Tuna Salad with Avocado, Hard Boiled Eggs & Sprouts

Low calorie, low carb and a great source of Omega-3, this simple, light and delicious Tuna Salad recipe makes an easy weekday dinner paired with sliced avocado, hard boiled eggs and some fresh tomatoes. Topped with a mound of flavourful onion sprouts and dressed with a tangy vinaigrette, outdoor summer dining doesn't get any easier, healthier or more satisfying.

Tuna Salad with Avocado, Hard Boiled Eggs & Sprouts

Serves 2

10 oz canned tuna, drained and flaked

1/2 cup diced English cucumber

3 green onions, finely chopped

2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped

1/3 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

6 oz mixed greens

2 large eggs, hard boiled, peeled and halved

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

6 grape tomatoes, halved

1 package onion sprouts, for garnish

Maldon salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Vinaigrette:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 large garlic clove, minced

Fresh cracked black pepper and salt, to taste

Add the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon and minced garlic together in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Season with fresh cracked black pepper and salt to taste. Combine tuna, diced cucumber, green onions, lemon juice, zest, dill, mayonnaise, salt and pepper in a large bowl and stir well. Toss the mixed greens with some vinaigrette to taste, then arrange on 2 plates and top with a generous scoop of the tuna mixture. Top with a handful of onion sprouts and garnish with sliced avocado, tomatoes and hard boiled eggs. Season with Maldon salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste and drizzle with more vinaigrette if need. 

Coq au Riesling: The Alsatian Version of Coq au Vin

Coq au vin can trace its history back to Roman times when France was a part of Gaul, which at the time included most of western Europe. A classic dish, Coq au Riesling is a chicken stew with much the same ingredients as Coq au Vin, except the wine in the recipe is not red, but a fresh, mineral-rich Riesling. A rich and refined dish with a nuanced, silky sauce, Coq au Riesling comes from the Alsace, a region influenced by both French and German cuisines. Wonderfully comforting on a cold winter’s night, it is rustic, earthy and layered, and like Coq au Vin, braising the meat for a long period not only thoroughly flavours the meat, but also helps make it particularly tender, especially if using a tough old rooster. 

Both begin with sautéed onions and garlic in butter, then the browned meat, and finally mushrooms and some fatty bacon lardons before pouring in enough wine and cream to cover the meat. Then it’s a simple matter of letting it braise, low and slow. Best prepared in a Dutch oven or Le Creuset casserole, the dish can be cooked either on the stovetop or in the oven, so long as the pot is covered. The longer it cooks, the richer the flavour and the more succulent the meat. Wine of course, is the backbone of this sauce, and combined with heavy cream and mushrooms, luscious Coq au Riesling is delicious served over buttered egg noodles or spätzle and a zesty green Bibb salad. 




Coq au Riesling 
Serves 4

3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions or leeks, finely chopped
4 oz pancetta or smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch lardons
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 chicken thighs, skin on and trimmed of all fat
2 cups cremini mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and quartered
2 cups Riesling
2 tbsp brandy or cognac
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup each of chopped parsley, dill and tarragon
salt and pepper to taste
Buttered egg noodles or spätzle, for serving


Dry off the chicken with a paper towel and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Liberally season chicken with salt and pepper. Warm oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large, enameled cast-iron casserole set over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches until browned all over, then remove from the casserole and set aside on a plate.

Add the pancetta or smoked bacon and onions, and cook until the onions are soft. Add the garlic, cooking for just about 1 minute and then remove the bacon, onions and garlic from the pan and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the empty pan and cook for 5 minutes, then remove and add to pancetta and onion mixture. Add the wine and simmer for 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits from the casserole, then place the pancetta, onions, garlic and chicken back to the pan. 

Let the mixture come up to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover and set in a preheated 300°F oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, add the cream, making sure to pour around the chicken not on top of it, as this helps keep the skin crisp. Cook on the stove over medium high for another 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken, adding a little flour if desired. Serve over buttered egg noodles or spätzle to mop up the sauce, and garnish with chopped parsley, dill and tarragon. 

The Ultimate Banana Bread: Moist & Delicious

Rich, moist and delicious, this is my favourite banana bread recipe. it's also a great way to use up over ripe bananas — the browner they are, the better. Dark brown sugar is key and a dollop or two of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream gives the bread a subtle tang and wonderfully moist texture. Walnuts are optional but wholeheartedly encouraged. 



Banana Bread
Makes 1 Loaf
Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit

1 tbsp butter or Olivina, to grease pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
4 large very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with butter or Olivina and line with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on all sides. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the brown sugar, yogurt, and butter until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Then add the bananas and mix just until combined. Fold in the walnuts, if using. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake the bread until a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 65–75 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the bread cool slightly before removing from the pan and slice to serve, but it's also gorgeous sliced warm from the oven.

