Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb

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Herb crusted rack of lamb served on a bed of Ratatouille 

This is one of those recipes saved for special occasions, like a birthday, anniversary or a plain old celebration. Lamb is so rich in flavour and tenderness, you will be blown away by how this cut of meat just melts in your mouth. Serve this lamb on a bed of ratatouille; the fresh veggies pair incredibly with the richness of the lamb, and it looks beautiful!  it is exceptionally delicious and fairly simple to throw together. Rack of lamb takes as little as 20 minutes to cook, so incorporate some exciting side dishes and salads to bring this meal to the next level.

When purchasing lamb, you do not what to cut corners. This lamb will be the “piece de resistance” ie the centerpiece to your table and you want it to be perfect! Talk to your local butcher, or the person at the meat counter at the grocery store, and ask for a Rack of Lamb. Typically the lamb will still have some meat or film on the exposed bones, ask your butcher to “French Trim” the bones, this will make them look beautiful when cooked. This is a bit of work on their end, so maybe bring your friendly butcher a coffee before you ask him to take on this task!

How much will Lamb cost you?

As for the price, Lamb is relatively expensive, and I tend to estimate 3 ribs per person, a rack usually has 8 ribs. So for four people, you would need 2 racks, then you have a little extra for leftovers. Now a rack of lamb tends to be between 30-40$, however if you have a costco membership (or know someone who has a costco membership) it can cost as little as 25$. 

Importance of Temperature

Serve your lamb medium-rare to medium.The lamb rack is extremely tender cut and if it is cooked more than medium it can become chewy.

For medium-rare, you want your rack of lamb to reach an internal temperature of 135 °F, and for medium 145°F. However, when you remove your lamb from the oven and rest it, it continues to cook up to 4 degrees. So remove the lamb from the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 131°F for medium-rare and 141°F for medium. Using a thermometer takes the guessing out of cooking, and allows your to relax and not stress about serving a delicious mealS

Pro Tips

  • Do not be afraid of high heat! You need to give your rack of lamb a good sear on all sides before transferring it to the oven. This also is the base of your glaze, so don’t be stingy! Lastly when searing your meat, give the meat a little wiggle before flipping it over. If it is stuck to the bottom of the pan, leave it for another minute or so. Once the piece of meat comes away easily from the pan, you know you have a good sear on it. 
  • Use a thermometer! I can’t tell you enough how useful a meat thermometer is, they’re inexpensive and is worth it as you won’t waste the money you already spent on the lamb because you overcooked it.

Here's What You're Gonna Do

The first thing I learnt in culinary school was the imprortance of a “Mise en Place”, which is a nice way of saying “Get your sh*t together”. Measure, cut and get all the necessary pans and equipment ready. Now you’re ready to start cooking. 

Using a handy food processor (or handy knife skills) finely chop parsley and bread crumbs and place on a plate or a cutting board spread out. 

In an oven-safe pan, heat oil on high and sear the rack of lamb. Searing is a crucial part in this recipe and this will deepen the flavour of the sauce. Once all sides are seared brush with mustard then coat with parsley. 

Now that your lamb is ready to go, bake it in the oven for 15 minutes. Once the 15 minutes are up, check the temperature of the lamb and remove it from pan. Cover with tin foil and set aside. 

While your meat is resting, combine the balsamic sauce ingredients. 

Once your meat has fully reseted, using a sharp chefs knife, cut in between the bones, serve 2-3 ribs per person. 

Enjoy!

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Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb

This is one of those recipes saved for special occasions, like a birthday, anniversary or a plain old celebration. Lamb is so rich in flavour and tenderness, you will be blown away by how this cut of meat just melts in your mouth
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Keyword Dinner, Worth the Splurge
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 400kcal
Cost 35-50$

Equipment

  • Oven Safe Pan

Ingredients

Lamb

  • 2 Racks of Lamb
  • 2 tbsp Oil Vegetable, Canola, Avocado
  • 1 cup Parsley
  • 1 cup Bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup Dijon
  • 2 tsp Salt & Pepper

Balsamic Reduction

  • 1 Small Shallot
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Butter

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 °F
  • In a food processor (or with handy knife skills), mince the parsley. Once finely chopped, combine with bread crumbs on a flat plate. 
  • In a large saucepan, heat oil on high heat. Add the racks of lamb and get a nice sear on each side. 30 seconds  to 1 minute per side. 
  • Once all sides are seared, remove from pan and brush the tops of the rack (not the bone side) with the mustard, then press the rack into the parsley and crumb mixture. Return to pan, crumb side facing up and ribs facing down. 
  • Place in oven for 15 minutes. 
  • Remove from oven and check doneness with thermometer. Cover with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes. (see pro tip for doneness)  
  • While rack of lamb is resting, mince shallot and garlic. 
  • On medium heat, using the same pan as the lamb, add butter to pan and sweat garlic and onion, 3-5 minutes scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. 
  • Add balsamic and bring sauce to a simmer for 2 minutes. 
  • Slice lamb, serving 2-3 ribs per person. Drizzle a little sauce on each rib, serve hot!

