Festive Fall Flavours!
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we wanted to bring you some festive fall flavours that you can serve up this weekend! These simple recipes can impress a table full of guests or make a small family celebration feel a little extra special!
We're showcasing the best that the fall season has to offer with a Thai flavoured Squash Soup, eye-catching & mouthwatering Fresh Baked Foccacia & cinnamon & apple spiced Harvest Sangria!
Thai Coconut Milk Squash Soup
(Serves 4 large portions, 8 appetizer portions)
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
4 cups carrots, chopped
1 Cup yellow onion, chopped
2-3 Tablespoons red curry paste (depending on desired spice level)
3 lbs squash, peeled & chopped (try acorn, butternut, kabocha - not spaghetti squash)
2 Tablespoons minced ginger
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
24 oz canned coconut milk
2 Tablespoons palm sugar (can substitute brown sugar)
1/4 cup lime juice
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt to taste
* Chopped peanuts, coconut milk and cilantro to garnish.
METHOD
1. Heat coconut oil over medium high heat
2. Add Carrots and onions, cook till soft & onions are translucent.
3. Add garlic and ginger, stirring. Cook for 2 min or till fragrant.
3. Add curry paste and cook for one minute.
4. Add remaining ingredients and cook until squash is soft and cooked through.
5. Let cool slightly and use either an immersion blender or base blender to blend soup into smooth mixture. Add more salt & pepper if desired.
6. Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk, chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro.
French Linen Oven Mitt
Cotton Dough Riser
Marble Spoon Rest
Fresh Baked Foccacia
Ingredients
431g Flour
5g Active Dry Yeast
11g Salt
235 ml Warm Water
50g Olive or Canola Oil, more for topping and greasing the pan
Optional for garnish: Roasted garlic, caramelized onions, shallots, fresh herbs, chopped olives, tomatoes or sliced apple
Method
1. Combine flour, yeast & salt in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If mixing by hand, give the dry mix a little stir to ensure salt and yeast are evenly distributed.
2. Measure out 235ml of warm but not hot water and add it to the dry mix.
3. Reserve 4 tables spoons of oil and add the rest into the mixing bowl. If you would like any flavourings in your bread such as roasted garlic or rosemary, add them to the dough at this point, or you may use them to garnish the top of the focaccia in the last step.
4. Mix by hand or with mixer until dough is formed, it should not have any clumps of dry ingredients. If you have added the rosemary and garlic, there may be some lumps in your dough which is perfectly normal. When mixing by hand, you may have to transfer dough onto a floured surface and knead to achieve the consistency outlines above.
5. Once the dough is mixed. Use 1.5 tbsp of your reserved oil to lightly oil the bottom and sides of your selected baking dish. Transfer dough to the oiled baking dish and cover with plastic or beeswax wrap and allow to double in size in a warm to room temperature environment. This can take approximately 30-60 minutes.
Pro tip: if the baking dish of choice fits, you may place it in the chamber of your microwave with a glass of boiled water to trap steam. Do not turn the microwave on with your dough inside.
6. Once the dough has risen, spread your dough out by pulling it to stretch it and pressing it with your finger tips to reach the corners and edges of the baking dish. Aim to have an even thickness throughout your baking dish. If you have chosen a large baking sheet, create a “free form” shape.
7. Drizzle the last remaining oil over the surface of your dough and spread it around with your fingertips. If you opted to garnish the top of your focaccia with your rosemary and garlic, place them on the surface of the dough and press into place gently. You may also add your own personal touches such as : cherry tomatoes, pitted olives, sliced shallot or onion, coarse salt, and cracked black pepper to name a few.
Pro tip: Arrange the toppings in a design for a beautiful presentation!
8. Place the dough back where it was rising for another 30-45 minutes. When the dough is ready to bake it should have risen again, almost doubling in size and should leave an impression if poked by your finger.
9. Preheat oven to 425F. Place the focaccia in the oven and bake for approximately 18 minutes. You may add more time of you like your focaccia darker.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Slice and enjoy!
HARVEST SANGRIA
makes one glass
INGREDIENTS
1 oz Apple Sour Puss
4 oz white wine
3 oz apple juice
2 oz gingerale
apple slices
ground cinnamon & cinnamon sticks
METHOD
Fill a large wine glass or mason jar with 3/4 full with ice. Combine Sour Puss, white wine, apple juice & gingerale over ice. Top with apple slices, a dash of cinnamon & a cinnamon stick for garnish.
Pro Tip: try adding frozen cranberries and/or substituting cranberry juice for apple juice!
