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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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.
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.
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!!
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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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 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.
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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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!
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.
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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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.
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.
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!
While the cedar plank is soaking make the salsa and glaze.
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.
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.
Preheat grill to 400°F.
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.
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.
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
Add ingredients to a medium bowl and toss gently to combine. Keep covered and chilled until ready to use.
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