Shaved Zucchini with Almond Salsa Verde

In a culinary context, the zucchini is treated as a vegetable, which means it's usually cooked and presented as a savoury dish or accompaniment. Botanically, however, the zucchini is an immature fruit, being the swollen ovary of the zucchini flower! Amazingly versatile, zucchini yield countless fabulous recipes perfect for summer, like this cool and refreshing Shaved Green and Yellow Zucchini with Almond Salsa Verde, which are simply shaved ribbons of raw zucchini tossed in an aromatic mixture of cilantro, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, capers, shallots and garlic. Combined with chopped almonds, which are a great source of vitamin E, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper and niacin, almonds are the 'Queen of Nuts' with more nutrients and health benefits than any other nut. Simple, healthy and delicious, this quick and easy salad is just one more way to take advantage of this summer's bounty.

Shaved Zucchini with Almond Salsa Verde
Serves 6

1/2 cup finely chopped toasted almonds
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped capers
1 tbsp minced shallots
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz yellow squash 

8 oz green zucchini 

In a large bowl, combine almonds, cilantro, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, capers, shallots, garlic, salt and mix thoroughly.

Trim the ends from the yellow squash and green zucchini and cut in half crosswise. Shave into ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Toss with the salsa verde and flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil and serve. Garnish with some additional nuts and cilantro if desired.

Indian Royal Chicken with Yogurt, Almonds & Sultanas

Dehli born cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey is regarded by many as a world authority on Indian food. Famed both for her bestselling Indian cookbooks and respected acting career, Madhur Jaffrey's recipes have inspired me for years — many of them so familiar to me that they've become a part of my standard culinary repertoire. This regal Rajasthani recipe for Shahi Murg, or Royal Chicken, is from Madhur Jaffrey's cookbook, Quick & Easy Indian Cooking.

Madhur Jaffrey

With more than 70,000 copies sold since it was originally published in 1996, this bestselling cookbook features a tantalizing array of over 70 delicious recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, with dishes like Lamb Vindaloo and Red Lentil Tarka Daal to Gingery Cauliflower Soup, Onion Fritters and of course Madhur's silken Royal Chicken Cooked in Yogurt.

Quick & Easy Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey

In 2006 she published her memoir of childhood, Climbing the Mango Trees. Part biography, part food memoir, this wonderful book contains black and white family photographs and tells of Madhur Jaffrey’s childhood in India around the time of Partition, and shares many stories of the wonderful foods the family enjoyed. Many anecdotes in the book centre on the smells and flavours that take Jaffrey back to her childhood, such as the tart but spicy flavour of unripe mango, eaten straight from the tree and dipped in salt, pepper, red chillies or roasted cumin. 

Part biography, part food memoir, 

Climbing the Mango Trees, by Madhur Jaffrey

At the back of the book are 32 treasured family recipes such as Potatoes with Tomatoes, Lamb with Spinach, Maya’s Meat with Potatoes, Bimla’s Chicken Curry, Everyday Cauliflower, Carrots with Fenugreek Greens, Savoury Biscuits Studded with Cumin Seeds and Fresh Limeade. A wonderful book, this memoir is both an enormously appealing account of an unusual childhood and a testament to the power of food to prompt memory, vividly bringing to life a lost time and place. Ironically, Jaffrey didn't cook at all as a child growing up in Delhi and only became interested when she moved to London as a young woman, studying to become a classically trained actress at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She first won acclaim playing a diva-esque Bollywood star in the 1965 Merchant Ivory movie Shakespeare Wallah. In the film, Jaffrey played Manjula, who was a beautiful, haughty and glamorous movie queen. 

Merchant Ivory's 1965 'Shakespeare Wallah' featuring Madhur Jaffrey, 

who plays an arrogant Indian movie queen to perfection

It was at this time that homesick for her mother's home cooking, Jaffrey began a sort of culinary correspondence, writing letters to her mother in Delhi asking for cooking advice, and receiving recipes in return. In 1966, the New York Times ran a story by Craig Claiborne, called 'Indian Actress is a Star in the Kitchen Too.' The piece discussed Jaffrey's work as both cook and food writer, achievements that she'd never expected. "I've had trouble taking it seriously," she says. "But I consider both of them to be my professions now. One was the one I sought and studied for, and the other dropped from heaven." And thank goodness it did, for in 1966, Jaffrey got a book contract to publish her first cookbook, An Invitation to Indian Cooking, and has never looked back.

