Pressed Picnic Sandwich

Pressing this sandwich melds the flavors of this sandwich allowing the layers to become one incredible experience.

This sandwich can be made one day ahead of time; instead of adding the vinaigrette in step three, add it just before you pack the sandwich, or one hour before serving.

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

1 large flat loaf rustic bread
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 loaf rustic Italian bread, such as ciabatta
1/2 cup prepared black-olive paste
8 ounces fresh goat cheese
8 ounces marinated artichokes
6 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
1/4 pound peppered salami, thinly sliced
2 1/4 cups loosely packed mixed fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro, or parsley

1. Heat a grill or grill pan to hot; alternatively, heat the broiler. Cook peppers until completely charred, turning frequently so all sides cook evenly, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Place peppers in a deep bowl, and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Set bowl aside until the skins loosen and the peppers are cool enough to handle. Using your hands, rub off the charred skin, rinsing your hands frequently under cold running water. Slice peppers in half, and remove the seeds and stems. Cut flesh into 1-inch-wide strips.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the mustard and vinegar. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Whisk in 2 tablespoons warm water. Whisk in salt and pepper to taste, and set the vinaigrette aside.

3. Slice the loaf of bread lengthwise, and remove crumb; reserve crumb for another use. Spread the olive paste on the bottom crust, and add the pepper strips. Crumble the goat cheese on top of peppers. Arrange artichokes over goat cheese. Drizzle half of the reserved vinaigrette on top. Arrange prosciutto and salami over artichokes. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Scatter herbs over meats. Place the top crust on sandwich.

4. Wrap the sandwich tightly with plastic wrap. Set a weight such as a brick or large cast-iron skillet on top for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, slice sandwich into ten pieces.

French-Canadian Shepherds Pie

1 small pepper squash cut in half lengthwise

3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed

1 tsp. butter (5 ml)

pinch allspice

salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

¼ cup 10 % cream (50 ml)

pinch grated nutmeg

Filling:

1 Tbsp. butter (15 ml)

1 lb. Ground pork (450 gm)

½ lb. ground turkey (225 gm)

4 large shallots, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 stalks celery, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 tsp. fresh chopped thyme (10 ml)

½ tsp. dried savory ( 2.5 ml)

½ tsp. fresh chopped rosemary (2.5 ml)

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

½ tsp. ground cinnamon (2.5 ml)

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (10 ml)

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (15 ml)

1cup chicken stock (250 ml)

salt and pepper to taste

¾ cup fresh or frozen peas (175 ml)

Preheat oven to 375 D.

Line a roasting pan with foil or parchment paper. Place potatoes and squash halves in pan. Dot squash with butter. Season with allspice, salt and pepper. Bake at 375 D for about 35- 40 minutes or until squash and potatoes are fork tender. Remove from oven and scoop out squash pulp into a bowl. Peel potatoes and add to squash. Mash gently and add cream and nutmeg. Stir with wooden spoon until blended. Adjust seasoning.

Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, sauté the pork, turkey, shallots and garlic until meat is golden, about 4-5 minutes. Add the celery, carrots and spices and continue to brown over high heat until carrots begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and season. Simmer covered for about 20 minutes or until meat is tender and moisture is absorbed. Remove from heat and add the peas.

Transfer to a medium rectangular baking dish at least 3 " deep (8x11 ½). Top with squash mixture to completely cover meat. Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees until top is golden.

Serves 6-8

*serve with blueberry biscuits

Blueberry Biscuits

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour (550 ml)

2 tsp. baking powder (10 ml)

¾ tsp. salt (3.5 ml)

¼ tsp. cracked black pepper

1/3 cup very cold butter, cut into small pieces (80 ml)

1/4 cup dried blueberries (50ml)

¾ cup milk (175ml)

Line a 9 by 12-inch baking sheet with parchment or brush with butter.

Pre heat oven to 375 D

In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Pulse until blended. Add the cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles course meal.

Add the milk to the flour mixture all at once. Pulse several times just until the mixture starts to come together.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead in blueberries. Gather dough together. Do not touch too much! Wrap in parchment or wax paper and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to thickness of ½ inch. Using a 2 ¼" cookie cutter round, cut 10-12 rounds and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush with egg mixture and bake at 375 D. until golden and lightly browned on the bottom about 15-17 minutes. Serve warm with Tourtiére.

Makes about 10

Paté A La Rapure

1 chicken 5-6 lb boiling
5 lb potatoes
2 md onions; chopped
1 celery stalk-diced
1 carrot; grated
1/4 ts thyme or
1 bay leaf
1 salt & pepper

Cut chicken into individual pieces. Place in saucepan. Cover with cold
water, bring to a boil. Add onions, celery, carrot, thyme or bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours or till chicken is tender. Peel and grate potatoes over a bowl of cold water. When chicken is cooked squeeze 1 or 2 cups potatoes at a time in a piece of cotton till quite dry. Place in a saucepan. When potatoes are all squeezed dry add as much boiling broth from the chicken as needed to almost cover potatoes. Stir till thoroughly mixed. Salt lightly. Simmer over low heat about 10 minutes.

