Celebrations tend to revolve around food and drink, and Canada Day is no exception.
Whether it’s a 7 a.m. breakfast staged by a group of volunteer firemen in Elora, Ont., or a neighbourhood street hockey tournament anywhere in this country, you can bet the participants will be either cooking, eating or drinking something.
At Elora, the 25 firefighters serve “roughly 120 kilograms of pancake batter and over 90 kilograms of sausage,” says Rathwell, 34, a millwright who serves as a firefighter at the volunteer fire station in the town north of Guelph, Ont.
To celebrate Canada Day, Toronto event planner Jodie Katz suggests that instead of the usual barbecue, families might want to stage a picnic “especially if the weather is beautiful.”
The owner of The Social Butterfly says you can pack the picnic basket with maple leaf-shaped sandwiches and little vegetable-cheese kebabs made with cherry or grape tomatoes alternating with cubes of bocconcini cheese — the colours of the Canadian flag.
Katz says that if the backyard barbecue is where the action will be for some Canadians, “one national food that could be included is peameal bacon.
“So if you are going with hot dogs and hamburgers you could definitely add slices of peameal bacon to the burgers for extra flavour and moisture.”
For an alternative to burgers and dogs yet staying with the barbecue and Canadian theme, Katz suggests choosing traditional ribs or a maple-glazed salmon for the entree.
So to tie in with the red-and-white Maple Leaf flag, she suggests serving children white grape juice with cranberry juice.
“And for adults, I suggest a Bloody Caesar cocktail, which is as Canadian as you can get.” The recipe was invented in 1969 by bartender Walter Chell at what is now the Westin Hotel in Calgary.
If you are planning an outdoor Canada Day celebration with family and friends, you might want to serve Filet Mignon Crostini with Balsamic Onion Jam and a luscious Strawberry Cassata for dessert.
Filet Mignon Crostini
Jam
30 ml (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
30 ml (2 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
2 large sweet yellow onions, about 350 g (12 oz) each, thinly sliced
2 ml (1/2 tsp) kosher salt
125 ml (1/2 cup) balsamic vinegar
125 ml (1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
50 ml (1/4 cup) dried currants or raisins
Steaks
3 filet mignon steaks, each about 350 g (12 oz) and 4 cm (1 1/2 inches) thick
15 ml (1 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) kosher salt
3 ml (3/4 tsp) ground black pepper
Crostini
1 long baguette, cut into 25 slices, each about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
75 ml (1/3 cup) sour cream
45 ml (3 tbsp) prepared horseradish
1 ml (1/4 tsp) kosher salt
2 ml (1/2 tsp) ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh chives (optional)
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm butter and olive oil. Add onions and salt. Cook until tender and volume is reduced by half, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Stir in vinegar, sugar and currants.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until onions become jam-like and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 35 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. The jam will thicken as it cools. (The jam may be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium heat 180 to 230 C (350 to 450 F).
Lightly brush steaks on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Allow steaks to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.
Lightly brush one side of the baguette slices with oil and grill them over direct medium heat until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes (grill one side only). Allow to cool and rub grilled sides lightly with cut garlic.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, horseradish, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Grill steaks over direct medium heat, with lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to desired doneness, 12 to 14 minutes for medium rare, turning once or twice. (If flare-ups occur, move steaks temporarily over indirect heat.) Remove from grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut steaks into 5-mm (1/4-inch slices).
Spread a layer of jam on each piece of toasted crostini. Place a slice of meat on the jam and top with a small dollop of the horseradish cream. Sprinkle with chopped fresh chives, if desired.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Wine match: Australian Cabernet Sauvignon.
Source: Weber’s On The Grill Steak & Sides by Jamie Purviance.
Strawberry Cassata
750 ml (3 cups) locally grown strawberries
30 ml (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
500 g (1 lb) extra smooth ricotta cheese
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) whipping cream
125 ml (1/2 cup) icing sugar
5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla
175 ml (3/4 cup) chocolate chips
75 ml (1/3 cup) toasted slivered or sliced almonds
1 400-g pound cake (20 by 10 cm/8 by 4 inches)
Garnish: Fresh strawberries
In a bowl, combine sliced strawberries and granulated sugar; set aside for juice to form.
In a large bowl, beat together cheese, 50 ml (1/4 cup) of the cream, half of the icing sugar and half of the vanilla until fluffy. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds.
Cut pound cake lengthwise into 6 slices, trimming edges to make even, if desired. Brush layers with any juice from strawberries. Stir strawberries into cheese mixture.
On a square plate, if possible, place 2 cake slices side by side; spread with half of the cheese mixture. Top with 2 more cake slices; spread with remaining cheese mixture. Top with remaining cake slices.
Whip remaining cream with remaining icing sugar and remaining vanilla; spread over top and sides. Garnish with strawberries.
Makes 12 servings.
Wine match: Brachetto Sparkling Red.
Source: Foodland Ontario.