Madhur's Royal Chicken with Yogurt

Serves 8
Recipe courtesy of Madhur Jaffrey

2 1/2 cups plain Greek yoghurt (use full fat yogurt as low fat will curdle)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chilli powder, or to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
3 lb chicken, cut into serving portions, or just breasts and/or thighs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
16 cardamom pods
12 cloves
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
6 bay leaves
5 tbsp blanched, slivered almonds
5 tbsp sultanas
basmati rice, optional as accompaniment
    

Put the yoghurt into a bowl and beat it lightly until it is smooth and creamy. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, some black pepper, cumin, coriander, chilli powder and cilantro. Mix and set aside.
  
Salt and pepper the chicken pieces on both sides using the remaining salt. Pour the oil in a wide non-stick pan and set over medium–high heat. When hot, put in the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Stir once and then add some of the chicken pieces, but only as many as the pan will hold easily in a single layer. Brown on both sides and remove to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
  
Put the almonds and sultanas into the same hot oil, and stir quickly. The almonds should turn golden and the sultanas should plump up, which will happen very fast. Now return the chicken and its accumulated juices to the pan. Stir in the seasoned yoghurt and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during this time. Remove the cover, turn the heat up a bit and reduce the sauce until it becomes thick and just clings to the chicken pieces, turning the chicken pieces over gently as you do this. Remove the cardamom pods, whole cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves before serving. 

Ladle the Royal Chicken into a large bowl and garnish with the almonds, sultanas and some some sprigs of cilantro and serve with Basmati Rice.

BBQ Roasted Lemon Chicken with Garlic & Herbs

Roasting whole chickens on the BBQ is an easy and delicious way to create a luscious lunch for a crowd. This wonderful recipe relies on cooking the birds over low heat on an outdoor grill for about 2 hours, and basting the chickens every 15 to 20 minutes, for a picture perfect presentation and the most tender, moist and succulent chicken you can imagine. These BBQ Roasted Lemon Chickens with Garlic and Herbs were lovingly prepared by my friend Cory, as part of a leisurely weekend lunch up north. 

The chickens are placed on a sheet of foil with crimped sides which catch the fragrant juices, 

which the birds are basted with during cooking

Cooking the birds on an outdoor grill keeps the kitchen cool and mess-free, and also allows the intoxicating aromas to float freely and tantalize your guests as they anticipate sitting down to enjoy this superb summertime feast. Garnished with lemon slices and whatever herbs are available in the garden, Cory's chicken was outstanding, and made for an easy lunch the following day.

Cory's BBQ Roasted Lemon Chicken with Garlic & Herbs

Serves 12

3 3 to 5-pound roasting chickens
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 lemons, zested and finely chopped, reserving the lemon
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and basil
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 whole lemons, in addition to the zested lemon, above
3 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat an outdoor barbecue to 350°F. Remove the packet of giblets and liver from the cavity of the chickens and set aside for future use if desired. Pull any loose fat from around the opening, and rinse the chickens inside and out, patting them dry with paper towels. 

Rub the outside of the chicken with about 1 tablespoon of the softened butter. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with the chopped lemon zest and herbs. Rub the butter on the inside of the cavities and under the skin of the breasts. Sprinkle the inside and outside of the birds with the salt and pepper. Pierce the whole lemons with a sharp knife and place in the cavity of both chickens, along with the sliced shallots and chopped garlic.

Prepare a rectangle of double thickness aluminum foil slightly smaller than the size of the grill. Fold up the four sides and crimp each corner to secure the sides in place, to catch any juices that will accumulate during cooking. Put the foil tray on the grill and place the chickens on top, breast side up. Alternatively, use a store-bought aluminum roasting tray. Cut the zested lemon in half and squeeze both halves over the chicken. 