Grease generously a 8" square baking dish. Spread half potatoes in the bottom of the pan. Bone the hot chicken and spread over the potatoes, cover with the half of the potatoes. Mince one small onion very finely, add 1/4 tsp pepper and 2 slices fat salt pork cut in very small dice.

Bake 1/2 hour in 350° F oven or till top is golden brown and crisp. Serve hot.

Tourtiére

" Traditional French-Canadian Meat Pie. Generally served at Christmas, but great anytime. "

Ingredients
1 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
6 slices bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
1 1/4 cups water

1 In a Dutch oven, brown ground veal, pork, and bacon. Drain off fat.

2 Stir in onion, celery, garlic, sage, salt, and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of the water, and bring mixture to boiling. Reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or till onion is tender. Stir frequently.

3 Combine cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 cup water. Add to hot meat and vegetable mixture, cooking and stirring till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove pan from heat, and cool slightly.

4 Fill pastry shell with meat and vegetable mixture. Roll out top crust on top, seal the edges, and put patterned slits in top crust.

5 Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) oven for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand about 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 1 -9 inch pie

Butter Tart Muffins

1-1/2 cups raisins
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla, rum or butterscotch flavoring
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup corn or maple syrup

Place raisins, sugar, butter, eggs, milk and vanilla in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is hot, slightly thickened and just beginning to bubble, about 4 to 5 minutes. Cool slightly, uncovered, in the refrigerator, while continuing with recipe.

Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Grease 12 muffin cups or coat with cooking spray. Stir flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in center and pour in warm raisin mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in nuts until evenly mixed.

Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake in center of oven until golden and a cake tester inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately pour about 1 teaspoon syrup overtop of each muffin. Cool muffins in cups for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack. Serve warm. Store muffins in a sealed bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate or preferably freeze.

Nutrients per muffin
4.5 g protein, 12.2 g fat, 47.7 g carbohydrates, 1.6 mg iron, 58 mg calcium, 308 calories.

Bonnie Deane (Alberta)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes
Baking time: 15 minutes
Makes: 12 muffins

Cipate Au Salmon (Layered Salmon Pie)

1/4 lb Salt pork

1 Potato; medium, peeled & sliced

1 lb Salmon streak; or fillets-skinned & cut into pieces

Salt & ground white pepper

2 tb Flour; all purpose

Pastry for double crust 9" pie

1/4 c Celery; chopped

1 tb Onion; finely chopped

Cut salt pork into thick strips and spread evenly in the bottom of a 2 qt casserole. Dredge salmon lightly with flour. Arrange half the fish on the salt pork. Sprinkle with half of the celery, onion and potato slices; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roll out half of the pastry, slightly thicker than normal, to fit the size of the casserole. Cover potato layer with the pastry, cutting two large vents. Pour in water through the vents until level with the pastry. Layer with the remaining fish, celery, onion and potato to taste. Cover with top
pastry crust and again cut out two vents. Pour water in vents until level
with pastry.

Bake pie in a preheated 350F oven for 1 1/2 hours or till crust is golden-brown. SERVES:4-6

Source:_ A Taste of Quebec_ by Julian Armstrong

"This traditional salmon dish comes from Auberge La Msrtre, an inn on the
north coast near St. Anne des Monts. Proprietors Roger Fournier and Marie France Crevier specialize in fish and game dishes."

Best Canadian Butter Tarts
Makes 24 medium tarts

Pastry for double crust 9-inch pie shell

1 cup (250 mL) Thompson dark raisins

1/2 cup (125 mL) butter

1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar, packed

1 cup (250 mL) corn syrup (grease cup before measuring)

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

Line tart tins with pastry. Preheat oven to 450 F. In a heavy saucepan, combine raisins, butter, sugar, syrup and salt. Set over low heat until butter is melted and mixture is warm, stirring to dissolve sugar. Don't let mixture get hot. Remove from heat and stir in eggs and vanilla. Spoon filling into pastry-lined tart shells, filling each 2/3 full. Bake in 450 F oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F and bake five minutes more or until pastry is golden. Don't let filling bubble over pastry or you will have trouble getting the tarts out of the pans. Let cool before removing from pans.

Hint: If you don't want to make your own pastry, buy the 3-inch size frozen tart shells in the foil cups.

Nutrition per tart: 140 calories; 4.5 g fat; 1 g protein; 25 g carbohydrates; 0 g fibre

Pate aux Patates (Potato Pie)

5 Potatoes; to 6 hot
Milk
2 ts Butter
2 Egg yolks
1 Onion; finely chopped
1/4 c Celery stalk; & leaves -finely chopped
1 tb Parsley; chopped, fresh
1 pinch Savory, dried OR Chives, fresh
-Salt & ground pepper
Pastry for double crust 9" -pie

This potato pie makes a warming supper dish. It was a Friday favorite in the days when the meatless rule was observed in French Catholic families, says Nicole Kretz.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry, Mash potatoes with enough milk to make a smooth puree; add butter and 1 egg yolk. Combine potatoes with onion, celery, parsley and savory; season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle potato mixture in pie shell. Cover with top crust, trim and crimp edges to seal and cut steam vents. Brush top crust with remaining egg yolk. Bake pie in a preheated 400F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until pastry is golden.

SERVES: 6-8

SOURCE:  A Taste of Quebec by JULIAN ARMSTRONG