Sweet Savory Sausage Roll

Sweet Savory Sausage Roll

Pack your picnic basket.  Two easy-to-find supermarket condiments do all of the heavy lifting here. Hoisin, a sweet and vinegary brown sauce full of Chinese five-spice powder, and sriracha, a hot-sweet North American take on a very different Thai sauce by the same name, are both flavor bombs in bottles. A little of each, some garlic, and a touch of honey in the sausage meat result in something you’ll want to eat by the mittful.   Serve with Pineapple Slaw.     Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs (680 g) lean ground pork
1/3 cup (80 mL) hoisin sauce
1/2 cup (125 mL) bread crumbs
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 tbsp (15 mL) sriracha
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
Freshly ground black pepper
1 sheet pre-rolled frozen puff pastry, thawed
Flour as needed
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
3 tbsp (45 mL) sesame seeds

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine pork, hoisin, bread crumbs, honey, salt, sriracha and garlic. Add a few grindings of coarsely ground black pepper. Mix with your hands until evenly combined.

Cut a piece of parchment paper roughly the size of a baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle with flour and unroll your puff pastry overtop. Sprinkle pastry with a bit more flour and gently roll out with a rolling pin to lengthen into a 10 x 12-inch (25 x 30-cm) rectangle.

Working lengthwise, leave a 1-inch (2.5-cm) border on one side and arrange the sausage mixture in a log-like roll parallel to the border. Brush border with egg yolk. Using the parchment, lift pastry from the other side and bring into contact with egg-washed border to enclose meat (the ends of the sausage roll will remain open). Use a fork to seal long edge. Carefully transfer parchment and roll to baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).

Score three short slashes on top of roll to vent, brush with remaining egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake on centre rack for 45 to 50 minutes or until top has developed a deep golden colour. Let cool to room temperature, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until ready to pack up.

To serve, cut into 12 equal-sized slices.   Serve with a Pinot Gris wine.

Potatoes, Spinach, And Cheese Quiche

 

Potatoes, Spinach, and Cheese Quiche

Enjoy this quiche for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! For breakfast, serve with a side of bacon and some fruit or juice; for lunch, present with a salad and iced tea; or for dinner, plate it with a side of steamed broccoli or carrots and some crusty French bread.

Ingredients:
1 sheet pastry dough for 9-inch tart 
5 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups frozen hash browns, thawed
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere Cheese, divided
7 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons everything but the bagel seasoning
3 dashes hot pepper sauce such as tabasco, or to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). 

  Cut a 9-inch circle of parchment paper.

  Place pastry crust in a 9-inch quiche or pie pan, gently shaping and stretching to fit. Prick crust with a fork several times and place parchment circle over top. Add pie weights or dried beans on top of parchment paper.

  Set the pan on a baking sheet and place in the center of the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake about 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove pie weights or beans and parchment paper. Leave oven on.

  While the crust is cooling, squeeze thawed spinach between several layers of paper towels, to remove most of the moisture. Set aside.

  Add thawed potatoes to the cooled crust. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese on top.

  Stir beaten eggs, cream, bagel seasoning, and hot pepper sauce in a large bowl until ingredients are fully incorporated. Stir in spinach, breaking up any clumps. Pour mixture over the cheese and potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere on top.

  Place in the center of the oven and bake until eggs are set and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Warm Blue Cheese Dip

WARM BLUE CHEESE DIP

The funky flavours of blue cheese are spot on with smoky grilled vegetables. It’s best served warm—not too hot—to let the flavours shine. Ingredients:4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened, cut into chunks 1/4 cup (60 mL) sour cream 3 tbsp (45 mL) mayonnaise 1 tbsp (15 mL) water 1 tsp (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce Dash hot sauce 1/2 tsp (2 mL) coarsely ground black pepper 1 tsp (5 mL) white wine vinegar 2 oz (55 g) crumbled blue cheese 3 green onions, white and light green parts only, chopped Directions: Combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and water in a small saucepan over medium heat; whisk until smooth and hot. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Do not overmix—there should be visible chunks of blue cheese. Serve warm. The dip is best the day it’s made. Yield: 1 cup dip.