Best selling bread

Café 4 has been known as the lunch spot in Hamilton with the most popular salad bar. As for the sandwiches? All the fresh breads are made in house, using four ingredients — organic flour, local eggs, water and temperature controlled yeast.

Here’s a recipe for their multigrain bread:

Yield 4

STARTER:

• 500gm bread flour
• 20 gm fresh yeast
• 500 ml lukewarm water
• 4 teaspoons Sugar

Soak the following with 500ml water for 2 hours until soft:

• 50 gm Sesame seeds
• 80gm Pumpkin seeds
• 50gm flax seeds
• 60 gm Sunflowers seeds
• 100 gm rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ

DOUGH:

• 460 gm Wheat flour
• 540 gm Bread flour
• 32gm Butter (SOFT)
• 32 gm Salt
• 2 tablespoons honey

Directions

To make the Starter: Stir together bread flour, sugar and yeast in a medium bowl. Stir in water until thoroughly blended. The dough will be like pancake batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 2 hours at room temperature. The dough will become frothy and double in volume, with lots of little bubbles.

In the meantime, soak all the seeds and rolled oats for 2 hours until soft.

Mix together all the dried ingredients, starter, soaked soft seeds and oats in a bowl. Turn the mixture out onto a clean kitchen surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the ‘windowpane effect’ is achieved (where the dough can be stretched until it is so thin that it becomes transparent).

Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let it prove for 2½-3 hours or double the volume.

Turn out the dough onto a clean kitchen surface and knock back (deflate the dough). Portion the dough into 4 and shape into two ball-shaped loaves. Place seam side up on a towel or parchment paper generously dusted with bread flour or rice flour. Cover and let rise 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until ¾ volume size.

For the best baking results, place a baking stone, pizza stone or unglazed ceramic tile on the bottom shelf of oven. Preheat oven to 475°F for 20 minutes to allow the stone to get to temperature. Depending on the size of your baking stone, bake 1 or 2 loaves at a time, placing seam side down on parchment paper. If desired, brush flour off the top, lightly brush with water and sprinkle with oats. Score each loaf with 2 to 4 slashes using a sharp knife or blade. Slide the dough with parchment onto bread peel or rimless baking sheet. Carefully slide onto the heated baking stone, immediately spritzing the oven with water around the dough 7 to 10 times. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes spritzing every 5 minutes, 3 more times. Bake to an internal temperature of 200°F. Remove from the oven and parchment; cool on wire rack. Bake remaining loaf.

This article was originally published in the 2019 edition of the rg Food Magazine.

The post In the bakery: Café 4 appeared first on RG Magazines.

Fried Mashed Potato Balls

Ingredients

3 cups leftover mashed potatoes

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2/3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 tbsp. thinly sliced chives

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/3 cups panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes with cooked bacon, cheddar, chives, and garlic powder, and season with salt and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.

1. Place eggs and panko in separate shallow bowls. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop 1” to 2” balls of mashed potato mixture. Roll into a ball in your hands, then dredge first in egg and then in panko. Repeat until all mashed potatoes are used.
2. Heat 3” of oil in a large cast iron skillet until candy thermometer reads 375°. Fry potato balls in batches until golden on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and season immediately with more salt.

Turkey Sliders with stuffing biscuits

Ingredients

2 medium stalks celery, cut up

1 medium carrot, cut up

1 medium onion, cut up

1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves

5 large leaves sage, torn

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

4 tbsp. butter, cut up and cold

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 lb. ground turkey (93% lean)

1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cups cranberry preserves or sauce

Directions

1. In food processor, pulse celery, carrot, onion, thyme, and sage until finely chopped. In 12″ skillet, heat oil on medium. Add vegetable mixture and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook 15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer to medium bowl; cook completely.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray two 12-cup muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. In clean food processor bowl, pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt until blended. Add butter. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in buttermilk, then one-third of cooked vegetable mixture until just blended. Divide among cups of prepared muffin pans (about 3 tablespoons each). Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer biscuits from pans to wire racks; let cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine turkey, remaining cooked vegetable mixture, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until just combined. Form into 24 patties (2″ wide); place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until cooked through (165 degrees F).
4. When biscuits are cool enough to handle, slice in half. Add turkey patties and dollops of mayo and cranberry preserves.

