Celebrate Canada with True North Recipes

Celebrate the Canada Day long weekend with quintessentially Canadian fare and libation.

Eat

A French-Canadian classic, tourtière is—as chef Simon Thibault describes it—”wonderfully filling and festive.” From his new book, Pantry and Palate: Remembering and Rediscovering Acadian Food, is Thibault’s take on this comfort food favourite.

Tourtière

Filling
1 tbsp butter
1 lb diced pork shoulder
1/4 lb ground veal (or diced)
3 tbsp chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch summer savoury
Pinch thyme
1/2 cup warm water

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add pork, veal and onion and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring often.

Season with salt, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, savoury and thyme. Stir in water. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Allow to cool completely – preferably overnight – in the fridge before preparing the dough.

Pastry
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shortening
4 tbsp ice-cold water

Measure flour into a large bowl, then sift in the salt. Cut in shortening finely until pea-sized. Blend in cold water and mix with fork until the dough comes together.

Wrap the dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Divide dough in two and roll each portion to 1/8-inch thickness.
Place 1 layer on a 9-inch pie plate, fill with meat mixture, then cover with other
layer of dough with cut eyelets.

Bake in 450 F oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F for 25 minutes

Allow to cool slightly, about 30 minutes, before serving.

Drink

 

A Calgary-born cocktail, the Caesar proves that “surf” goes good with more than just “turf.” Mix up a classic or mix it up with a new take or two courtesy of French’s for the release of its new Not Your Ordinary Caesar mixes—made with Canadian-grown tomatoes and crafted at the company’s plant in Leamington Ont. And, as the first two recipes suggest, go full-Canuck with Polar Ice Vodka.

The Ultimate Caesar

5 cups (1.2 L) French’s™ Not Your Ordinary
Caesar Original Cocktail Mix
1 tbsp (15 mL) French’s Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp (2 mL) Frank’s RedHot Original Hot Sauce
1 cup (250 mL) Polar Ice Vodka
2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice
1 tbsp (10 g) prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
3 tbsps (45 g) celery salt
Celery stalks

In a pitcher, mix together the Caesar mix, vodka, lime juice, horseradish, worcestershire, hot sauce, and pepper.

Use a lime wedge to wet the lip of the mason jar, then rim with the celery salt. Fill glass with ice, pour in the Caesar mix from the pitcher, and garnich with a celery stalk or whatever you desire.

Serves 6

Spicy Shrimp Caesar Shooters

8 oz (236 mL) French’s™ Not Your Ordinary
Caesar™ Fully Loaded Cocktail Mix
8 drops of Frank’s® RedHot Original Hot Sauce
1 2/3 oz (50 mL) Polar Ice Vodka
Lime juice to taste
Pinch of salt and pepper
Pinch of fresh horseradish to taste
3 tbsps (45 g) celery salt
8 poached shrimp 21-25 size

Rim the glasses with a wedge of lime and then celery salt. Pour the vodka, Caesar mix, salt and pepper, horseradish, lime juice and hot sauce into a jug and mix well. Pour into shooter glasses.

Garnish with a shrimp.

Serves 8

Tequila Caesar

8 oz (236 mL) French’s™ Not Your Ordinary
Caesar™ Original Cocktail Mix
1 tbsp (15 mL) Frank’s® RedHot Sweet Chili Hot Sauce
1 2/3 oz (50 mL) tequila
Lime juice to taste
Pinch of salt and pepper
1 oz (30 mL) club soda
1 tbsp (15 g) celery salt

Rim the glass first with lemon wedge and then with celery salt. Fill glass with ice, pour in tequila, Caesar mix, lime, salt and pepper, hot sauce, club soda, and stir well.

Garnish with a slice of lemon.

Serves 1