Brunch in Yorkville: Mark McEwan at The Hazlelton

Chef McEwan’s contemporary Yorkville hotspot located at the chic Hazelton Hotel, ONE Restaurant has a sumptuous tree-lined outdoor patio perfect for a leisurely weekend brunch. Celebrating my brother and sister-in-laws fifth anniversary, we were greeted by friendly mask wearing staff who escorted us to our socially distanced table overlooking leafy Hazelton Avenue. We started with a round of ice cold Margaritas as we perused the brunch menu, thrilled to be able to dine together at a restaurant during these challenging times. Given the smiles we saw at other tables, the feeling was mutual. The food was top notch, from the perfect warm flakey croissant and excellent Scallop Crudo to the decadent Truffle Frites topped with shaved Parigiano and truffle aioli, which we noticed almost every table had also decided to indulge upon, it was a wonderful day we will remember for a very long time.

The mask wearing greeters at ONE

The brunch menu at ONE

Each of the servers wore masks and kept a respectable distance from tour table while taking our order and presenting our dishes

Classic Margarita made with Altos Plata Tequila, Cointreau and lime juice

A delicious warm flakey and buttery housemade croissant with a little bowl of butter

Avocado Toast on grilled multigrain loaf with smashed avocado, blistered heirloom cherry tomatoes, fresh ricotta, chili and olive oil, topped with a poached egg

Truffle Frites with shaved Parmesan and truffle aioli

Yellowfin Tuna Sashimi with sesame seeds, ponzu, jalapeno, sliced ginger and cilantro

Scallop Crudo with Champagne vinaigrette, citrus, fennel, chili and crisp potato

Duck Confit Hash with poached eggs, sweet potato, caramelized onion, grilled baguette and hot mustard hollandaise

Chocolate Iced Cream

mcewangroup.ca/one

Nova Scotia Lobster Spoons
Serves 4 as appetizer
Recipe courtesy Chef Mark McEwan


1 Nova Scotia Yarmouth lobster, about 1 1/2 lb, par-cooked and shelled 
1/2 pinch salt and pepper

Beurre Monte:
2 tbsp dry vermouth
1 lb cold butter, cubed

Garnish:
Leaves of 1 sprig cilantro, halved or roughly chopped


To prepare the beurre monte, over medium heat, heat the vermouth in a saucepan until it begins to bubble, and then lower heat. Add a piece of butter and whisk until it emulsifies. Continue adding butter, a piece at a time, until all the butter is incorporated. Keep warm at a temperature between 160ºF and 180º F to preserve the emulsion. Cut the par-cooked lobster into small bite-size pieces. Add to the beurre monte and cook until heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season. Arrange 12 Chinese porcelain soup spoons on a platter or two. Dress each spoon with a pinch of cilantro, and then divide lobster evenly among the spoons. Drizzle a little extra beurre monte on top, and serve.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Executive Pastry Chef Amy Tenn-yuk + Executive Chef Darby Piquette

Pancakes:
3 cups all-purpose flour 
3 tbsp white sugar 
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda 
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 large eggs 
1/2 cup butter 

Blueberry Compote:
1 pint blueberries 
1/4 cup orange juice 
1/4 cup white sugar 
1 lemon, freshly squeezed

Vanilla Cream Cheese:
1 cup cream cheese 
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste 
1/4 cup icing sugar 
1 lemon, zested
2-3 pieces Graham cookies 


Blueberry Compote: In a medium sauce pot, add all ingredients of the compote.
Cook over medium heat until mixture has reduced by 3/4 and blueberries have broken down. Set aside and keep warm.

Cream Cheese and Graham Cracker Topping: Add all ingredients of the vanilla cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Let it sit at room temperature for ingredients to soften as it will be easier to mix. Mix well until everything is smoothly incorporated. Place in the fridge until ready to use. Take a few graham crackers and mash them until they are a chunky crumb using your hands or a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

Pancakes: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter.
Heat a lightly buttered nonstick frying pan over medium heat. While the pan is heating, add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and lightly mix together – do not over mix! Use a ladle and add the batter in medium circles to the frying pan. Cook pancake until lightly browned on the first side and as the bubbles come through. Flip and lightly brown on the other side. Serve hot with all the toppings.

Red Curry Coconut Milk Salt Spring Island Mussels

This tropical Thai twist on the French classic Moules Marinières features premium quality Salt Spring Island mussels from the rich, cool, clean coastal waters of beautiful BC. Using Aroy-D Instant Thai Red Curry, infused with coconut milk, red curry paste, lemongrass, galangal, basil leaves, sugar and kaffir lime leaves, this amazing sauce is used by Canadian chef Greg Couillard in most of Asian-inspired recipes. So if this premade Thai elixir is a top choice for Greg, it's definitely worth giving it a go. Full flavoured with the right amount of heat, these Thai-Inspired Salt Spring Island Mussels with Aroy-D Red Curry Coconut Milk, make a delicious summer dish, excellent served with warm fluffy pita bread or a bowl of Jasmine rice, and tall glass of cold Thai Singha beer.