Baked Apples with Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon oil or butter

1 celery stalk, diced

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1/2 package sausage

1 box stuffing mix

1 1/4 cup Swanson’s UNSALTED Chicken Broth (or the same amount of water called for on the instructions for the stuffing)

6-12 apples such as Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium or large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and the onion and the celery and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the sausage to the skillet and cook thoroughly making sure to break it up into crumbles. Remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, stir together stuffing mix and sausage mixture. Add Swanson’s chicken broth in the same amount as water is called for on the stuffing mix instructions. Mine called for 1 1/4 cups of water and I used 1 1/4 cups of chicken broth.
4. Stir the mixture together so that the stuffing is soft and moist. Feel free to add a little more broth if needed. Set the mix aside.
5. Prepare the apples:
6. Slice the very top of the apples off.
7. Use a spoon or a melon baller to carefully scoop out the entire core of the apple.
8. Repeat this for every apple.
9. Spoon stuffing in to the apples and place in a high sided baking dish.
10. Once all the apples are stuffed and in the dish, carefully pour an additional 1/4-12 cup of broth over the apples. Add another 1/4 cup to the bottom of the dish.
11. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the apples are softened but not falling apart. If you don’t want the stuffing to brown, cover the dish while baking.

Pumpkin Pie Popsicles

Ingredients

8 ounces of Goats Milk, fat free Greek Yogurt, unsweetened Coconut Milk or any Vegan milk you desire

3 ounces unsweetened Pumpkin Purée

1/2 dropper full of Vanilla Stevia Drops, Honey or Maple Syrup to taste

1/4 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pinch of fine Sea Salt

Directions

1. In a bowl mix together all ingredients well.
2. Add sweetener to taste.
3. Pour into popsicle molds or dixie cups with about ¼ inch room at the top.
4. Lay a sheet of foil on top of the pop mold and poke sticks through.
5. Freeze for about 2 hours or until frozen solid.
6. Gently remove pops from molds.

Do you have any unique thanksgiving recipes that you and your family love? Share them with us on social media or email them to us at [email protected].

The post 4 Incredibly Unique Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas appeared first on RG Magazines.

Origins

India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa call it “Indian Ginseng” or “Winter Cherry” (to describe the orange-red colour of the fruit at its ripest). These regions have used ashwagandha for years in the Ayurveda healing practice –– a natural healing system that originates in India and believes that health is the connection between our environment, mind, body, and spirit.

The stress-relieving element…

Our daily lives are packed with stressors –– at home, at work, and while we sleep. Ashwagandha reduces cortisol levels in the body. Just as we’ve been riding the huge wave towards that #yogalife, those in-the-know have been incorporating ashwangandha, in various forms, into their routine to help find Zen.

The anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory elements…

If you are trying to avoid wrinkles, hair loss and inflammation, ashwagandha can help you out. How? Free radicals –– or unstable atoms that can damage your cells –– are harmful and antioxidants help to eliminate them. Ashwagandha is a natural antioxidant so it can help slow the process of ageing and reduce inflammation. “While we always advise to examine diet first, ashwagandha is a hugely popular item for those with arthritis and athletes,” says Toni Daniels, owner of Down To Earth.

The preventative element…

That same anti-ageing element can help prevent illness. There have been quite a few medical studies on how it affects physical performance, focus and concentration, stress, rejuvenation, sleep and emotional health among many others. “This is a totally different immunity-improving agent than echinacea”, warns Daniels. “You do take it whenever you feel illness coming on, when you’re about to travel or be around sickness, but it’s only suggested that echinacea be taken for up to 10 days”, ashwagandha is completely safe for long-term ingestion. “For those taking it for anti-inflammatory reasons, it can be taken daily”.

How to use it?