Roast the chickens on the barbecue with the lid closed, for about 2 hours, basting every 15 to 20 minutes. The chicken is done when the legs wiggles freely in its joint and the juices run clear from the thigh when you prick it and from the cavity when you tilt the bird. Set the chickens on a warm platter and garnish with sliced lemon, parsley and mint, and allow guests to carve from the chickens as they wish.

Goat Cheese Crostini with Roasted Peppers

Goat cheese speckled with fresh thyme is a gorgeous creamy counterpoint to the sweet tangy roasted peppers in this easy recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine. An impressive starter to any summer meal, the Marinated Roasted Peppers can be prepared ahead of time, and refrigerated until they're ready to use. The crostini are then grilled and assembled just before lunch, making this a simple and delicious recipe, ideal for the dog days of August. 

Goat Cheese Crostini with a Tangle of Marinated Roasted Peppers
Serves 8 as an appetizer

3 medium bell peppers (1 red, 1 orange, and 1 yellow)
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 6oz log goat cheese, at room temperature

Grilled Garlic Crostini:
1 loaf crusty, artisan-style baguette
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
1 to 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and halved
Sea salt or kosher salt

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high. Grill the bell peppers, turning occasionally, until the skin chars all over, about 15 to 20 minutes. Put the charred peppers in a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and let sit until cool enough to handle, about half an hour.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoons of the thyme, salt, and about 5 grinds of pepper. Mix well.

Remove the pepper skins and seeds and cut the peppers into thin strips. Add the peppers to the vinegar mixture and let them marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. Refrigerate if making more than a few hours ahead and return to room temperature before assembling the crostini.

For the crostini, slice a baguette into 1/2-inch thick slices cut on a diagonal. Preheat the outdoor grill to medium-low, and brush both sides of the bread with the oil and grill, covered, turning once, until golden and marked on both sides, about 1 to 3 minutes per side. Off the heat but while the bread is still hot, lightly rub one side of each bread slice with the cut sides of the garlic. The heat and friction from the bread will cause the garlic to “melt” into the bread.

Sprinkle with salt and spread each slice of the grilled garlic bread with a generous layer of goat cheese, sprinkle with some of the remaining thyme, and top with a tangle of the peppers and a small grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

P.F Chang's China Bistro Opens in Toronto

With over 200 locations worldwide, P.F. Chang's China Bistro made its first foray onto Canadian soil almost 2 weeks ago, at the Shops at Don Mills, with another 20 or 25 other Canadian locations slated to open in the near future. Specializing in American-Chinese cuisine, the US-based Asian food chain was first conceived and developed in 1993 by Paul Fleming (P.F.) and Philip Chiang (Chang) whose names were combined to create the 'P.F. Chang' moniker.

Philip Chiang, co-owner of P.F. Chang's

Having co-founded a restaurant empire with over $1-billion in revenue a year, Philip Chiang has had a very interesting life. He grew up in Japan, his parents having fled China in 1949 when Mao came to power. His mother had family in California, and she relocated with Philip and his sister right into the heart of San Francisco's Chinatown. His mother, Cecilia Chiang, who'd grown up in a palace and never worked in a restaurant, opened an upscale Chinese restaurant called the Mandarin, which soon became the most famous Chinese restaurant in San Francisco, finally expanding to Beverly Hills as well. 

The original upscale Mandarin Restaurant in San Francisco, which opened in 1961

Cecilia Chiang, Philip Chiang's mother, who opened the Mandarin in San Francisco

Philip took over operations at the Beverly Hills Mandarin when his mother went to China for extended visit, and soon caught the restaurant bug, opening up his own restaurant shortly thereafter, called Mandarette, which featured a more simplified cuisine with lots of small plates. One of his customers was Paul Fleming, who owned the Ruth's Chris Steakhouse franchise in California, and they became friends. When Fleming moved to Arizona, to open more Ruth's Chris, he couldn't find a decent Chinese restaurant, so he asked Chiang to help him start one. "I was the food consultant, he was the operations," says Chiang. 

Paul Fleming

The combination of Chiang's simplified Chinese cuisine and Fleming's insistence on having American-style service, a wine list and a dessert menu turned out to be a huge hit. For Chiang, the food he's created for P.F. Chang's is as Chinese as the palace his mother grew up in — "just simpler, fresher and not so cornstarchy and gloppy." Is Chiang in the kitchen these days? Hardly. "I'm mainly a goodwill ambassador for the company now," Chiang says. "I go into the test kitchen every once in a while, but the R&D staff does most of the heavy lifting."