Notes

  • Temperature; serve your lamb medium-rare to medium.The lamb rack is extremely tender cut and if it is cooked more than medium it can become chewy. For medium-rare, you want your rack of lamb to reach an internal temperature of 135 °F, and for medium 145°F. However, when you remove your lamb from the oven and rest it, it continues to cook up to 4 degrees. So remove the lamb from the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 131°F for medium-rare and 141°F for medium. Using a thermometer takes the guessing out of cooking, and allows your to relax and not stress about serving a delicious meal! 

Let me know how your recipe turned out! Tag me @butterandotherdrugs

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French Onion Soup

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When I think of cold weather, I think of cheesy, piping hot, french onion soup. This rich onion soup is topped with crunchy bread, delicious swiss and gruyere cheese then baked till it’s scolding hot. This makes for an easy (lazy) staple dinner during those chilly months as I tend to keep a baguette in the freezer for such occasion and most always have a bag of onions handy.  

This french onion soup has been kitchen tested like no other recipe; it has been in the making for a couple of years. One of the big debates in our home is whether or not the broth should comprise of red wine or white wine, and what cheese makes for the best topping. Some find that gruyere is too oily to create a crunchy top…and some call me crazy for topping this french classic soup with Swiss cheese (to that I say-mind yo’ damn business)! This soup has the perfect balance of richness and fresh and deep in flavour. This heavenly soup is evened out with fresh thyme to bring brightness to the soup. It is topped with a solid piece of Swiss to hold the raft together then topped with grated gruyere cheese for the right amount of homage to the french. 

 

Here's What You're Gonna Do

First thing first, caramelizing the onions just right, is the most important part of this soup and what bring the most flavour. In a large pot or a Dutch oven, add your sliced onions. This might seem like a lot of onion for four servings, but trust me the Onion is one deceiving veggie. 

On medium low heat, cook the onions covered, stirring every so often for 1 hour. This is one part of the recipe you do not want to rush. If you turn the heat too high you will fry your onions and then the soup will have a bitter taste. Low and slow people! After the cooking process the onions should look like this;

 

Now that your onions are beautiful, add the garlic and wine and cook it out. Then the remaining stock ingredients. Allow the ingredients to get acquainted with one another for 30 minutes.  

Slice your bread and grate your cheese, now for the fun part; assembly! Follow the assembly process listed below, then broil on high for a couple minutes until golden and crunchy. Remind your guests that the bowl is very hot! 

What You'll Need

  • Baking sheet
  • 4 Oven safe bowls
  • Large dutch oven or pot
  • Cheese grater

Assembling the Perfect French Onion Soup

 

  • This soup is all about the onions becoming sweet and golden, so do not rush the caramelization process by turning up the heat. This will burn the sugars that the onions are releasing, emitting a bitter burnt taste. So take your time and have patience. 
  • Use an oven safe bowl, I literally can’t stress this enough. Pour the soup until you have 2 inches of space from the top. 
  • I recommend you toast your baguette slices. This keeps it from becoming too soggy and allows for a sturdy raft to place the cheese on. What is a bread raft you say?! The second most important part of this soup (next to the onions of course). Place two slices of toasted baguette on the surface of the soup, then place two more slices facing the opposite direction. 
  • Place a large slice of swiss cheese on top of the bread, then an even layer of shredded gruyere. 
  • Place the soup bowls on a baking sheet and place the whole sheet in the oven for easy transport. 
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French Onion Soup

This soup has the perfect balance of richness and fresh and deep in flavour and evened out with fresh thyme to bring brightness to the soup.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine French
Keyword Dinner, Soup
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Calories 450kcal
Cost 18

Equipment

  • Oven Safe Bowl
  • Large pot

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Yellow Onion
  • 5 tbsp Butter
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 2 Garlic Cloves Minced
  • 8 cups Beef Broth
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Thyme Minced
  • 4 Large Slices Swiss Cheese
  • 1 cup Grueyre Cheese Shredded