Ashwagandha can be taken a few different ways. The most common is as a finely ground powder that can be steeped as tea, added to water, smoothie, ghee (Indian butter) or honey. The taste is quite strong, but most experienced users depend on great recipes to mask it. It can also be taken in a pill form.*

Overall, this root helps to energise the central nervous system. For heavy smokers, drinkers, or those who lack sleep especially, ashwaghanda is great to generally restore balance. It may be the next fad root, but it’s one random plant worth obsessing over.

*Talk to your doctor before incorporating anything new into your lifestyle.

Ashwagandha for sex, sleep and eat

A daily routine

Ayurveda continues to be one of world’s most sophisticated and powerful mind-body health systems. It’s medicine, Ashwagandha root, is considered a rejuvenator for many things. It calls for the maintenance of three main pillars: food, sleep and sex drive. When the three are in balance, they make for a properly nourished, adequately rested, and sexually healthy human being, and all things are possible. Here are some simple recipes using the herbal powder that help to hit every pillar and make it a part of your daily routine (mainly by masking the infamous and unpleasant taste).

For the food part:

Blueberry Almond Chia Porridge

inspired by Edibly Educated

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas, mashed
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• ¾ cup coconut milk
• handful of blueberries
• small handful of almonds, soaked overnight
• 1 tsp. ashwaghanda powder
• ½ tsp. cinnamon

1. Combine all of the ingredients besides the almonds (let soak overnight) and mix well. Let sit for a few hours or overnight.
2. In the morning, chop up almonds and place them on top of or mix into porridge.

For the sleep part:

Cashew Night Tonic
from Banyan Botanicals

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
• Approximately 2 cups filtered water
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla bean, ground
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, grated
• ½ teaspoon ashwagandha powder
• Pinch of sea salt 

1. Make homemade cashew milk by adding soaked cashews to a blender with enough filtered water to fill 1 inch above cashews. Blend until smooth. (You will use 8 ounces of the milk in your recipe and any extra will keep for a few days in an airtight jar or bottle in your refrigerator.)
2. Add cashew milk, maple syrup, vanilla bean, cinnamon, nutmeg, ashwagandha, and sea salt to a small pot.
3. Heat on high, removing before it comes to a boil.
4. Stir using a spoon, whisk, or milk frother to be sure everything is combined.
   Relax and sip away once cool enough to drink.

For the sex part:

Sweet Moon Milk
from allayurveda

Ingredients:

• 1 glass nut milk
• 3-5 Strawberries
• 1 teaspoon dark chocolate
• 1 teaspoon Ashwagandha powder

1. Mix well, and add some rose petals.
2. Don’t look back.

This article was originally published in the Fall 2018 edition of RG Magazine. 

The post What’s this ashwagandha root? appeared first on RG Magazines.

GIN

The Davy Mac:

• 40ml: Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin
• 140ml: Premium Elderflower Tonic
• Garnish: thick wedge of fresh red grapefruit and 3 fresh wild raspberries on bamboo skewer

Pair with British fish and chips. It may not be Cordon Bleu cooking, but we’re not crazy, the gin and grapefruit tartness balances the fattiness of fish and chips. Plus, the Davy Mac will bring out the elegance in any comfort food.

SCOTCH

Boulevardier No.3:

• 45ml: Monkey Shoulder Scotch
• 30ml: sweet vermouth
• 30ml: Campari

Add all ingredients to mixing glass, add cold dry ice and stir, once dilution is reached strain into glass.

Old Fashion:

• 60ml: Monkey Shoulder
• 8ml: sugar syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Add all ingredients to mixing glass, add cold dry ice and stir, once dilution is reached strain into glass.

Pair with smoked salmon. Fold on a cracker with rye crisp breads, cream cheese, crème fraiche and milled black pepper for a simple canapé. Scotch and smoked salmon are an unlikely match made in heaven.

