Asparagus Tempura with Ginger Mayo and Matcha Salt

Asparagus Tempura with Ginger Mayo and Matcha Salt
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We’re in peak asparagus season here in Ontario, and I’m trying my best to get my fill. Unfortunately, I am a bottomless pit when it comes to this green, so it’s an inevitability – I will never have enough. But I’m still down to try, and today’s Asparagus Tempura with Ginger Mayo and Matcha Salt is vital to that effort. I know what you’re thinking: If you love a vegetable so much, why deep fry it? Well, there is a method to my madness, which I will get to. But I promise you won’t lose the asparagus in this recipe. Asparagus is such a short and special season; it would be a shame not to showcase its star in all its glory. 

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Salt and Vinegar Chicken Karaage with Umeboshi Mayo

Salt and Vinegar Chicken Karaage with Umeboshi Mayo
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Chip varieties constantly inspire me. Yes, I know how funny that sentence sounds. I guess chips have this pull on me because they are the flavours I most closely associate with my childhood. I particularly tie chips to summer vacation. We ate pretty healthy most of the time when I was growing up, but when we headed to the cottage, all bets were off: Potato chips, marshmallows, hot dogs, the whole nine yards. It’s hard not to have blissful nostalgia for that time. Childhood summer vacations were a cut above. No obligations, just endless acres of free time. It just doesn’t happen in adult life. So, for me, I associate flavours like sour cream and onion, and salt and vinegar with that very unique brand of freedom. And that’s the vibe of this Salt and Vinegar Chicken Karaage with Umeboshi Mayo.

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Poached Shrimp with Peach Habanero Hot Sauce

Poached Shrimp with Peach Habanero Hot Sauce
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The summer may be winding down but patio weather lingers. Sure, school is back in session but we still have acres of good weather ahead of us. So before we dig out our casserole dishes and launch into soup mode, let’s keep those effortless summer recipes going a little longer. Today’s Poached Shrimp with Peach Habanero Hot Sauce fits that particular brief perfectly. It can be made in advance, it pairs well with a beer or a crisp glass of white, and its cook-time is minimal. Sounds pretty summery to me!

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Smashed White Bean Toast with Garlic Scape Pistou

Smashed White Bean Toast with Garlic Scape Pistou
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Earlier this week I brought you hand-formed pasta and today I give you beans on toast. Culinary whiplash much? What can I say? I contain multitudes. Sometimes I’m in gourmet mode, other times I’m the farthest thing from it. Today’s Smashed White Bean Toast with Garlic Scape Pistou falls somewhere in between. It requires only slightly more effort than a trashy home-alone meal. But the taste, well, that has “gourmet” written all over it. Complex but low-maintenance – a home cook’s dream. So let’s make it!

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