Lemon Semifreddo

Lemon Semifreddo

Lemon Semifreddo

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Lemon Semifreddo rivals ice cream, yet requires no ice cream maker. Cool, creamy and bursting with fresh lemon flavour for a wonderful summer treat served with lightly macerated berries. It is simple to make and best of all it is made ahead of time so it’s ready when you are.

Semifreddo means “half frozen” in Italian. Semifreddo is similar to ice cream, yet it does have some differences. Semifreddo contains a little more fat and sugar than ice cream, but that’s what helps to give it an ice cream texture without the churning. It also has more air from the beaten cream, making it less dense than ice cream. It is a lovely dessert that is worthy of company but also nice to have on hand for a family treat. Enjoy!

There are a couple of things that are important when making Semifreddo. The first is to whisk the eggs constantly over a double boiler until the temperature reaches 170°F. This ensures the eggs won’t start to overcook before they reach the desired temperature. The second is to not overbeat the cream. Soft peaks are what you’re after, so they fold into the egg mixture evenly. Stiff cream is harder to incorporate without over-mixing the final product. It is really quite a simple and delicious dessert.

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Lemon Semifreddo

Ingredients

  • 500 ml Whipping cream/Heavy cream
  • 7 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 125 ml fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Whip cream until soft peaks, cover and chill.
  • Add egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt to a sauce pot fitted to a double boiler.
  • Whisk until combined and cook, stirring constantly until thick, coats a spoon and reaches 170°F.
  • Remove from the double boiler and set in an ice bath. Beat with an electric mixer until cool, thick and pale.
  • Pour into prepared whipped cream and fold until combined well.
  • Pour into a sealable container and freeze for 8-24 hours.
  • Scoop and serve with macerated berries.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Danish

Strawberry Rhubarb Danish

Strawberry Rhubarb Danish is sweet strawberry and rhubarb fruit filling, layered on a cream cheese filling and nestled in flaky puff pastry.

Strawberry Rhubarb Danish

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Sweet strawberries and Rhubarb nestled within puff pastry.

Strawberry Rhubarb Danish is a “perfect for summer” treat. I think rhubarb is a love or hate it kinda food. It is quite tart and fibrous, but this perennial vegetable is wonderful in baked goods. Often cooked with sugar and/or other fruits such as strawberries for pies, tarts and jams. It can also be pickled, used in chutney, cake, sauces and drinks. Often a large plant and when it grows, it really grows, so you’ll want many different uses if you think you’re gonna use all the stalks. Of course you can freeze the stalks too!! It will not be as crisp when thawed, but if cooking it anyway, you’re not impacting too much.

Strawberry Rhubarb Danish is sweet strawberry and rhubarb fruit filling, layered on a cream cheese filling and nestled in flaky puff pastry.

Today’s “perfect for summer” Strawberry Rhubarb Danish uses the classic combination of rhubarb and strawberries. The rhubarb and strawberries are first cooked with sugar to help sweeten and break down the fibrous texture into a jammy mixture. This gorgeous fruit combo is added to a layer of sweetened cream cheese and nestled within flaky, golden puff pastry. The final touch is a generous drizzle of vanilla glaze. It is lovely for brunch, dessert or enjoyed with coffee or tea.

Strawberry Rhubarb Danish is sweet strawberry and rhubarb fruit filling, layered on a cream cheese filling and nestled in flaky puff pastry.

The rhubarb and strawberries can be cooked ahead of time and using pre-made puff pastry makes it a snap to assemble and bake. This tart is best eaten the day it is made as the rhubarb has the tendency to weep after it sits for too long. Much like it would if made in pie form. If you do have left overs, allow to cool completely before covering and refrigerating.

As an added note rhubarb leaves are toxic, causes mild symptoms such as stomach upset to more serious issues like kidney failure, yikes!!