VERMOUTH

Sorrentino:

•  1oz sweet vermouth
• 1oz Limoncello
• 3/4oz Campari
• Soda water to top

Garnish with thyme sprig and orange slice

Rosemary and Vermouth Fig Jam

• 3 cups chopped figs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup dry vermouth
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water3 sprigs rosemary

1. In a large bowl, combine the figs, sugar and lemon juice. Let the figs sit for about half an hour.
2. After the figs have been sitting in the sugar and lemon juice, pour them into a large pan over medium heat. Add the vermouth, rosemary sprigs and the water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to avoid burning until the sugar is completely dissolved. Continue to simmer until the jam is thick, about 15 minutes. If the jam starts to seem more like a paste (very thick and sticky) add water 1 tablespoon at a time to thin it slightly.
3. Transfer to jars, cover and let the jam cool. The jam will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 2 months.

To serve add some harvest crackers with cranberries, pecans and rosemary and Marcillat Alsatian Munstercheese, you’ll be what they talk about.

Grilled Peaches

• 4 peaches
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sweet vermouth
• 2-3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp honey

1. Wash peaches, cut in half and discard pits. Soak for about two hours at room temperature in vermouth and water mix. Remove from mix, reserving liquid.
2. Grill peaches over direct heat until tender, about seven minutes depending on how hot your grill is.
3. For sauce, combine remaining liquid with butter and honey and cook over a medium heat, stirring often until thick.

To serve, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve alone or with ice cream, but with ice cream is better. Yum!

Recipe courtesy of Set the Table.

This article was originally published in the Fall 2018 edition of RG Magazine. 

The post Women can drink appeared first on RG Magazines.

 THE HURRICANE

Ingredients

2 oz White rum

2 oz Dark rum

1 oz Lime juice

1 oz Orange juice

2 oz Passion fruit juice

½ oz Simple syrup

½ oz Grenadine

Directions: Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice.Shake, and strain into a large Hurricane glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange half-wheel and a cherry.

MOJITO

Ingredients

50 ml White Rum

8 Mint leaves

12 ½ ml Sugar Syrup

25 ml Lime Juice

2 Mint sprigs

Directions: Add the white rum to a highball glass. Add 8 – 10 mint leaves and sugar syrup and lime juice. Muddle with bar spoon. Add crushed ice and a splash of soda. Mix drink down with bar spoon. Taste. Top up with more crushed ice. Slap 2 mint sprigs to release essence and put into drink. Add small splash of soda and straw.

CAIPIRINHA

Ingredients

50 ml Cachaca

½ Lime

1 teaspoon Brown Sugar

Lime Wedge

Directions: Cut 1/2 lime into 1/8 ths and add half of these to Rocks glass. Add teaspoon of brown sugar and muddle the ingredients. Add the rest of the lime and continue to muddle, to dissolve the sugar. Add the Cachaca and then add crushed ice on top. Stir to continue to dissolve the sugar. Add more crushed ice and continue to stir. Top up with crushed ice and garnish with lime wedge.

BRAMBLE

Ingredients

50 ml Gin

10 ml Crème de Mure

25 ml Lemon Juice

12 ½ ml Sugar Syrup

Blackberry

Directions: Add all ingredients (except Crème de Mure) into mixing glass. Fill mixing glass with cubed ice and fill rocks glass with crushed ice. Shake for 10 seconds. Strain mixture into glass and top up with crushed ice. Pour Crème de Mure over drink using bar spoon. Garnish with 2 lemon slices and blackberry.

This article was originally published in the June 2018 edition of the RG Hurricane Survival supplement.

The post Recipes: Hurricane Party appeared first on RG Magazines.

Ingredients

1 package cheese tortellini

1 c. all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, beaten

1 c. panko

1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan

2 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp. Chopped parsley, for garnish

marinara, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook tortellini to al dente according to package instructions. Drain.

In a medium bowl, mix panko with parmesan, butter, oregano, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

Coat tortellini with flour then dredge in egg mixture, then in panko mixture. Continue until all tortellini are coated.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

Bacon crack bites (serves 6)

Ingredients

1 package bacon, strips cut in half horizontally

32 Club Crackers

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan

Freshly ground black pepper

Ranch dressing, for dipping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Arrange crackers on baking sheet and sprinkle with Parmesan. Tightly wrap each cracker with bacon and replace seam-side down, then top with more Parm.