Instructions

  • Prep your onion Mise! Peel the outer layer and thinly slice onions.
  • In a large pot over medium low heat, add the butter and onions. Cover for 30 minutes stirring every 5 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook until golden brown. This sould take a total of 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, mince garlic, pick and wash thyme and measure out wine and broth
  • Once the onions are golden, add garlic and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the wine and cook for 5 minutes, until the wine has evaporated. Add the broth and thyme and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, slice baguette inch thick and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes at 350 ℉.
  • Grate the gruyere cheese.
  • Before pouring soup into bowls taste the seasoning, add salt if necessary. Place oven safe bowls on a baking sheet. Pour soup 2 inches from the lip of the bowl. Top with bread and cheese (see pro tip above). 
  • Turn oven to broil and place the baking sheet with the soup bowls in the oven. Broil for 5 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy.
  • Serve piping hot! However, make sure to warn your guests that the bowls are friggen hot!

Notes

  • This soup is all about the onions becoming sweet and golden, so do not rush the caramelization process by turning up the heat. This will burn the sugars that the onions are releasing, emitting a bitter burnt taste. So take your time and have patience. 
  • Use an oven safe bowl, I literally can't stress this enough. Pour the soup until you have 2 inches of space from the top. 
  • I reccomend you toast your baguette slices. This keeps it from becoming too soggy and allows for a sturdy raft to place the cheese on. What is a bread raft you say?! The second most important part of this soup (next to the onions of course). Place two slices of toasted baguette on the surface of the soup, then place two more slices facing the opposite direction. 
  • Place a large slice of swiss cheese on top of the bread, then an even layer of shredded gruyere. 
  • Place the soup bowls on a baking sheet and place the whole sheet in the oven for easy transport. 

I would love to see how your recipe turns out! Take a photo and tag me @butterandotherdrugs

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Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower wings

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Serves 6 people 

These crispy tangy buffalo cauliflower wings are insanely addictive. You will be wishing you had doubled the batch (you can never have too many of these heavenly pieces). These cauliflower wings, are everything that is good about chicken wings (the sauce obviously) without the expensive chicken part. Fresh Chicken Wings is about 10$ for 20 wings. Whereas 1 head of cauliflower yields 20 cauliflower wings and is sold for a fraction of the price!  Just because the cauliflower wings are less expensive, doesn’t mean they are any less tasty! These are also an incredible crowd pleaser for your veggie friends, I call that a double W!

Pro Tips

  • The first time I made these cauliflower wings, I simply threw them on a baking sheet lined with foil and when it came time to flip them they were stuck to the foil. Do not make the same mistake, generously butter or spray the aluminum foil on your baking dish to have crispy wings!
  • If you or your guests are not a fan of Ranch dipping sauce, omit that part of the recipe!
  • If you’re not a fan of buffalo sauce, change it up with a honey garlic (honey, garlic, oil, soy sauce) heat those up on a pan and you’re ready-to-go!

Here’s What You’re Gonna Do 

  • Mix the pantry ranch dressing ingredients in a mason jar and give it a good shake! Store in fridge.
  •  Prepare your baking sheet; place a piece of aluminum foil over top (makes for an easy clean up) and grease or spray your foil generously. 
  • In a large bowl, combine batter ingredients and give it a good whisk till all incorporated, set aside.
  • Give your cauliflower a good wash, and cut in half. Using your hands, break off the cauliflower florets and add to the batter bowl. 
  • Coat the cauliflower in the batter and place the cauliflower wings on the greased sheet. 
  • Bake them for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the buffalo sauce ingredients together. 
  • Remove wings from the oven and coat with buffalo sauce.
  • Return to oven for an additional 15 minutes.
  • Once those 15 minutes are up, turn that broiler on high for 2 minutes to give them a little colour. Enjoy! 

You’ll Need

  • Baking Sheet greased with Pam spray or lots of butter
  • Large bowl
  • Small bowl
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Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

These crispy tangy buffalo cauliflower wings are insanely addictive. You will be wishing you had doubled the batch. These cauliflower wings, are everything that is good about chicken wings (the sauce obviously) without the expensive chicken part.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, Canadian
Keyword Buffalo Sauce, Cauliflower Wings, Football Snack
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 37 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 250kcal
Cost 10$

Equipment

  • Large Bowl
  • Small Bowl
  • Baking Sheet
  • Aluminum Foil

Ingredients

Cauliflower Wing Batter

  • 1 cup Flour
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 2 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Onion powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • 1 Head of Cauliflower

