Toronto chef Chris Klugman took over the catering and takeout-food department of the Summerhill Market in the fashionable Toronto district of Rosedale in 2001. His soups and prepared main courses are flying off the shelves of this upscale family-run grocery store, which was established in 1954. The most popular dinner item is chicken pot pie, subtly flavoured and rich in chicken taste. Klugman likes to thicken the sauce with a roux of rendered chicken fat and flour; try it if you wish. You can also boil cubed potatoes in the cooking liquid to add to the pie.
This dish is pure comfort food to John Catucci, host of Food Network Canada’s Big Food Bucket List. It’s his mom’s original recipe – with a few of his own tricks added to it. He makes it at least twice a month. It’s simple but SO delicious and it comes together pretty quickly.
John travels coast to coast checking off one tasty meal at a time and sharing some delightful moments with both the chefs and customers along the way. And be sure to catch brand-new episodes of Big Food Bucket List starting on September 3rd at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network Canada! Food Network Canada is also available to stream live and on demand with STACKTV.
I like to prepare dishes for guests that allow me to enjoy their company. In order to do this, I select dishes that can be prepared before the guests arrive and are already cooking while we are enjoying their company. My "Sure to Please" Chicken Cacciatore is a prime example of this. Over time I have made several adjustments to enhance the flavour while at the same time using healthy alternatives (eg. skinless chicken thighs and breasts; I saute ingredients in extra virgin olive oil instead of butter). Because this dish has an Italian flare, so do all the other dishes that I serve before, during and after this meal. I serve an antipasta tray as an appetizer, and toasted garlic bread, a tossed green salad with an oil and vinaigrette dressing, whole wheat spaghetti, and the same wine that is in the cacciatore. For dessert I serve Tiramisu (also made ahead). As a result, most of my work is complete before company arrives. I have shared this recipe with women who say they do not cook and I have received rave reviews from all of them - their guests loved it so much that one man ate the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. I like to make this dish in the summer, when I can use fresh produce from my vegetable garden or from the local farmer's market. My inspiration for this recipe is that I love to cook and entertain. This recipe is full of flavour, easy to prepare and tastes like you were in the kitchen all day (what a bonus!).
One of the pleasures of the cooking traditions of the British Isles is seafood pie, with its bounty of northern seafood in a creamy sauce topped with flaky pastry. You can make the pie a day ahead and refrigerate it or freeze it. If you prefer, use pie pastry (one double-crust recipe) instead of puff pastry.
This turkey is full of flavour thanks to the brine and smoke. Cooking on the barbecue not only allows you to smoke the bird but also keeps your oven free for other dishes. For best results, do not use a bird larger than 13 lb (6 kg) on the barbecue. You'll need about 2-1/2 cups applewood chips; be sure to soak them in water for an hour before using.
Smoking turkey with applewood chips imparts a subtle sweet flavour that will make your meal extra special. If you love a strong smoky aroma, opt for a more potent wood, such as hickory. Always read the label before buying a turkey; for this recipe, you'll want an unseasoned bird, as turkeys labelled "seasoned" have already been salted.
My inspiration for the recipe began with an amazing cheese course I had at a dinner party at my sister's house. Rosemary honey drizzled on sharp cheese on a gourmet cracker. Divine! I knew my recipe had to have a rosemary honey component (and lucky for me I had overwintered a rosemary plant from my garden.) Thyme honey, my alternate choice and made the same way, was also delicious. I also wanted to focus on local prairie ingredients...you can't find lemons or olive oil here so I didn't put any in my recipe! I love risotto and thought it a good way to bring the sharp cheese into the recipe. I don't like the constant stirring of the usually method so tried local grains baked instead. The oats are creamy and the barley still has slight bite so it is a great combination. A friend who was sampling my recipe stated, "the risotto was a real surprise, the star of the show." I choose pickerel because it is a local prairie fish, is quite mild, and blends nicely with the other flavours. Rainbow trout also works nicely. The carrots and parsnips were grown locally and the rosemary honey just brings out the flavours wonderfully. To serve: Scoop a generous portion of risotto onto plates. Place an array of vegetables to the side of risotto, then top with a half fillet of pickerel. Drizzle with remaining rosemary honey and garnish with sprig of parsley. Excellent with any British Columbia Meritage or Pinot Grigio Note: If you have any leftover risotto, it is delicious for breakfast with crispy bacon on the side!
Serve 3/4 cups rice and ladle stew on top making sure each serving has equal portions of carrots and bison, sprinkle with ~ 1 teaspoon of cilantro. Serve immediately. NOTE: When I cook this dish, a salad is served before the main course and the side dish for the main course is steamed broccoli. Dessert is Chocolate cake with mixed fruit and French vanilla ice cream.