Bake until bacon is cooked through and bites are crispy, 48 to 50 minutes. Season with pepper and serve with ranch for dipping

Pull apart Xmas tree

Ingredients

1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough

Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 tbsp water)

7 mozzarella sticks

1/4 c. melted butter

1/2 c. finely grated Parmesan

1 tbsp. Thinly sliced basil

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

1 tbsp. chopped rosemary

Marinara, warmed (for serving)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut mozzarella sticks into 1” pieces. On a floured surface, divide pizza dough into two pieces. Stretch and roll each piece of dough into a long rectangle, then cut dough into 2” squares (you’ll need 33 total). Wrap a dough square around each pieces of mozzarella, forming a tightly sealed ball. Place balls seam-side down on the baking sheet in the shape of a Christmas tree (they should be touching). Brush egg wash on dough balls and bake until golden 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together melted butter, Parmesan and herbs. Brush on baked pizza dough balls. Serve warm with marinara for dipping.

The post Xmas hors d’oeuvres appeared first on RG Magazines.

If your first thought when you see avocado, chocolate and cake in the same sentence is, “errr, that’s disgusting” then you’re not alone. However, you’d also be wrong, and here’s why.

It turns out that avocado as a substitute for eggs and butter is amazing, once you get passed the whole “why did you have to go and ruin my guilty pleasure” thing.

And look at this way, with all the other bad-for-you-food you’re going to eat over the holidays, with this, you can have your cake, and eat it too.

Here’s one of our favourites; a decadently delicious dark chocolate cake.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 55 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Ingredients

For the cake: 3 cup all-purpose flour; 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp baking soda; ½ tsp salt; ¼ cup vegetable oil; 1 ripe avocado, mashed until very smooth; 2 cups water; 2 tsp white vinegar; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 cup granulated sugar.

For the frosting: 2 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted; 2 cups powdered sugar; 4 tbsp cocoa powder

Instructions

For cake:

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease and flour a tube pan.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, avocado, water, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.

Whisk sugar into the wet mix.

Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture all at once. Beat with a whisk (by hand) until smooth.

Pour batter into a greased tube pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan for 15 – 20 minutes on a cooling rack. Turn cake out onto cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

For buttercream frosting:

Scoop avocados out into a food processor. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down avocado with spatula if necessary.

Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder to pureed avocado. Process for another minute or until creamy and combined, stopping once to scrape down mixture if necessary.

Frost cake. Let cake sit a few hours before serving, allowing time for flavors to blend.

The post Lindo’s appeared first on RG Magazines.

For the wine, the gents at Discovery Wines have recommended serving either Henri Bourgeois ‘Petit Bourgeois’ Sauvignon Blanc 2015, or a Bernard Defaix Chablis 1er Cru ‘Vaillons’ from the same year.

With flower and fruit fragrances the Sauvignon Blanc profits from the ten generations of winemaking experience in the producer’s family. On the palate it reveals a freshness and vivacity characteristically of grapes harvested at good maturity.

In contrast the Vaillons has a hint of honeysuckle with rich, generous flavours. A dry wine, it is one that can be bought and kept for the right occasion.

Ingredients
Six jumbo shrimp, one packet of couscous, chicken stock, 1/2 cup red pepper (dice), 1/2 red onion (diced), 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 cucumber (diced), 4tbsp olive oil, Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Directions
Place chicken stock on stove and bring to boil.
In a separate flat baking dish evenly distribute couscous on bottom.
Pour boiling chicken stock into couscous and cover with cling film and let stand for three minutes.
Remove cling film and mix couscous with a fork.
Add red onion, red pepper, cucumber, parsley and olive oil, mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and then set to one side.
Place medium saucepan on medium-high heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil, meanwhile, in a separate dish season shrimp with salt, pepper and old bay seasoning.
Place shrimp in pan and cook for two mins per side and let rest for two minutes.
Place couscous mixture on plate and place shrimp on top and serve.