Buffalo Sauce

  • 1/4 cup Hot sauce *Franks is my fave
  • 3 tbsp Melted butter
  • 1 tbsp Maple syrup

Pantry Ranch Dipping Sauce (Optional)

  • 1/4 cup Mayo
  • 1/4 cup Sour Cream
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1/2 tsp Dried dill
  • 1/4 tsp Dried parsley
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all the ranch ingredients in a mason jar and give it a really good shake. Taste and adjust the seasoning (more salt?) set aside in fridge.
  • Preheat oven to 450 °F.
  • In a large bowl using a whisk, combine the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and milk, set batter aside.
  • Remove green sprigs from the base of the cauliflower and discard. Cut the cauliflower in half with a sharp knife and begin removing the florets.  and place in a large bowl. 
  • Place florets in large bowl containing batter and coat cauliflower well. 
  • Place a piece of foil on top of baking sheet and grease with Pam Spray or lots of butter. You don’t want the cauliflower sticking to the pan. 
  • Transfer cauliflower to a baking sheet. Make sure to arrange the cauliflower so they are not touching for optimal crispness. Bake for 20 minutes flipping them halfway through. 
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the hot sauce, melted butter and maple syrup. 
  • Once cauliflower is cooked for the first 20 minutes, remove the cauliflower from the oven and pour buffalo sauce on each individual cauliflower, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Notes

  • The first time I made these cauliflower wings, I simply threw them on a baking sheet lined with foil and when it came time to flip them they were stuck to the foil. Do not make the same mistake, generously butter or spray the aluminum foil on your baking dish to have crispy wings!

If you make this recipe, be sure to comment below and tag your photo #butterandotherdrugs

If you liked this recipe, check out these ones!

Holiday Stuffing

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This stuffing recipe is an age old tradition in my family, that has never failed to please. It’s guaranteed to bring on the nostalgia of Thanksgivings past; probably reminiscent of your grandma’s house, just like mine, while also being delicious and surprisingly easy to assemble. It makes a hearty amount, which let’s be honest with ourselves, is the only kind of stuffing recipe worth making for this holiday.  

What Makes this Stuffing Taste so Good? 

The ground Savoury and Sage. This is the big secret! These herbs can be sound in the isle where spices are kept, do not skip this ingredient! 

Here’s What You’re Gonna Do:

  • Slice your white bread into 1 cm squares
  • Bake bread until lightly browned
  • Saute onions and celery with spices
  • Combine everything in a large bowl
  • Bake for 30 minutes, serve hot! 

What You’ll Need: 

  • Baking Sheet
  • Saute pan
  • Large Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 bag of white bread (cut in 1 cm squares)
  • 1 sprig of thyme (1 tbl of fresh thyme leaves) 
  • 3 large white onions
  • 3 celery stalks 
  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 ½ tsp sage 
  • 1 ½ tsp ground savoury (a green looking spice) 
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup white wine

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees celsius. 
  2. Slice bread into 1 cm squares- you should have 10 cups of bread cut into squares. Spread bread out on a baking sheet in one layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Place in large bowl. 
  3. Meanwhile, finely chop onion and celery. Melt butter in large pan and add onions, celery,sage, savoury, salt and pepper. Sweat for 10 minutes. 
  4. Transfer onion mixture to bread bowl. Add wine,broth and combine. 
  5. Set aside 3 cups of the mixture for the chicken breasts. Place the remaining mixture in a greased baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees celsius for 25 minutes. 
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Stuffing

 It’s guaranteed to bring on the nostalgia of Thanksgivings past; probably reminiscent of your grandma’s house, just like mine, while also being delicious and surprisingly easy to assemble.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Canadian, English
Keyword Side Dish, Vegetarian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 250kcal
Cost 10$

Equipment

  • Large Bowl
  • Baking Sheet
  • Medium sized Saute Pan

Ingredients

  • 1 bag White Bread cut in 1 cm squares
  • 3 large White Onions
  • 3 Celery Stalks
  • 1 Sprig Thyme
  • 1/2 cup Butter
  • 2 1/2 tsp Ground Sage
  • 1 1/2 tsp Ground Savoury
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
  • 1/2 cup Dry White Wine

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees celsius.
  • Slice bread into 1 cm squares- you should have 10 cups of bread cut into squares. Spread bread out on a baking sheet in one layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Place in large bowl. 
  • Meanwhile, finely chop onion and celery. Melt butter in large pan and add onions, celery,sage, savoury, salt and pepper. Sweat for 10 minutes.
  • Transfer onion mixture to bread bowl. Add wine,broth and combine.
  • Set aside 3 cups of the mixture for the chicken breasts. Place the remaining mixture in a greased baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees celsius for 25 minutes. 

