By Doug on May 31, 2010
Pea shoots, lamb and maple syrup are some of the ingredients that symbolize the spring. Chef Paolo Colbertaldo, from jane’s on the common, created this delightfully simple salad featuring all three. This salad was one of the courses featured at the Slow Food Nova Scotia 2010 Spring Supper.
Salad
4 tbsp Maple Syrup
24 Whole Macadamia Nuts
8 oz Fresh Pea Shoots
4 oz Lamb Bacon (available from Wood ‘n Hart Farms)
1 Log Dragon’s Breath Blue Cheese (available with That Dutchman’s Farm)
¾ cup Honey Balsamic Dressing (see recipe below)
In a small pot, bring maple syrup up to a boil. As soon as it boils, add nuts and lower to medium heat. Stir constantly until nuts become dry and well coated. Be sure to keep an eye on the heat as the maple syrup will burn easily!
Soak the lamb bacon overnight in water. Drain; dry and sear in a pan over high heat until crispy on the outside. Allow to cool and slice very thinly.
To assemble the salad:
Lightly toss pea shoots in a bowl with the dressing.Divide greens between 6 plates, top with lambs bacon, macadamia nuts and crumbled Dragon’s breath cheese. Feel free to substitute the macadamia nuts for your favorite nuts!
Serves 6 people.
Honey Balsamic Dressing
1 ½ tsp Dijon Mustard
4 1/2 tsp Honey
5 ½ tsp Lemon Juice
5 ½ tsp Balsamic Vinegar (dark or white)
Pinch of Salt and Pepper
2 ½ tbsp Olive Oil
½ cup Canola Oil
Measure out all ingredients into a Mason jar or empty yogurt container. Using a hand blender; blitz ingredients together until smooth and creamy (10 seconds). Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Makes: 1 cup
Recipe provided by:
Chef Paolo Colbertaldo
jane’s on the common
Nova Scotia wineries received 16 awards at the annual All Canadian Wine Championships in Windsor, Ontario. The All Canadian Wine Championships, considered the country’s leading wine competition, announced the winners for 2010 on Friday, May 21.
“The growth of the industry in this province is very much a team effort…we are proud to be a part of this industry in Nova Scotia and there is not another province we would rather be in,” says Karen Enright, owner of Annapolis Highland Vineyards and first time winner at the All Canadian Wine Championships. “We are absolutely thrilled about our awards. On Friday I was clicking the site every five minutes to see the results…I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw our Pinot Gris won gold.”
Held annually, this year’s competition had a record-breaking 1,143 wines submitted in the competition with wines represented from coast to coast. “Nova Scotia has a lot to be proud of,” says Janice Ruddock, managing director of the Winery Association of Nova Scotia. “This recognition continues to show that our wines are being represented and respected on the national as well as international levels. It is especially exciting to see promising new wineries producing award-winning wines their first year in business.” more…
In recent weeks local proprietor and owner of Saege Bistro, Chef Geir Simensen had his business attended to by six fire trucks and 1000 gallons of water. Needless to say, Saege was in ruins. It has been no small feat, as staff and crews have been working around the clock in a great effort to bring Saege back. As Saege underwent extensive repairs and renovations from severe fire and water damage, the efforts have been successful and Saege reopened on Saturday, May 29th, 2010 for brunch.
For those that frequent often over the next few weeks you will continue to see progress and change to the “New face of Saege Bistro”.
By Doug on May 25, 2010
Taste of Nova Scotia member FID Resto recently launched a fresh new website for the restaurant. The site design is accessible, easy to find and navigate and local by nature. It features mouthwatering photos, current menus for brunch, lunch and dinner (updated regularly), upcoming special events, as well as links to reviews. Plus … get the real story on how FID Resto got its start. It’s all at: http://fidresto.ca/
Get ready for a great weekend of mussel tasting, wine sipping and all things mussels. The fourth annual Indian Point/Mahone Bay Mussel Festival will take place May 21, 22 & 23 in Mahone Bay and at the Indian Point Marine Farm in Indian Point. Described as a spring celebration of local mussels and wine, the festival offers tours of the Indian Point Mussel farm, wine tasting by local wineries, a myriad of mussel dishes served up in the local restaurants, story telling and music. more…
Fast, fervent and fun, the second annual Taste of Nova Scotia Cutting Edge Culinary Competition took place from April 30 to May 2 at the annual Saltscapes Exposition. Ten Taste of Nova Scotia chefs faced-off on the culinary stage and executive chef Alan Crosby of White Point Beach Resort took home first prize.
“We are proud to be a Taste of Nova Scotia member and I personally enjoy showcasing the amazing variety and quality of the products available to us in Nova Scotia through our menu and special events,” says Crosby. “This competition gives me another chance to promote our local products and answer interesting culinary questions from the audience at the same time.” more…
