We are celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday this year and along with countless other Canadians, I want to host a special barbecue party sometime this summer in gratitude and celebration for the privilege of living here.
Let’s get creative this Canada Day, or anytime this summer, with some vibrant red and white treats that embody this great country in both appearance and taste. Perhaps treat your family to sweet strawberry crepes for breakfast or brunch. Another Canadian favourite: for decades when I was a child my mom baked our bread, and once in awhile she would treat us to deep-fried bread, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar (similar to bannock). You can top it with with jam, honey, fresh berries or even salmon. And what’s more Canadian than fresh Pacific salmon barbecued on a cedar plank? Maybe a loaded potato salad?
Happy Birthday, Canada!
Creamy Strawberry Crepes
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
Place the eggs, milk, water, melted butter, flour and salt in the pitcher of a blender; blend until smooth.
Blend the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 2 tablespoons for each crepe. Tip and rotate pan to spread batter as thinly as possible. Flip over when the batter is set and the edges are beginning to brown. Cook until the other side begins to brown. Stack finished crepes on a plate, cover with a damp towel and set aside.
To serve, fill each crepe with 1/4 cup sliced strawberries and 1/3 cup of the cream cheese filling, roll up and top with a small dollop of the second whipped cream.
Cinnamon-sugar snowshoes (Bannock)
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp active dry yeast (4 g)
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (255 g)
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt (1 g)
Cinnamon Sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar (140 g)
2 tsp. cinnamon (2 g)
1/4 cup butter, melted
Microwave milk until warm, 45 sec. Pour into bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add yeast and stir. Let stand for 5 min. Add flour, 2 tbsp. butter and salt. Beat on medium-low until dough forms a ball and is very smooth, about 5 min. Spray a medium bowl with oil. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Lightly spray with oil.
Scrape dough out of mixer bowl into oiled bowl. Lightly oil top of dough and cover with a damp tea towel (not terry cloth). Let stand in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. Divide dough into 8 portions. Roll each into a ball, then arrange on prepared sheet. Cover with same damp tea towel and let stand, 15 min. Roll out each portion on a floured surface into 1/8 in. thick ovals. Transfer to prepared sheet. Cover with same damp tea towel and let stand, 15 more min. Pour oil into a large pot until it reaches 1 in. up the sides (about 6 cups). Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side. Heat dough, 1 piece at a time, flipping often, until golden, 2 to 3 min. Drain on paper towels.
STIR sugar with cinnamon on a plate until combined. Brush tops and bottoms of fried dough with 1/4 cup butter. Dip both sides into sugar until well-coated. Serve with lemon wedges.
Cedar-plank salmon
2 untreated cedar planks, about 12 in. long
2 750-g centre-cut, skin-on salmon fillets
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 very small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dill
Soak planks in cold water for 1 to 2 hours. Preheat barbecue to medium. Slice each salmon fillet into 6 thin portions, cutting through flesh but not through the skin. Place each fillet on a plank, skin-side down. Stir together Dijon, oil and salt in a small bowl. Brush over salmon and into the cuts. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Scatter onion over top.
Grill, covered, until fillet is barely firm to the touch and white juices appear all over the sides, 20 to 25 min. Turn barbecue off and keep lid closed for 5 min. Fish should now feel firm to the touch and a knife inserted into the thickest part and held for 10 seconds should be warm. If not, close lid and let rest another 5 min. Watch plank carefully; if it catches fire, spray with water and reduce the heat to medium-low. Use a wide spatula to remove fillets to a platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Kitchen Tip: The easiest way to soak the planks is to fill the sink or a cooler with water, then add planks and set a heavy pot on top of them to keep them submerged.
Loaded Baked Potato Salad Recipe
4 pounds russet potatoes
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 pound bacon, cooked, cooled and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise (any flavour you like)
¾ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 green onions, chopped
1½ cups medium cheddar cheese, shredded
Place the cleaned potatoes on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and pierce 4-5 times with a fork. Lightly coat with olive oil and cook for 50-60 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Remove the skins and cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks and place in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the apple cider vinegar and let rest for 15-30 minutes.
Crumble the coked bacon into bite-size pieces. Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream in a small bowl and season with the kosher salt and pepper and then add to the potatoes. Stir in the bacon, green onion and cheddar cheese and season with more salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for 3 hours up to overnight before serving. Delicious!