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

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Friendsgiving anyone? This delicious stuffing filled chicken breast is the perfect Thanksgiving recipe to feast on this holiday season and is incredibly easy to make. Use to slaving away in the kitchen brining a dry turkey? Well not this time! Now, you can enjoy extra time relaxing with family and friends. 

 

What is Brining? 

Brining allows for the chicken breast to retain its moisture and stay juicy and flavourful. Brining only takes 20 minutes and it allows for the chicken to come to room temperature, which helps with even cooking. Simply fill a large bowl with lukewarm water and 3 tbl of salt. Allow the salt to dissolve for a minute or two before adding the chicken breast. Once the chicken has been added to the brine, cover with cling film and allow for it to sit on the counter for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the brine and carry on with any recipe, feeling confident that your chicken is going to be moist and juicy! 

 

How do you Butterfly a chicken breast?

Using a sharp knife is very important! Place your hand on top of boneless, skinless chicken breast and slice slice horizontally into the chicken, dividing it in half. Stop at about a ½ inch from the opposite side. This will allow the chicken breast to open up like a book, so it lies flat. 

Here’s what your gonna do; 

  • Brine that chicken! A step that should not be skipped
  • Butterfly the chicken
  • Flatten chicken until its ½ inch thick
  • Fill chicken breasts with delectable stuffing
  • Roll chicken tightly and wrap with twine
  • Bake chicken
  • Enjoy! 

What you’ll need; 

  • Meat thermometer
  • Large bowl
  • Baking dish

Ingredients: 

Brine Mixture:

  • 3 tbl salt
  • 4 cups of lukewarm water

Directions 

  1. Remove chicken from packaging and place in a bowl with brine mixture. Cover and place in fridge for anytime between 15 minutes to 2 hours.  
  2. Remove chicken from brining mixture and pat dry. Butterfly the chicken, then flatten chicken with a rolling pin or tenderiser until ½ inch thick. Do this with all the chicken breasts. 
  3. Place flattened chicken breast on a piece of cling film. Fill with ⅓ cup of stuffing. Using the cling film, roll chicken breast tightly. If you do not have cling film, roll chicken breast tightly then tie with butcher’s twine. Do this with the remaining breasts. 
  4. Place stuffed chicken breasts in a greased baking sheet, cover and bake for 25 minutes or until the thermometer reads 72 degrees celsius. 
  5. Slice cooked chicken breasts in 3-4 pieces, serve with baked stuffing and mashed potatoes, Happy Friendsgiving! 
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Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This delicious stuffing filled chicken breast is the perfect Thanksgiving recipe to feast on this holiday season and is incredibly easy to make.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Canadian, French
Keyword Chicken, Thanksgiving
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 5 people
Calories 450kcal
Cost 25$

Equipment

  • Baking Dish
  • Meat Tenderizer or Rolling Pin
  • Butcher Twine

Ingredients

  • 5 large Chicken Breast
  • 3 cups Holiday Stuffing

Brine Mixture

  • 4 cups Lukewarm Water
  • 3 tbsp Salt

Instructions

  • Remove chicken from packaging and place in a bowl with brine mixture. Cover and place on counter for anytime between 15 minutes to 2 hours.
  • Remove chicken from brining mixture and pat dry. Butterfly the chicken, then flatten chicken with a rolling pin or tenderiser until ½ inch thick. Do this with all the chicken breasts.
  • Place flattened chicken breast on a piece of cling film. Fill with ⅓ cup of stuffing. Using the cling film, roll chicken breast tightly. If you do not have cling film, roll chicken breast tightly then tie with butcher’s twine. Do this with the remaining breasts. 
  • Place stuffed chicken breasts in a greased baking sheet, cover and bake for 25 minutes or until the thermometer reads 72 degrees celsius. 
  • Slice cooked chicken breasts in 3-4 pieces, serve with baked stuffing and mashed potatoes, Happy Friendsgiving!

Get-Ahead Turkey Gravy

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Yields 5 cups of gravy 

You know Grandmothers are the best and smartest cooks, they need to feed many mouths, cook the food in a short amount of time all the while keeping an assemblance of “lessez-faire”. Well this recipe is a well-kept secret that used to save my grandmother (no not the French one…) as she could easily make it in advance and defrost it on Turkey Day. This gravy is my all-time favourite, as there seemed to be an endless supply and it just tastes so damn good! 