P.F Chang's central bar with panoramic, hand-painted narrative murals 

depicting 12th century China, hanging overhead

Often recognizable by the 11-foot tall horses that stand outside many of their restaurants, and the hand-painted panoramic narrative murals depicting 12th century ancient China, the relaxed and casual atmosphere, attentive service and stylish décor of P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is similar to other locations and offers cuisine inspired from five regions of China — Mongolian, Sichuan, Beijing, Shanghai and Hunan — but are given a contemporary approach in terms of presentation. Along with unique desserts and signature drinks, while also delivering attentive service, the restaurant caters to different dietary and cultural needs, offering a vast selection of gluten free and vegetarian dishes, plus none of the food uses cornstarch or MSG, and oil is minimally used.

P.F. Chang's Happy Hour Menu with special prices on a selection 

of appetizers, beers and wine

The interior of P.F. Chang's at the Shops of Don Mills

Serving up its signature Chinese food in an upscale casual setting, P.F.Chang's keeps the focus on family-friendly sharing platters and a popular Happy Hour Menu with value-packed prices on a selection of appetizers, beer and wines by the glass, with highlights including Spring Rolls with fresh vegetables and served with a sweet & sour dipping sauce, Crispy Crab Wontons filled with a creamy mixture of crab meat, bell peppers and green onions, served with a spicy plum sauce, Egg Rolls hand-rolled with marinated pork and vegetables, and served with a sweet & sour mustard sauce, as well as Crispy Green Beans lightly battered and served crispy with a spicy, tangy dipping sauce.

Vegetarian Spring Rolls filled with fresh vegetables and served 

with a sweet & sour dipping sauce

Crispy Crab Wontons filled with a creamy mixture of crab meat, bell peppers 

and green onions, served with a spicy plum sauce

The selection of entrées we chose included delicious Crispy Salt & Pepper Prawns stir-fried in a salt and pepper mix of chili peppers, black beans, ginger and green onions, and served with a spicy mustard sauce, Kung-Pao Shrimp stir-fried with peanuts, chili peppers and scallions, Singapore Street Noodles with shrimp, chicken, vegetables and rice noodles stir-fried in a curry sauce, Chicken with Black Bean Sauce with green onions, garlic and black beans in a mild sauce, and a surprise dish which arrived that we didn't order — Sesame Chicken with tender chicken breast, broccoli, red bell peppers and onions in a spicy sesame sauce.

Crispy Salt & Pepper Prawns stir-fried in a salt and pepper mix of chili peppers, 

black beans, ginger and green onions, and served with a spicy mustard sauce

Kung-Pao Shrimp stir-fried with peanuts, chili peppers and scallions

Singapore Street Noodles with shrimp, chicken, vegetables 

and rice noodles stir-fried in a curry sauce

Sesame Chicken with tender chicken breast, broccoli, red bell peppers 

and onions in a spicy sesame sauce

Signature desserts include a selection of full and mini-sized confections, designed for those with a sweet tooth or with just enough room to squeeze in one more dish. We decided to try two of P.F. Chang's mini desserts: a very lemony Mini Tres Leche Lemon Dream made with shortbread crumbs, lemon filling and cream topped with a candied lemon wedge, as well as the Mini Creamy Cheesecake with layers of cheesecake, raspberry sauce and graham cracker crust. Of course, no Chinese meal would be complete without an iconic fortune cookie.

