This delicious granita, a popular treat in Sicily, is a memorable ending to a spring alfresco meal. By making your own almond milk you steer clear of thickeners and preservatives found in most commercial brands.
1 cup (250 mL) natural almonds
3 Tbsp (45 mL) natural cane sugar
1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2 mL) almond extract (optional)
1/4 cup (60 mL) honey
1 tsp (5 mL) chopped rosemary
4 oranges, pith removed and segmented
Place almonds in bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak at room temperature for at least 1 hour or in refrigerator overnight.
In saucepan, heat 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) water and sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
Drain almonds and add to blender along with sugar water, vanilla extract, and almond extract, if using. Blend until almonds are completely ground, about 2 minutes. Pour into fine mesh strainer lined with a couple of layers of cheesecloth and set over deep bowl. Allow almond milk to drain in refrigerator for about 2 hours. Gently squeeze out any extra almond milk before discarding cheesecloth and almond solids.
Pour almond mixture into 8 x 8 x 2 in (2 L) square cake pan and place in freezer for 1 hour. Stir with fork, breaking up any icy lumps, and return to freezer. For a granita with a creamier consistency, freeze in ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Otherwise, freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, place honey and rosemary in small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
To serve, scrape granita vigorously with fork to form icy flakes. Divide oranges among 6 serving bowls and drizzle with rosemary honey. Top with scoop of granita just before serving.
Serves 6.
Each serving contains: 260 calories; 6 g protein; 12 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 37 g total carbohydrates (28 g sugars, 6 g fibre); 6 mg sodium
source: "Italian Food the Italian Way", alive #366, April 2013
While sablefish’s texture and fat content stand up admirably to the heat of the grill, this firm fish is also delicious poached. For this recipe, sablefish’s luxurious taste is combined with a light fragrant broth of lemongrass and ginger punctuated with the heat of Thai chili. Sustainability status Sablefish, also known as butterfish or black cod, is a rich and satisfying fish, plentiful in omega-3s and sourced sustainably from the Pacific Northwest. Skin and bones Sablefish has large pin bones. Ideally, your fishmonger will remove them, but if not, before you begin, locate them along the fish’s centreline and, using a pair of needle nose pliers, grasp them firmly to remove. You can leave the skin on for this recipe, which may help the fish hold together a little better while cooking, but it can be tricky to peel the skin away from the cooked fish and discard before plating. I opted to remove the skin first and simply keep a close eye on the cooking time, being careful to remove the fish from the poaching liquid before it flakes apart.
These mildly spiced salmon tacos served with sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds will bring a party together. Make a small quantity of salmon go further when you pair it with a fresh red cabbage slaw featuring citrus and cilantro. Drizzled with some bright lime yogurt, the flavours come together perfectly. Sustainability status Wild salmon from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska are considered among the most sustainable, as the fishery is subject to limited harvests. With salmon stocks in decline, supporting managed fisheries such as these can help maintain populations into the future. That may also mean eating salmon less often than we do now. Salmon is a favourite Salmon is the most popular variety of fish in Canada and the second most popular in the US.
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The delicate flavour of shrimp is highlighted with just a touch of lemon and a hint of mustard, while radish and celery give some fresh crunch to this dish. Eat it in lettuce cups, on top of greens, or served on whole grain bread for a filling snack. Sustainability status Both wild and farmed shrimp can be sustainable depending on where they’re caught and how they’re raised. See our article “Sea Change” for more information about choosing ethical shrimp.