restaurant the dish is served with yucca frites …