Spring Dinner Party

Cheery dinner invitations went out at the beginning of the week declaring, “Spring is in the Air”. We realized this pronouncement was premature by Thursday when we were smoking and barbecuing in the wind, snow and freezing rain. Friday’s ice storm proved to be even more gruesome:  just as the lemon meringue pie was about to be started, downed hydro lines took the power out. The lemon filling was then whisked and cooked by candlelight, meringues were whipped by hand, and the pies were baked on the Broil King. This was a pioneer pie! Thank-fully everything else was due to be cooked on the barbecue and our plans were not otherwise interrupted.

Consistent with our philosophy of preparing in advance so that we can enjoy our own party, most of the work was finished by mid-afternoon. This also meant that the dishes were done before the party even started so all that was left to do was grill the steaks (thanks Ted) and have fun with our guests!


Pulled Pork Pizzas

1 recipe whole wheat pizza dough
1 onion, halved lengthwise then thickly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red pepper, cut into large chunks
barbecue sauce
pulled pork
grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Prepare pizza dough according to your favourite recipe, or thaw frozen dough. For ease of last minute preparation, we shaped the dough into very small (4-5”) individual pizzas, and grilled them on a preheated barbecue set to MEDIUM for about 2 minutes per side or until cooked and golden. We then let them cool on a wire rack and stored them in a ziplock bag until ready to assemble and cook. The crusts can be prepared to this point one day ahead and left at room temperature, or even weeks ahead and stored in the freezer.

Heat the olive oil in a 12” skillet, and add the sliced onion. Cook over MEDIUM LOW stirring every 4-5 minutes, until golden and sweet, about ½ hour to 45 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile, grill the red pepper until tender, and set aside to cool. Chop into large dice.

Up to 3 hours before serving, spread the crusts with a small amount of barbecue sauce. Scatter with a small amount of pulled pork and caramelized onion, sprinkle with grated Monterey Jack cheese, and top with red peppers. Just before serving, bake or grill until heated through and cheese is bubbling, about 10 minutes at 375° .

Grilled Sweet Potato and Fig Salad

This recipe was adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s version in Jerusalem. We felt that grilling the sweet potatoes and figs would enhance the flavor. It is delicious served at room temperature, which makes it a great make-ahead party dish. Just drizzle with balsamic glaze and scatter the goat cheese over top at the last minute.

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
8 green onions, halved lengthwise
6 just-ripe figs, quartered
¼ cup olive oil
1-2 red chiles, very thinly sliced
4 ounces soft goat’s cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic glaze

Preheat the barbecue on MEDIUM HIGH for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to MEDIUM LOW. Prepare the potatoes, onions and figs and brush them lightly with olive oil. Starting with the potatoes, grill them on all three sides, turning to prevent scorching (due to the high sugar content) and to create nice grill marks. Lay the onions out across one side of the barbecue, and the figs on the other. Gently turn the onions until slightly charred and soften, then remove and chop roughly. Grill the figs until lightly caramelized and dense, about 5 minutes.

Arrange the sweet potatoes on a platter, then scatter the figs, onions, chiles, and goat’s cheese over top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 single crust pastry

for the filling:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
¾ cup butter, cut into ½ “ pieces

for the meringue:
6 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°f. Roll out the pastry and place it in a 9” pie shell. Prick it all over with a fork. Lay a sheet of parchment paper over the pastry, and sprinkle it with rice or dried beans to weigh it down. Place it in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and weights. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until golden. Let cool completely.

To make the filling, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a heavy medium saucepan. Whisk in yolks, whole eggs, lemon juice and salt. Whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens and just begins to boil around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add butter a few pieces at a time, whisking until melted and smooth. Cool 10 minutes, then pour warm filling into the crust.

For the meringue, using an electric mixer (or an old fashioned rotary beater if your power is out!), beat the whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until foamy. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Beat in the remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat until stiff and glossy. Spread the meringue over the warm filling, covering it completely and ensuring that the meringue is touching the crust all the way around. Using a knife or offset spatuala pull up peaks of meringue in a decorative way. Bake at 300°F for 20-25 minutes or until just golden on the peaks.  If baking on the barbecue, set the pie on an insulated baking sheet to disburse the heat and prevent burning on the bottom.