Mini Tres Leche Lemon Dream with shortbread crumbs, lemon filling 

and cream topped with a candied lemon wedge

Mini Creamy Cheesecake with layers of cheesecake, raspberry sauce 

and graham cracker crust

The iconic fortune cookie — an obligatory finalé to any Chinese meal

A lovely outdoor patio is perfect for enjoying Mu Shu Chicken 

or Chang's signature Lettuce Wraps

Some people don’t consider P.F. Chang’s high-pedigree. One, it’s a chain, therefore an auto-demotion on the palates of food snobs, and two, it doesn’t serve authentic or "real" Chinese cuisine. However, their unique brand of Chinese-inspired fare has obviously delighted the culinary taste buds and refined palates of Torontonians who, not being allowed to make reservations, have been willing to wait for up to an hour and a half to get a table into what must be considered to be, the city's newest dining hotspot. The good news is that P.F. Chang's is now taking limited reservations, providing that you're willing to dine by or before 6pm!

www.pfchangs.com

Lettuce Wraps

Serves 4-6

Recipe courtesy of P.F. Chang's China Bistro

8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp water
salt and pepper
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
5 tbsp oil
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
2 small dried chilis
8 oz can bamboo shoots, minced
8 oz can waterchestnuts, minced
1 package cellophane Chinese rice noodles, prepared according to package

Cooking Sauce:
1 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dry sherry
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp water
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp cornstarch

1 iceburg lettuce, separated into individual "cups"

Cover mushrooms with boiling water, let stand 30 minutes then drain. Cut and discard woody stems. Mince mushrooms and set aside. Mix all of the ingredients for cooking sauce in bowl, and set aside. In medium bowl, combine cornstarch, sherry water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and chicken. Stir to coat chicken thoroughly. Stir in 1 tsp of oil and let sit 15 minutes to marinate. 

Heat wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of oil, then add chicken and stir fry for about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside. 

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to pan, and add ginger, garlic, chilies, and onion, Stir fry about a minute or so, then add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Stir fry an additional 2 minutes. Return chicken to pan. Add mixed cooking sauce to pan and cook until thickened and hot. 

To serve, break the cooked cellophane noodles into small pieces and lay over the bottom of serving dish, then pour the chicken mixture over top of the noodles. Garnish with chopped scallions and a side of hot sauce. Let guests help themselves by spooning the mixture into lettuce leaf "cups" — roll them up and enjoy!

Shanghai Noodles with Grilled Rib Eye and Broccoli
Serves 6-8
Recipe courtesy of P.F. Chang's China Bistro

1 lb Shanghai noodles, egg-based
4 8 oz Rib Eye Steaks, cut to 1" thickness
1 lb broccoli florets
1 large white onion, julienned
2 tbsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
1⁄4 cup dry white wine
3 oz butter, unsalted
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1⁄4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped scallions, for garnish

Combine the hoisin, orange juice and soy sauce with a whisk and reserve. In a small bowl, combine ginger, chili flakes and garlic with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add salt and pepper to the mixture and combine well. Add the rib eye steaks to the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

While the steaks are marinating, blanch the noodles and broccoli. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, place the broccoli in a wire basket and cook for about 4 minutes at a slow boil. Remove from the pot and place in ice water to stop the cooking process. Let sit in ice bath for a couple minutes until chilled.

In the same pot, cook Shanghai noodles until al dente, about 5 or 6 minutes. Remove and pour into a colander. Once the excess water is removed, place the noodles on a sheet tray, and lightly coat with soy bean oil, being sure to move the noodles to prevent them from sticking. Let cool to room temperature, moving occasionally.

Remove beef from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for about 5 minutes before cooking. Season with salt and pepper. In a very hot oiled sauté pan, place the steaks and let cook for 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare.

While the steaks are cooking, place 1 tablespoon of soy bean oil in a warm sauté pan and sweat the onions with 1 teaspoon of garlic, ginger and chili flakes. Once the onions are translucent, add the white wine and allow to reduce by 3⁄4. Add the hoisin mixture and stir. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes then add noodles. Toss the noodles with the sauce and allow the noodles to get hot, about 4 minutes. Add the blanched broccoli and continue to cook until noodles and broccoli are hot. Add the butter and continue to toss until noodles and broccoli are coated.

Place the noodles on a warmed platter. Place the beef on a cutting board and cut into thin strips. Lay the rib eye slices on top of the noodles and serve immediately with a garnish of fresh chopped scallions.

Shanghai Cucumbers
Serves 2
Recipe courtesy of P.F. Chang's China Bistro

12 oz seeded cucumbers, halved and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 oz soy sauce
1 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and mix together with the cucumbers. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve chilled.