Salt Spring Island Mussels with Red Curry Coconut Milk
Serves 4

5 lb fresh Salt Spring Island mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
2 tbsp vegetable oil
40 fresh curry leaves
1 large onion sliced
6 green chilies slit open length ways
1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
14 oz Aroy-D Instant Red Curry
1 handful of chopped cilantro, for garnish


Wash and scrub the mussels. Discard any open ones that do not close when tapped, then set aside the remainder. Heat the oil in a large pan on medium high and add the curry leaves, chillies, onion and ginger and cook, stirring, for 6–8 minutes. When the onion is translucent, add the turmeric and stir for 30 seconds, then add the Aroy-D Instant Red Curry. Bring to a simmer and allow to bubble for a couple of minutes. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, then add the mussels, cover the pan and simmer heavily on medium for 10-12 minutes until all the mussels have opened. If all the mussels haven’t opened, re-cover the pan and simmer another minute. Remove the pan from the heat and discard any unopened mussels. To serve, ladle the mussels and sauce into a large bowl with plenty of squishy pita bread or bowl of steamed Jasmin rice.

Yellow Bird: The Ultimate Caribbean Rum Cocktail

Yellow bird is a delicious rum cocktail filled with tropical fruit. While the primary recipe features orange juice, pineapple and banana also make an appearance in many variations on the yellow bird. It's a drink that's a hit on the beaches of the Caribbean, although you will be hard-pressed to find two yellow birds made the same way. As is common in tiki-style cocktails, the yellow bird uses both a light rum and a dark rum, with a touch of Galliano added to bring in another layer of flavour and make things a bit more interesting. No matter how you make it, this sweet elixir makes a great summertime cocktail, especially listening to the dulcet tones of Harry Belafonte in the background, singing "Yellow Bird".



Yellow Bird
Serves 4

2 limes, juiced
5 oz fresh squeezed or good quality orange juice
4 oz light rum
4 oz dark rum​
1 oz Galliano Liqueur

Garnish: 
4 Luzxardo Maraschino cherries & slices of orange


Squeeze the lime juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the orange juice, both rums, and Galliano. Shake well then strain into a champagne glass and garnish with a cherry and slice of orange, if you like. Serve and enjoy!

TOCA at The Ritz Carlton Toronto: Take-Out Dinner

The Ritz-Carlton in Toronto is currently offering TOCA's finest cuisine to enjoy in the comfort of your home during the global pandemic, with their 'Dine at Home' menu, created by executive chef Paul Shewchuk. Ordering ahead through 'Tock', we picked up our 5-course dinner at the Ritz, being met at a handsome fellow decked out in a smart suit and tie complete with white mask and white gloves, at the Ritz's private pickup door. As we waited for our dinner arrive, we were presented with a cup of housemade gazpacho on a silver tray by a young server, which was quite delicious. A special offer by American Express, the dinner for 2 amounted to just $50, a fabulous value and absolutely delicious. 

Toca at the Ritz Carlton Toronto packages their takeout dinners in the hotels iconic blue bags

Accompanying sauces for each of the featured dishes

San Marzano Tomato Tartare topped with with Burrata and Kalamata Olive-Piquillo Relish 

and fresh spring vegetables 

Housemade Focaccia with olive oil and spicy Friggione tomato relish

Sautéed Jumbo Asparagus with Gnocchi alla Romano and Romesco Sauce

Slow Braised Short Ribs with Porcini Mushrooms and Barolo Sauce

Executive Chef Paul Shewchuk

www.exploretock.com/theritzcarltontoronto

Toca's Signature Ravioli Caprese 

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef Paul Shewchuk + Partner Chef Oliver Glowig

Cacciotta Stuffing:

4 1/2 lb/2 kg Cacciotta cheese, dried

2 large eggs

1/3 oz/10g marjoram

Tomato Sauce:

2 jars pickled cherry tomatoes - Pomodoro Datterino

1/3 oz/10 g garlic, peeled

2 tbsp/25ml extra virgin olive cil

1 pinch coarse Kosher salt

4-5 basil leaves

1/3 oz/10 g shallot

1/3 oz/10 g red cherry tomato

Ravioli Dough:

1 cup/280 ml Water

1 lb/500 g Flour

1 large egg

1 tsp/5 ml Olive Oil

Cacciotta Stuffing: Cut the Cacciotta into small cubes. Pick the leaves off the marjoram and mix it into the cacciotta mix. Put the cacciotta mix into a clean meat grinder and process. Add two whole eggs into the grounded cacciotta mix and portion 20 g balls to be set aside for the raviolis.

Tomato Sauce: Slice all of the raw cherry tomatoes in half and set aside.

Brunoise all the shallots and set it aside. Open all the jars of tomatoes and drain the liquid. Sweat the garlic and shallots in a pot with olive oil until it is translucent. Add the drained tomatoes and the raw cherry tomatoes with the garlic and shallots. Add the basil and let the sauce cook for half an hour or until it is the correct consistency.

Ravioli Dough: Heat water on the stove to approximately 175°F. Knead flour and water and olive oil in mixer with paddle. Knead till the dough forms a ball.