The secret to keeping Turkey Day/FriendsGiving an easy and stress free event is planning and making as much ahead as possible. This get-ahead gravy is something you can get out of the way in September all the while still tasting delicious, trust me you will have everyone fooled!

Pro Tips 

  • This is technically a chicken gravy and my grocery store does not carry turkey wings…by all means use turkey wings equivalent to the pound stated in the ingredients. 
  • A brown roux is a flour and butter mixture that has cooked for 2-3 minutes and has turned a beautiful brown golden colour. Trust me this is not a step you want to miss as it give a deep nutty flavour to the gravy. 
  • Once ready to freeze, store it in a ziplock bag or an airtight container. Remember to leave extra room as liquids tend to expand when freezing. 

Ingredients

Stock

  • 3 pounds of chicken wings
  • 2 white onions
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 celery stocks
  • 1 large BG (a couple sprigs of thyme, parsley and a few bay leafs)
  • 2 tbl salt
  • 1 tbl butter
  • 10 cups of water

Brown Roux

  • ⅓ cup of butter
  • ⅓ cup of flour

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Prep your Mise! Peel and chop onion, carrot and celery stock (do not chop too small as this stock will simmer for 3 hours). Prep BG and tie with kitchen string.
  3. Place wings on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt (make sure it has edges as to not lose any of the juices). 
  4. Bake for 1 hour flipping 30 minutes in. 
  5. In a large pot, melt 1 tbl of butter and add onions, carrots, and celery. Saute and add chicken wings and cover with 8 cups of water. 
  6. Pour 2 cups of water onto the baking sheet and scrape up all the delicious juices and crispy bits. Add to stock. 
  7. Let stock simmer uncovered for 3 hours or until reduced by half. Once reduced strain out chicken and vegetables, discard and return stock to pot. 
  8. In a medium pot, melt butter and add flour, cook out flour for 2-3 minutes or until it turns a golden shade. Set aside until room temp. 
  9. Once the roux is at room temperature, slowly add the stock while whisking. Bring to a boil until sauce has thickened. Taste and season accordingly, you may need to add more salt. Let cool and freeze up to one month or in the refrigerator up to 3 days. 

Asparagus, Green Beans & Candied Pistachios

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Avenging Asparagus

Serves 10 (side dish)

This is one killer side dish, the fresh crunchy asparagus mixed with the vibrant green beans all wrapped in a tangy lemon dressing, topped with sticky candied pistachios-get in my belly! This is the perfect addition to any friendsgiving table as it is light and vibrant, evening out the richness of some of the other side dishes and main courses. This also adds a variety and some excitement as Asparagus is not a usual suspect during thanksgiving (it is the most underrated green veg out here). This is also a great side dish with a steak dinner, BBQ chicken or even a roast beef.

Check out the recipe for Patate Dauphinois , which pairs perfectly with the asparagus and beans! 

Pro Tips

  • For an extra layer of crunchy texture, bake asparagus for 5 minutes and broil for the remaining 5 minutes. Those chard bits are seriously delicious! 

What you’ll need

  • 2 parchment lined baking sheets
  • 1 small saucepan
  • 1 medium pot

Ingredients

  • 1 bushel of asparagus
  • 1 bunch of green beans
  • 1 lemon 
  • ½ cup shelled pistachios,
  • 2 tbl olive oil
  • 1 tbl maple syrup
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 °F. 
  2. In a small saucepan on medium heat, place maple syrup and shelled pistachios. Simmer nuts for 5 minutes until pistachios are covered in maple syrup.
  3. Spoon out nuts onto parchment paper, let cool. 
  4. Prep your mise! Wash asparagus and green beans. Remove stem of the asparagus (bottom white part) by snapping the asparagus, the white part will naturally break off. 
  5. Remove the stem ends of the green beans. Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. Add beans and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. 
  6. Cut lemon in ½ (widthweise). Slice half the lemon in rounds. Place rounds on a baking sheet. Place asparagus on top of lemon rounds. Drizzle olive oil, the juice of ½ the lemon, salt and pepper and coat asparagus evenly
  7. Bake asparagus for 10 minutes. Remove asparagus from oven and add the cooked green beans to the baking sheet. Toss the beans and asparagus together until all the greens are coated.
  8. Top beans and asparagus with candied nuts. Serve hot. 
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Asparagus, Green Bean, Candied Pistachios

Delicious green vegetable side dish, perfect to lighten up any main course!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, French
Keyword Side Dish, Vegetarian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 150kcal
Cost 8$

Equipment

  • Baking Sheet
  • Small Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • 1 bunch green beans
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
  • 2 tbl olive oil
  • 1 tbl maple syrup
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 °F
  • In a small saucepan on medium heat, place maple syrup and shelled pistachios. Simmer nuts for 5 minutes until pistachios are covered in maple syrup.
  • Spoon out nuts onto parchment paper, let cool.
  • Prep your mise! Wash asparagus and green beans. Remove stem of the asparagus (bottom white part) by snapping the asparagus, the white part will naturally break off. 
  • Remove the stem ends of the green beans. Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. Add beans and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. 
  • Cut lemon in ½ (widthweise). Slice half the lemon in rounds. Place rounds on a baking sheet. Place asparagus on top of lemon rounds. Drizzle olive oil, the juice of ½ the lemon, salt and pepper and coat asparagus evenly

Notes

For an extra layer of crunchy texture, bake asparagus for 5 minutes and broil for the remaining 5 minutes. Those chard bits are seriously delicious!

If you make this recipe, be sure to comment below and tag your photo #butterandotherdrugs

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Patate Dauphinois (French Scalloped Potatoes)

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Serves 6 (large) portions

As a kid, my favorite part of thanksgiving was all the different kinds of potatoes…mashed, scalloped, baked. You name it, my mom made sure it hit the table. Fast forward to culinary school, learning the classic french dishes, I decided to combine my grandmothers scalloped potatoes recipe and the techniques I learned from school. This potato dish is the love child of a French Canadian Grandma and a food snob. The recipe is simple yet the technique of layering the potatoes looks complex (but really it’s not, it’s just to wow your guests!). This cheesy classic french side dish will have your friends begging for seconds, thankfully it makes a lot! 

Layering the dish, I used an oval shaped oven safe dish. If you have a round dish it works even better! However if you have a rectangular dish, do not go buy a new one. Simply stack the potatoes in a line until the whole dish is covered. With either shape dish, start by greasing the pan with butter or spray, then place some sauce at the base and then place a layer of flat potatoes on top. Top with another layer of potatoes then start layering (like a staircase)! If you have an oval dish, start with the interior layers and work your way to the outsides. 

Pro Tips

  • Make this in advance. I seriously can’t tell you how helpful it is to pull food out of the freezer the night before, defrost and bake it all. Make the potatoes as per instructions but do not bake them, wrap them tightly with cling film then aluminum foil. These potatoes can be stored in the freezer for 2 months. When dethawing anything, do so in the fridge overnight. If you allow it to dethaw on the counter it’s the perfect environment for bacteria growth (a big no no in the kitchen). 
  • This recipe doubles, even triples well. This serves 6 people, so multiply and you’re on your way to a prosperous thanksgiving! 
  • If you cannot be bothered with the layering, no problem! Dump the potatoes in the dish and top it with the sauce and additional cheese. Its potatoes, seriously no stress.

Ingredients

  • 6 yukon gold potatoes (skin on)
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 small onion minced
  • 2 tbl butter
  • 1 ½ cups of cream (35%)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup gruyere cheese
  • 2 tbl flour
  • 1 tsp dry mustard 
  • 1tsp salt

Directions 

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
  2. Prep your Mise! Wash potatoes, mince garlic and onion, grate cheese and measure out remaining ingredients. 
  3. Using a mandoline (or handy knife skills), slice potatoes with the skin on (it looks pretty). Place potatoes in a bowl of water while preparing the sauce.
  4. In a medium stock pot,  on medium low heat, melt butter and sweat onion and garlic. Add flour and salt and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add cream, milk, ½ cup of cheese and dry mustard, whisk until thick and then set aside. 
  5. Assembly time! In an oven safe dish, grease bottom with butter or cooking spray. Pour some of the sauce in the base of the dish, then lay an even layer of potatoes at the bottom. Top with more sauce then another flat layer. Finally layer potatoes like a staire-case, either in lines or in a circular. I recommend starting from the center and working your way out. 
  6. Pour remaining sauce on top of potatoes and garnish with remaining ½ cup of cheese. 
  7. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour covered.  Then uncover and bake for another 25 minutes.  