Grilled Lettuce Salad with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing

This Grilled Lettuce with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing is a delicious and elegant salad that can be made in only about 5 minutes. All you need is the freshest butter lettuce available and a few ingredients for the dressing. Grilling the lettuce intensifies its flavour and changes the texture ever so slightly, making each bite have its own character: closer to the edge a bit smokey, a crisper and brighter taste as you indulge deeper. The buttermilk dressing is light, delicate and full of flavour, and would be delicious also with other grilled vegetables such as zucchini, asparagus or even poached salmon. 

Grilled Butter Lettuce Salad with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing
Serves 6

3 butter lettuce, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup crème fraîche, sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp thinly sliced chives
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for the grill

Prepare an outdoor grill at medium-high heat. Whisk the buttermilk, crème fraîche and olive oil in a bowl. Add the chives, lemon juice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Brush the grill with a light coating of vegetable oil, place the lettuce, cut side down and grill for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the grilled lettuce to a serving platter cut side up, and drizzle the dressing over it. Sprinkle with a little more chives, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Cory's Tres Leches Cake with Strawberries

Tres Leches Cake is a classic Mexican sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. Sweet, moist and delicious, Tres Leches Cake, or Pastel de Tres Leches from Spanish, 'three milk cake', is rather like like a custard due to the rich ingredients that are soaked in its creamy syrup for up to 24-hours. Another version of the cake is Pastel Borracho, or 'Drunken Cake', which is extremely popular throughout Mexico and Central America, and is made by soaking the cake in an alcohol spiked mixture of water, sugar, rum or brandy. In the Caribbean, they also make a version call Bizcocho tres Leches, which is made using rum and cream of coconut, instead of condensed milk, and then topped with whipped cream and shredded coconut.

Cory became our Simcoe Day chef-de-cuisine, whipping up this delicious 

Strawberry-Topped Tres Leches Cake garnished with Muskoka mint

This past Simcoe Day long weekend, we spent four glorious days soaking up the sun, eating fabulous meals and sharing good times at our great friend's C&M's gorgeous Muskoka cottage. One of the most spectacular meals we enjoyed over the long weekend featured Cory's Strawberry-Topped Tres Leches Cake, which he garnished with clouds of whipped cream, sweet juicy summer strawberries and sprigs of fresh Muskoka mint. Inspired by a fabulous recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine, Cory's Tres Leches Cake was luscious, light, moist and creamy — an ethereal end to a truly exceptional weekend.

Strawberry-Topped Tres Leches Cake à la Cory
Serves 12-16

For the cake:
Unsalted butter, softened, for the pan
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the soaking liquid:
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-oz can evaporated milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch kosher salt

For the topping:
2-1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 cups sliced strawberries 

1 tsp Grand Marnier, optional

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch Pyrex baking dish, or a nonreactive metal pan, and line the bottom with lightly buttered parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a medium bowl and the yolks in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, beat the yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar on medium speed until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until combined, 1 minute more.

Clean and dry the beaters and beat the egg whites, gradually increasing the speed to high, until they reach soft peaks, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a stream, continuing to beat on high, until you reach firm but not dry peaks, about 1 to 2 minutes more.

Whisk a third of the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in a third of the egg whites with a rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients and egg whites, alternately, in two more batches each, until fully incorporated. Then pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment, and let cool completely. Return the cake to the baking dish or invert it onto a rimmed platter — note: the cake will soak up more of the liquid if it's returned to the pan it was baked in.

To soak the cake, stir together the condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan, and mix until the condensed milk is well blended. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring to avoid scorching, until it begins to bubble around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof 4-cup measuring cup.

With a toothpick, prick the cake to the bottom in 1/2-inch intervals. Pour the soaking liquid slowly over the cake, starting at the edges and pausing to let it soak in before adding more. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the cake is well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

To top the cake, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer on medium speed. When it begins to thicken, slowly add the sugar, vanilla and Grand Marnier liqueur if you like, and continue to beat just until it holds firm peaks, 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to over-beat. Spread the whipped cream all over the top of the cake and decorate with the sliced strawberries and serve.

Note: You can soak the cake in the milk mixture up to a day ahead and top it up to 2 hours ahead.