Recipes

Who says you can't make friends with Salad? This salad, featuring Johnstons bacon is absolutely delicious. Bring this to your next summer BBQ...we guarantee you will leave with new friends!

BLT Chopped Salad 

Ingredients:

• 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 cups fresh arugula, chopped
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
• 6 slices Thick-Cut Cracked Pepper Bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
• 1 cup frozen niblets, thawed
• 1 avocado, chopped
• ½ cup feta, crumbled
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, arugula, tomatoes, corn and avocado

2. Add in salt, pepper, olive oil and lime juice then toss well to coat

3. Fold in bacon and feta then divide evenly amount 2 plates

4. Serve & enjoy!

This cocktail, made with preserved lemons, give the classic dirty martini a fresh, lemony twist. It's strong, refreshing, and everything a we think a cocktail should be! Pair with local vodka from Gillespies Fine Spirits and you've got yourself a match made in heaven.

It's also the perfect way to bring some sunshine into your kitchen...if you know what we mean! 

Dirty Lemon Martini 

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Gastown Shine Wheat Vodka 
• 2 oz Dry Vermouth 
• 1 oz Preserved Lemon Brine
• 2 thin slices of preserved lemon peel 

Instructions:

Pour vodka, dry vermouth, and lemon brine into a cocktail shaker, with a generous amount of ice.

Place a slice of lemon peel in each glass. Divide liquid between the two glasses and enjoy!

Mixed Greens with Preserved Lemon & Bitters Dressing 

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Combine lemon peel, celery seed, and sugar in a bowl and mix well. Mash ingredients together until well combined, or use a mortar and pestle. 

Stir in lemon juice and bitters. Pour in EVOO, while constantly mixing. Continue stirring until well incorporated, add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve tossed into your favourite mixed greens and topped with fresh farmers market vegetables.

Bitters are a highly concentrated liquids that are typically used to in mixology to flavour cocktails. They can also be used in food, a few drops can add a wonderful flavour to your dish. We love to re-purpose ingredients and use them in new ways. This recipe, using orange bitters is no exception. 

Orange Bitters Crème Caramel

• ½ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 6 oz. ramekins
• 4 larger eggs
• 2 cups whole milk or half & half
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp. orange bitters
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Dash salt
• Raspberries (to garnish)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Place ramekins in a 9 x 13 baking pan. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan; stir. Boil gently over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until sugar starts to turn golden.

Remove from heat and divide among ramekins, titling to coat bottoms of each as you pour. Note that sugar will continue to caramelize after removing pan from heat.

Meanwhile boil a quart or two of water for the 9 x 13 pan. For crème, whisk eggs in a medium bowl.

Add remaining ingredients; stir to dissolve sugar. Divide among the 6 ramekins. Pour the hot water into pan halfway up the ramekins. Bake 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand in hot water 10 minutes. Remove ramekins from water and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or for several days. Invert onto plates and serve with raspberries. You can also serve in the ramekins.

Chef's Tip: To invert, run a thin knife or rubber spatula around the inside edges of ramekins. Place serving plate on top and quickly turn over. If crème caramel does not drop out, wiggle ramekin a bit.

Try different flavours or bitters to re-invent your recipes - Cranberry, Rhubarb, Peach and more!

Lavender latte, yes you read that right! We love using our Cahoots simple syrup in more than just cocktails. Unique, delicious and the perfect way to start your weekend!

Lavender Latte 

Ingredients:

• 2 shots of Parallel 49 Espresso
• 1/2 oz Lavender Cahoots Simple Syrup
• 4 oz Whole Milk

Instructions:

Heat whole milk with Lavender Cahoots in a saucepan. Just before boil, pull from heat and whisk rapidly with a metal whisk. You can also steam with your espresso machine,or use a milk frother.

Pour espresso shots into a latte cup. Top with warmed, frothed milk.

This is the perfect weekend dinner. Just imagine yourself with a cold beer in hand, delicious chicken on the grill and the sun is shining. We can help with the beer and chicken, as for the sun...we are crossing our fingers. If we aren't so lucky this weekend, this tropical chicken should help ease the pain.

Grilled Huli Huli Chicken 

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. sherry
• ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1” fresh ginger
• ½ cup crushed pineapple
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 12 bone in, skin on chicken thighs

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix the first 8 ingredients. Reserve about ¼ of the mixture for basting; cover and refrigerate. Put the chicken thighs in the marinade, ensuring the are all coated. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Drain and discard marinade from chicken. Pre-heat your BBQ to medium high heat.

Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 6-8 minutes per side or until internal temperature with a digital thermometer reads 160 degrees; baste occasionally with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the grill, allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving.