Savour Spring with Flavourful Local Recipes Enjoying local food is an easy thing to do when you buy delicious food grown and produced in Ontario. Put the spring back in your step and savour these four delicious, family-friendly recipes featuring local goodness. This colourful and refreshing Pickled Strawberry Salad is delightful for lunch. The pickled strawberries add a burst of sweet and sour to the salad. You can easily substitute blue cheese for a different flavour combination. Or, for a snack, try topping crackers with a strong cheese and pickled strawberries. Yum! Take an imaginary trip on your March break and explore a dish of vibrant yellow Caribbean-Style Turkey and Potato Curry. Ontario turkey is the star of this hearty, mildly spicy stew. The curry pairs well with your choice of rice, naan or roti. If you are looking for a new recipe to add to your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, Coddled Pork Chops with Cider is the one to choose. This recipe is a variation on the traditional Dublin Coddle. The potatoes, carrots, cabbage and bacon are slow-cooked in sweet apple cider and topped with pork chops. Serve this hearty and tasty meal with soda bread to soak up the delicious sauce. A great recipe to get your kids in the kitchen to help with the mashing and rolling is Sweet Potato and Almond Cookies. These easy-to-make cookies feature mashed sweet potato and almond flour. They’re soft and flavourful with a satisfying crunch from the golden almond exterior and will have you coming back for more. The cookies are a perfect snack or dessert served with a cold glass of milk. There’s a lot available from Ontario every month and we are here to help you. Visit foodlandontario.ca to find out what’s available, and for more quick and easy recipes you can make with food you can find in your fridge, freezer or pantry. Eating local is easy, flavourful and delicious year-round; now let’s get into the kitchen and start cooking! During the upcoming weeks, the Town Crier will feature the recipes for the above mentioned dishes – we hope you enjoy them! Pickled Strawberry Salad Pickled strawberries add a burst of refreshing sweet and sour to the salad. Try substituting blue cheese for the goat cheese. The pickled strawberries are also delicious with a strong cheese on a cracker. Preparation Time: 30 minutesCooling Time: 60 minutesServes 6 3/4 cup (175 mL) white balsamic vinegar1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) mustard seeds1 bay leaf6 sprigs fresh Ontario Thyme, leaves picked and chopped, stems reservedPinch crushed red pepper flakesSalt and pepper1-1/2 cups (375 mL) hulled, quartered Ontario Greenhouse Strawberries1 Ontario Greenhouse Lettuce, (such as Boston, Bibb or Butter Head), separated into leavesHalf Ontario Greenhouse Cucumber, cut into matchsticks150 g Ontario Goat Cheddar, crumbled1 cup (250 mL) hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped1/4 cup (50 mL) hazelnut oil or Ontario Sunflower Oil1 pkg (3 oz/100 g) Ontario Pea Sprouts, trimmed In medium bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, bay leaf, thyme stems, red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt and 1/4 cup (50 mL) warm water; stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Add strawberries, cover, let cool to room temperature or refrigerate overnight. With slotted spoon, remove strawberries to paper towels. Remove and discard thyme stems and bay leaf; reserve pickling liquid. Divide lettuce among 6 plates. In large bowl, toss cucumber, cheese, hazelnuts, oil, thyme leaves, pea sprouts, pickled strawberries and 3 tbsp(45 mL) of the reserved pickling liquid. Spoon over lettuce leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle some of the pickling liquid around each serving. Tips: Pickled strawberries will keep for 5 days covered in the refrigerator. Pickling vinegar can be strained and used to make a strawberry vinaigrette. Nutritional Information:1 ServingPROTEIN: 11 gramsFAT: 29 gramsCARBOHYDRATE: 26 gramsCALORIES: 399FIBRE: 3 gramsSODIUM: 190 mg – Printed with permission from Foodland Ontario
Pickled Strawberry Salad