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Strawberry Rhubarb Danish

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Fruit Filling

  • 1 cup diced strawberries
  • 1 cup diced rhubarb
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Layer

  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pastry

  • 1 sheet thawed frozen puff pastry
  • 1 large room temperature egg
  • 1 tbsp milk

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2-1 tbsp milk
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Fruit Filling

  • In a medium pot combine fruit and sugar.
  • Cook over medium for 5-7 minutes until fruit is soft and jammy.
  • Whisk together cornstarch and water and stir into fruit mixture. Allow mixture to come to a full boil, stirring often.
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

Cream Cheese Filling

  • In a small bowl combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Pastry

  • Preheat oven to 425°F
  • Lay the puff pastry sheet on a large sheet of parchment paper.
  • Sprinkle lightly with flour and roll to a 12"x12" square.
  • Cut approximate 4" fingers on parallel sides of the pastry, leaving an uncut 4-5" center.
  • Move cut pastry to your baking tray.
  • Spread Cream cheese filling over the center uncut portion of the pastry, leaving a 1/4" border at each end to crimp the pastry together. Top with fruit filling.
  • Alternate the cut pastry fingers over the filling, tucking in the ends if needed.
  • Whisk together egg and milk. Brush liberally and evenly on the pastry.
  • Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden.
  • Remove from oven onto a cooling rack and allow to cool to slightly warm/room temperature before proceeding.

Glaze

  • In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and a drizzling consistency.
  • Once the pastry has cooled, drizzle with glaze and cut into 1 1/2" slices and serve.

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Grilled Lamb Chops

Grilled Lamb Chops

Grilled Lamb Chops garnished with fresh herbs and served on a wooden board.

Grilled Lamb Chops

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Moving sucks!! It’s not only an awful lot of work, it has also kept me away from food blogging for a couple of months now. Today I am getting back into the swing of things and quickly realizing that my hiatus has taken its toll. Lagging page views and technical issues are at the forefront today, but I am back and excited to share these delicious Grilled Lamb Chops with you. Don’t worry there’s a little bit of summer left to fire up the grill for this quick and easy elevated dinner.

Lamb chops, lemon, Dijon, garlic and fresh herbs on a wooden board in preparation for Grilled Lamb Chops.
Lamb chops coated with a herbed mustard paste are ready for the grill in preparation for Grilled Lamb Chops.

Lamb chops are my absolute favourite way to enjoy lamb. They’re mild tasting and get a nice char on them from their extra bit of fat. The mustard rub used on today’s Grilled Lamb Chops is a variation of my go-to favourite grilling/roasting rub. A good dose of garlic, Dijon and rosemary are perfect to compliment the lamb. Sadly, lamb is quite expensive in my area, so these delicious chops are not usually on regular rotation, but they are a fantastic option for a special dinner or entertaining occasion. Enjoy.

Grilled Lamb Chops arranged on a wooden board and garnished with fresh lemon, herbs and red pepper jelly.
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Grilled Lamb Chops

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 3 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 each rack of spring lamb
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/2 each juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Trim any excess fat from the rack of lamb. Cut the rack into chops by cutting evenly between each rib. A medium-size rack will yield approximately 8 chops.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
  • Arrange the lamb chops in a shallow dish and evenly coat with mustard paste. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the lamb chops 6-7 minutes per side for medium-well.
  • Remove from the grill and cover with tin foil and allow to rest for 3 minutes before serving.
  • Serve with red pepper or mint jelly.

Notes

The grilling time per side may vary depending on the temperature of your grill.

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Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Prepared Mediterranean Pasta Salad served in a clear bowl on a wooden tray.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

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Go ahead and skip the mayo with this Mediterranean Pasta Salad that is bright and briny with a wonderful array of ingredients. The zesty dressing made with Dijon and fresh herbs is a burst of flavour that takes this salad to the next level. Olives and pancetta add a nice texture and brininess to the pasta, while the spinach, cherry tomatoes and red onion keep it light and fresh. Mediterranean Pasta Salad is great for picnics, potlucks, backyard BBQ parties and your July long weekend. This salad holds up wonderfully the day it is made so there’s no fear of a soggy salad. The pasta and pancetta can be cooked up to two days ahead so tossing this salad together at the last minute is a cinch. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Mediterranean Pasta Salad arranged on a wodden tray.

This recipe was one of the first posted to my blog back in 2016 and I forgot how delicious it is. I felt it deserved a little revival just in time to enjoy for summer.