The post Pan-Seared Shrimp and Couscous Salad appeared first on RG Magazines.

Fillet steak and lobster tail over garlic mash and asparagus

Ingredients
Fillet steak, 1 lobster tail, 1 cup beef stock, 3-4 large Idaho potatoes, 8 tbsp unsalted butter, 4-6 tbsp milk or heavy cream, 6 tbsp chopped garlic, 1 bunch asparagus, 1/2 cup red wine, 1 bunch thyme, 6 tbsp olive oil.

Directions
Turn on broiler to medium setting.
Place potatoes on stove to boil and cook thoroughly, once cooked strain from water and place back in pot.
Mash potatoes and add in the butter, garlic and milk/cream and mix.
Season with salt and pepper cover with lid and set to one side.
Put a medium saucepan on medium heat and add half of the olive oil. Once the oil starts to slightly smoke, place in asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes (until bright green).
Remove from pan, season with salt and pepper and set to one side.
Reheat pan on medium heat. Season beef filet with salt and pepper aggressively and add the rest of the oil to the pan.
Once the oil gets to the same point as before, slightly smoking, place beef filet in pan and cook 3 minutes on each side.
After 3 minutes cooking on each side add in 3 tbsp of butter and a couple sprigs of thyme. With a large spoon lightly baste the steak in the butter mixture for a further 3 minutes and then remove steaks from pan and let rest.
Cut lobster tail into half and place an even amount of seasoning and butter on each half face up on a baking tray and place under broiler and cook for 3-5 minutes or until done.
In the pan that we cooked the beef, reheat on medium heat and add in a couple sprigs of thyme and the red wine.
Let it come to a boil and reduce until the red wine is just about gone. Add in beef stock and let come to a boil a second time.
Let mixture reduce for about 2 minutes or until the consistency is to desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

The wine
With meat and fish why not try a couple of big reds, with Chronic Cellars Purple Paradise 2015 or Laurence Féraud ‘Gigondas’ 2012 perfect for a plate of surf and turf.
With a rich dark colour and hints of vanilla, cherry, chocolate and spice flavours the Purple Paradise is ideal for richly flavoured meat dishes. Similarly the Gigondas is big and rich, and while suited to strong cheeses also works well with beef stew.

The post Surf N Turf appeared first on RG Magazines.

The answer depends entirely on your preference and your budget.

A Laurent-Perrier Demi-Sec Champagne with its intense range of aromas could be the perfect finish to your date night dinner. The richness of the Demi-Sec naturally calls for sweet dessert dishes, such as pastries or chocolate, enhancing them with considerable depth.

Alternatively, the Petit Guiraud Sauternes gives you a lovely, well-balanced wine with citrus fruit and good acidity. Sweet but not cloying. The second wine of top Sauternes property Château Guiraud.

Ingredients
6 large egg yolks, 2 whole eggs, 1 cup sugar (with 4tbsp saved for plating), 1 tsp vanilla, 4 tsbp lime zest (with 1 tbsp saved for plating), 1 cup toasted sweetened coconut (devided into halves), 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup coconut milk

 Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a small bowl mix together reserved sugar and lime zest together and set aside for later.
In a medium sized bowl combine eggs with sugar and whisk until mixture is a pale yellow colour.
Meanwhile, heat cream with coconut milk, coconut and lime zest and let come to a boil and immediately turn off. (VERY CAREFULLY)
Slowly pour hot cream mixture into eggs while whisking vigorously until all is added.
Pour mixture into a measuring jug and set aside.
Place 6 medium sized ramekins into a baking dish and fill dish with boiling water until half of the ramekin is submerged.
Pour custard mixture evenly into ramekins and place in to oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until custard is set, remove ramekins from pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To Plate
Remove custard from refrigerator 30mins before serving and top with lime sugar and brûlée with blow torch until sugar is perfectly caramelized
Add top with toasted coconut while sugar is still hot.
Let cool and serve with light dust of powdered sugar.

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