Summer is here and what better way to celebrate than having a picnic outdoors with friends. President’s Choice took a few of us out for a picnic at Stanley Park to give us a nice sneak peek of the Summer PC Insiders Collection and some recipes to go with those products.
I go to Superstore a few times a week and I’ve been a fan for a long time. Below are a few items that I enjoyed and would remake for my Summer celebrations.
Grilled Bread with Lemon Ricotta and Tomatoes of Yore
Pretty simple to make and you just pile the ingredients on top of each other. Very fresh and showcases the amazing combination of ricotta and tomatoes.
Melon with grilled Halloumi cheese, arugula, radish and pistachio
A great combination and halloumi cheese is an excellent cheese to grill since it won’t melt easily due to it’s high melting point. The cantaloupe-like melon brings the sweetness, and arugula and radishes give this salad a peppery bite.
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Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Ingredients:
- Half melon, halved, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 pkg (250 g) PC Halloom Semi-Soft Unripened Cheese, cut crosswise in 8 slices
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups (500 mL) loosely packed baby arugula
- 2 medium radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp (25 mL) chopped roasted pistachios
Directions:
- Preheat barbecue to medium heat; grease grill. Arrange melon slices on a serving platter; set aside.
- Toss cheese with 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of the olive oil and the pepper. Grill 2 to 3 minutes, turning once halfway, or until lightly charred and softened.
- Whisk together remaining 2 Tbsp (25 mL) olive oil and lemon juice. Combine arugula and radishes in large bowl; toss together with half of the dressing.
- Arrange grilled cheese on top of melon. Scatter salad on top; sprinkle with pistachios and drizzle remaining dressing around platter.
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Grilled Pico de Gallo Shrimp
This was one of my favourite appetizers! The Mexican-inspired pico de gallo salsa acts as both marinade and sauce in this brightly-flavoured barbecued shrimp appetizer.
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Serves: 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Marinate Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ingredients
- 1 pkg (400 g) PC Raw Zipperback Black Tiger Shrimp – Gigantico 16-20 Count, thawed
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) PC 100% Pure Safflower Oil
- 1/2 Tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
- 1/2 Tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) PC Pico de Gallo Mild Salsa
Directions:
- Peel shrimp, leaving tails on. Toss shrimp, oil, cumin, coriander and 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the pico de gallo in bowl, stirring until coated. Cover and chill for 20 minutes.
- Preheat barbecue to medium-high.
- Place shrimp on grill; cook 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden-pink and cooked through. Place in clean serving bowl; toss with remaining pico de gallo. If desired, garnish with lime wedges and coriander sprigs. Serve hot.
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Thai Mango Salad
This Thai take-out favourite is easily made at home. Don’t worry about how ripe the mangoes are, it is equally delicious made with green (unripe) mangoes; in fact, it is easier to cut an under ripe mango although it is more tart.
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Serves: 5
Prep time: 20 minutes
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Ingredients:
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- Half red finger chili, sliced in thin rounds (with seeds)
- 1 Tsp (5 mL) granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) fresh lime juice
- 4 Tsp (20 mL) fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) PC 100% Pure First-Pressed Canola Oil
- 2 PC Flavour Burst Kent Mango
- 2 carrots, cut in thin matchsticks
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- Half sweet red pepper, cut in thin matchsticks
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) lightly-packed cilantro leaves
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) lightly-packed leaves PC Fresh Mint
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) PC Dry Roasted Lightly Seasoned Peanuts, chopped
Directions:
- Stir together garlic, chili, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and oil in large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
- Peel mangoes with vegetable peeler. Cut flesh away from pits. Cut one mango into thin matchsticks and thinly slice the other.
- Add mangoes, carrots, onions, pepper, cilantro and mint to lime dressing in bowl; toss to combine. Transfer to platter; sprinkle with peanuts.
TIP: A mandolin is the best tool to achieve evenly julienned vegetables in the minimum time.
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Grilled Jalapeño Brisket Burger
Smoke and spice balance perfectly in this southern-style brisket burger recipe. Grilling the jalapeño peppers tames their heat a bit, and adds extra yummy charred flavour.
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Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg (852 g) PC Slow Smoked Brisket Beef Burgers
- 3 oz (90 g) PC Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalapeño, cut in 12 slices
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 6 jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 6 soft white burger buns
- 2/3 cup (150 mL) PC Texas Caviar Mild Bean Salsa
Directions:
- Preheat barbecue to medium heat.
- Place frozen burgers on greased grill; cook, lid down, 5 to 6 minutes per side or until cooked through. Top each burger with two slices of cheese; close lid 1 minute to melt. Meanwhile, cook onion and jalapeños in grill basket on grill 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until very tender and blistered.
- Open buns; divide salsa evenly among bottom half of buns. Top each with a patty, one-sixth of the onions, and 2 pieces of pepper. Close with top bun and serve immediately.
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BBQ Lamb on Beet Hummus Flatbread
Reminiscent of Turkish-style pizzas called pide, the appetizer flatbread recipe features red beet hummus and crumbled lamb for a fresh and stylish version that’s easy to serve at any summer gathering.
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Serves: 10
Prep time: 20 minutes
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb (250 g) PC Lean Ground Australian Lamb
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp (25 mL) grated onion
- 1 Tsp (5 mL) toasted cumin seeds, crushed in mortar and pestle
- 3/4 Tsp (4 mL) ground coriander
- 3/4 Tsp (4 mL) paprika
- 1/2 Tsp (2 mL) each salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) PC New World EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) each chopped fresh parsley and mint
- 1 pkg (220 g) PC Appetizer Flatbreads
- 1 pkg (280 g) PC Beet Hummus Chickpea Dip and Spread
- 2/3 cup (150 mL) PC Crumbled Goat’s Milk Chevre Soft Unripened Cheese
- Lemon wedges
Directions:
- Preheat barbecue to medium heat; grease grill.
- Combine lamb, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, pepper and oil. Using hands, gently mix until just combined. Form into three 4-inch (10 cm) patties; let stand 20 minutes.
- Grill patties 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway, or until cooked through. Transfer to plate; crumble into small pieces using two forks. Sprinkle with parsley and mint; set aside.
- Grill flatbreads 30 to 60 seconds per side or until golden with grill marks; transfer to cutting board.
- Divide hummus between flatbreads; spread evenly to cover. Top with lamb and cheese. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Cut each flatbread into five pieces; squeeze lemon over top. Serve immediately.
TIP: You can substitute PC Soft Unripened Goat’s Milk Cheese and crumble it yourself if you prefer.
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Loads of Spinach & Parmesan Atlantic Salmon Burgers
I usually don’t like Salmon Burgers, but the PC Loads of Spinach & Parmesan Atlantic Salmon Burgers was so good! It was one of the top items of this picnic.
A few items that I would want to stock up in my fridge this Summer would be the PC Loads of Spinach Parmesan Atlantic Salmon Burgers, PC Sriracha Mayo Sandwich Spread, PC Cream First Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream, and the PC Pico Di Gallo Mild Salsa.
Website:
http://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/insiders-collection.html