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Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 6 cups

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces gemelli or fusilli pasta
  • 4 ounces pancetta
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil see note
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano see note
  • 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley see note
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup sliced black olives
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced and roughly chopped red onion
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until pasta is cool. Drain well and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, in a small skillet cook pancetta over medium heat until crispy and fat has been rendered, about 5-7 minutes. Drain well on a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil, oregano, Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and pepper.
  • Toss together pasta, pancetta, spinach, cherry tomatoes, black olives, red onion, parmesan cheese and dressing until combined. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Notes

-fresh herbs are lovely in this recipe, however, if you need to use dry herbs use 1/3 of the amount stated for fresh.
-this salad is best served the day it is made but leftovers will keep for 2 days covered in the refrigerator.

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Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon

Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon

Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon served on a cedar plank with mango salsa.

Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon

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It’s not summer without enjoying grilled cedar plank salmon, especially one brushed with mango and chipotle glaze and served with fresh mango salsa.  Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon is just a little spicy and bursting with flavour. This great recipe was found flipping through the Costco Connection magazine and it’s a must to make this summer.

Fresh salmon fillets on a cedar plank ready for the grill and Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon.

As with any cedar plank cooking, it’s important to properly soak your plank.  I recommend an hour for the thinner boards even though the package suggests only 30 minutes.  I’ve done both and find that the edges don’t burn away as fast when the plank is soaked a bit longer. It can be easy to overcook salmon, and because everyone’s grill is different it’s difficult to give an exact length of time and temperature to cook the salmon.  What you want to watch is the internal temperature of the salmon. You’re looking to obtain an internal temperature of 130°F-135°F before resting the fish.  As it rests for a few minutes the temperature will continue to rise about 5-10 degrees which will give you a final 135°F-145°F temperature.  The salmon will take 12-20 minutes on the grill depending on your grill temperature and how often you open the lid.  Start checking after 12 minutes. 

Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon on a cedar plank with a dish of mango salsa in the background.

The mango salsa and glaze can both be prepared up to one day in advance, making it easy to bring this delicious dish together for a weeknight meal. They’re a great combination with salmon and wonderful served with rice.  The glaze and the mango salsa are also great with grilled boneless, skinless chicken thighs. So if you don’t like salmon or can’t source it easily, chicken is a delicious option.  The mango salsa will keep for a couple of days, so use up any leftovers with other proteins such as chicken or even goat cheese crostini.  Enjoy!

Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon served over rice in a shallow yellow bowl.

Author: Compelled to Cook, adapted from Costco Connection magazine.

Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon served over rice in a shallow yellow bowl.
Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon
Print Recipe
    Servings Prep Time
    4 people 30 minutes
    Cook Time
    12-20 minutes
    Servings Prep Time
    4 people 30 minutes
    Cook Time
    12-20 minutes
    Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon served over rice in a shallow yellow bowl.
    Mango Chipotle Glazed Salmon
    Print Recipe
      Servings Prep Time
      4 people 30 minutes
      Cook Time
      12-20 minutes
      Servings Prep Time
      4 people 30 minutes
      Cook Time
      12-20 minutes
      Ingredients
      Salmon
      Mango Salsa
      Servings: people
      Instructions
      Salmon
      1. Soak cedar plank for a minimum of 60 minutes.
      2. While the cedar plank is soaking make the salsa and glaze.
      3. In a medium saucepan whisk together mango juice, maple syrup, chipotle powder, ground ginger, garlic, and onion powder. Bring mixture to a simmer and reduce for about 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
      4. Remove from heat and whisk in lime juice, butter and Dijon mustard. Divide glaze into two portions. One to brush on the salmon and one to drizzle over salmon for serving.
      5. Preheat grill to 400°F.
      6. In a small bowl combine salt, smoked paprika and a few grinds of freshly cracked pepper. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel and sprinkle both sides of the salmon fillets. Lay fillets out evenly spaced on the prepared cedar plank.
      7. Brush salmon with glaze and place on preheated grill. Close the lid and cook for 12-20 minutes depending on grill temperature. Brush with additional glaze once or twice while cooking until your fish reaches an internal temperature of 130-135. Time to cook will be dependent on your grill temperature.
      8. Remove salmon from plank, cover and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes which will allow the fish to rise in temperature. Serve immediately with additional glaze and mango salsa.
      Mango Salsa
      1. Add ingredients to a medium bowl and toss gently to combine. Keep covered and chilled until ready to use.

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      I may receive compensation for purchases made through this site, at no cost to the purchaser. Compelled to Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com