BEEF SPIEDINI with GARLIC & ROSEMARY

Spiedini are Italian kebobs traditionally made with lamb and grilled over charcoal, but you can use your favorite meat for great results. If serving as a passed appetizer, keep them fairly small, using bite-sized cubes of beef for easy handling (and avoiding the dreaded drip on your shirt). The marinating time is very quick so this recipe comes together in a snap.

Servings: 8, as an appetizer
Prep Time:  15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 24 6-inch bamboo skewers
  • 2 lbs beef sirloin, trimmed of silver skin and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 clove fresh local garlic, minced   
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, plus a full sprig for brushing
  • 1 Tbsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp coarse salt
  • 1 12-inch strip of aluminum foil folded in 3 (to go on the grill)

To Finish:

  • 2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS
 

  1. Soak the bamboo skewers in a dish of cold water for 30 minutes – this will help prevent them from burning on the grill.
  2. Toss the beef cubes in the garlic, rosemary, black pepper, oil and salt to coat well and let marinate for 10 minutes. If you wish to marinate longer, do not add the salt and store refrigerated until you are ready to grill.
  3. Thread the meat cubes onto the bamboo skewers (about 3 pieces per skewer), leaving enough room at the base of the skewer to make them easy to pick up and eat.
  4. Pre-heat the grill to medium high. Place the foil on the grill where the exposed skewers ends will sit, so that they do not burn.  Stir the remaining parsley, olive oil and balsamic vinegar together and have on hand.
  5. Grill the spiedini 2 minutes then turn. Use the rosemary sprig as a basting brush the balsamic glaze onto the meat and then turn, brushing again. Grill 1-2 minutes further, or to your liking and serve immediately.

LEMON CORNMEAL WAFFLES with SUMMER FRUITS and LEMON YOGURT

This splashy, summery plate makes a lovely dessert, but with its light and refreshing lemon yogurt and fresh fruit you could also serve this for breakfast. For a more decadent dessert version, try a scoop of vanilla ice cream in place of the yoghurt.

Yield: 4-6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

WAFFLE INGREDIENTS

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 2 large eggs, separated

LEMON YOGHURT

  • 1 ½ cups plain Greek yoghurt (non-fat or low-fat is OK)
  • 1/3 cup sifted icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
  • 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

TOPPING

  • 3-4 cups fresh Canadian summer fruits (peeled and sliced as needed), such as raspberries, wild blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots

DIRECTIONS
 

  1. For the waffles, stir the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt together.  In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil and egg yolks together. Add this to the dry mixture and stir gently until blended (but, like pancake batter, a few lumps are OK).
  2. In another bowl, whisk the 2 egg whites (by hand or with electric beaters) until they hold a soft peak when the whisk or beaters are lifted. Fold these gently into the batter.
  3. Preheat your waffle iron according to instructions. Lightly grease the iron (if requested in the instructions) and ladle batter to fill the iron once closed (the first waffle is your test as to how much batter to use). Cook the waffle until lightly browned at crisp, and remove. Repeat with the remaining batter. You can make the waffles ahead of time and re-warm (oven, grill or toaster – not the microwave), since they are best served warm.
  4. For the lemon yoghurt, stir all of the ingredients together and chill until ready to serve.
  5. To assemble, place a waffle on a plate, dollop a spoonful of lemon yoghurt on top and smother with fresh fruit before dusting the dessert with icing sugar. Enjoy!