Pumpkin Coconut Chai Latte

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Let’s keep the pumpkin flavour going for as long as there is no snow on the ground! If you’re not in Montreal that could be weeks away, however for us, it could be any minute now. I love to indulge in a specialty drink but sometimes I love to indulge from the comfort of my sweatpants. Here is a delicious and easy holiday drink that will leave you feeling like you stepped into a cafe while stepping into your kitchen. The coconut milk adds a healthy twist to your typical pumpkin spice latte, and the chai adds to the favours of the pumpkin spice. This cozy fall drink will definitely keep you warm this season! 

Pro Tips 

  • Top your pumpkin chai tea mixture with hot frothed coconut milk. If you do not have a frother handy, heat up the milk on the stovetop and whisk until the milk has a bubbly frothy consistency. 

Ingredients

  • 2 chai tea bags
  • 1 cup of water
  • ½ cup of coconut milk frothed or warmed 
  • 1 tbl pumpkin puree
  • ½ tsp of pumpkin spice
  • 1 tbl of maple syrup 
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • **Bailey’s or Whisky optional

Directions 

  1. In a small pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add 2 tea bags, and bring down to low heat  to steep for 5 minutes. 
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and vanilla and mix well. 
  3. Once the tea has steeped, remove chai tea bags and add the pumpkin mixture to the water and whisk until combined. 
  4. Place pumpkin chai tea in a mug and top with frothed or warmed coconut milk.
  5. Garnish with a pinch of pumpkin spice on top!

Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese Risotto 

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Risotto: the versatile recipe you’ve been waiting for. 

Serves 5 hearty portions

This fall infused Italian dish is a take on the classic risotto recipe, but elevated with a Fall flare. The seasons are changing and all we want to do is curl up on the couch in our extra cozy sweater, while enjoying a warm bowl of delicious Butternut Squash Risotto. If that description doesn’t get you excited, this risotto is infused with fresh sage and topped with chunks of delicious goat cheese that help to balance out the sweetness of the squash. Butternut squash is one of my favourite fall vegetables because it is incredibly versatile, adding so much depth to a dish. This dish is the perfect Friends’ Friday meal, as it costs very little and the recipe can be easily doubled for a larger group. Pair this dish with a dry white wine and you’ve got yourself a winning combo! 

Risotto is like a blank canvas; it can be changed to whatever your little foodie’s heart desires. Don’t like goat cheese, switch to parm! Want to add a little more green to the dish? Add some asparagus! Basically, risotto is for everyone. This recipe is my twist on a savoury Fall Risotto, so let’s get to it! 

Pro Tips

  • If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, have no fear! Switch out the goat cheese for parm and you’re on your way to a delicious meal. 
  • Like I said in the Classic Risotto recipe, you will need a large skillet (larger than you actually think you need) with high sides. If you don’t have a pan large enough, use a pot with a large base. 
  • Take your time! There is no need to rush; risotto is a time commitment, so give it the love it deserves. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 butternut squash
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 5 tbl butter
  • 1 medium shallot 
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 cups risotto rice (arborio) 
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 4 ½ cups broth 
  • ½  cup goat cheese plus extra for garnish 
  • Garnish with olive oil 
  • Sage leaves (garnish)
  • Fresh cracked pepper (garnish)

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F
  2. Prepare your mise! Cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and place one of the halves flesh side up on a parchment lined baking sheet. 
  3. With the other half, peel the rind and cut 1 inch thick cubes and place on the same baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, flipping the cubes halfway through. Check for readiness by inserting a fork into the flesh. The fork should come away from the squash with no resistance. 
  4. Finely dice the onion and garlic. Measure out stock, wine and rice. Now you’re ready to begin the risotto!  
  5. In a large saucepan, sauté onions in 3 tbsp butter until translucent on medium to low heat, about 5 minutes. 
  6. Add garlic and arborio rice to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes, until risotto is slightly browned on the edges. Pour in the white wine and begin the arm workout (stir away)!  
  7. Once the wine has been fully absorbed by the rice, begin the rotation of adding one cup of broth and stirring risotto constantly until all the liquid has been absorbed. Continue process with the remaining broth. This process should take between 20-25 minutes. 
  8. Meanwhile , scoop out the cooked flesh from the butternut squash and place in food processor or blender until you get a smooth purée consistency. Set aside. 
  9. Once risotto has fully absorbed the broth, taste to ensure it is fully cooked. If still crunchy, add more broth until the rice is soft but still aldente.
  10.  Add remaining 2 tbl of butter, goat cheese and butternut squash puree. Once combined, fold in the butternut squash cubes. 
  11. Time to plate! Place a healthy portion of risotto on a plate and top with a drizzle of olive oil, a turn of fresh cracked pepper, a few pieces of goat cheese and the sliced sage.