basil Archives - The Curated House

The Lost Art of The Gourmet Picnic

I absolutely love dining en plien air. The freshness of a breeze and the sound of the water are the perfect backdrop to a feast of flavours dancing on the palate. So recently, I prepared a humble yet flavourful picnic for friends who gathered with me in the woods for a lovely meal and an afternoon of inspiration. I’ll let the photos – taken by the lovely Gabriela Hansen and mostly film – speak for themselves. Recipes to follow.

A FOODIE’S PICNIC-ING FEAST

1. PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED ASPARAGUS WITH BOURSIN

This simple hors d’oeuvre is a hit every time I make it. Simple, gorgeous flavours are held together by the magical goodness of Boursin. I’m pretty sure this cheese is the creamy, culinary version of fairy dust.

The Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus

1 package garlic and herb Boursin

1 package prosciutto

The Method:

Steam asparagus and then plunge immediately into ice water to keep from over-cooking. Cut each piece of prosciutto in half, removing the edge of fat if it is large. Paint the prosciutto with the Boursin, using the back of a spoon to spread it easily. Wrap the Boursin-painted prosciutto around the centre of 3 stems of asparagus {ends will stick out at both top and bottom}. Cut this in half and either stand on a plate like little soldiers or fan out on the platter as pictured above. ENJOY.

2. ROASTED FIG + BACON SALAD with WALNUTS

A truly gorgeous salad that is very easy to make. The sweetness of the figs against the saltiness of the bacon makes this salad an ongoing treasure hunt for the perfect bite.

The Ingredients:

1 container baby arugula

6-8 fresh figs

Maple syrup to drizzle

1/2 to 1 full package of bacon

2 cups walnut pieces

Really good extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic reduction

The Method:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Heat oven to 400°F and bake oven until crispy {10 mins or less}. Turn oven down to 350°F. Wash figs, trim stems and cut into quarters. Arrange on a cookie sheet and drizzle with maple syrup. Bake in oven until figs and maple syrup start to bubble with caramelized gooey goodness {7-10 mins}. Set aside to cool. Once you’ve arrived at your chosen picnic-ing destination, layer together arugula, walnuts, bacon and figs and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic reduction. SAVOUR and pause to take in the scenery.

3. WATERMELON, FETA + BASIL AMUSE BOUCHE

A miniature version of the lovely Watermelon, Feta + Basil Summer Salad, this makes a rather modern statement presented simply on a wooden cutting board. The mix of salty, sweet and savoury make for a delightful play of flavours on the tongue.

The Ingredients:

1/2 a seedless watermelon, cut into 1″ cubes

Approximately 1 c. feta, cut into small cubes for topping watermelon

Basil leaves, cut into ribbons to decorate the top of the watermelon

The Method:

Simply adorn the watermelon with ribbons of basil and top with feta. Pop them in your mouth and enjoy the amusing interplay of flavours as you delight in good company and fresh air.

OTHER SUGGESTED ACCOMPANIMENTS:

* good cheese and olives with rustic, artisanal bread

* layered blankets and lovely dishes {like the beautiful plates featured above from Anthropologie}

* flowers and fizzy drinks

* good friends, good manners, and shared laughter and storytelling

Hope this inspires you to get out there and enjoy every last second of summer we have left!

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|August 28th, 2012|0 Comments

Summer Salads: Beet, Basil + Goat Cheese Stacks with Arugula + Walnuts

I love a casual dinner with friends. The kind where you cook while catching up and linger so long over the first course that you almost forget there’s more food waiting to be eaten. The kind where good food is only overshadowed by better conversation. The kind where you feel as if the night could just saunter along forever and no one would mind even a bit.

We had one such charmed evening with friends recently. I thought I’d share a few shots of the evening with you {and a recipe as a tasty side dish to go with the photos}.

BEET, BASIL + GOAT CHEESE STACKS WITH ARUGULA + WALNUTS

The Ingredients:

4 organic beets, peeled, boiled and cut into 1/4″ slices

Raw goat cheese

Organic baby arugula

Fresh Basil Leaves

Raw, organic walnuts

Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Reduction

Chives for garnish

The Method:

Peel, slice and boil the beets. {Funny side note: I attempted to keep each individual beet’s slices grouped together in the pot so that they would fit back together like a puzzle when it came time to create the stacks. This beautiful idea did not work at all. The boiling naturally shifted the pieces all around the pot leaving me with a beet puzzle and a whole lot of pieces that looked exactly the same. I managed to find pieces that fit fairly well with one another, nonetheless. Not quite as I had envisioned, but still quite lovely.} Cool the beets by running them under some cold water in a strainer once they have boiled.

Plate a bed of arugula. Begin to arrange your “stacks,” layering the beets with a blanket of basil leaves and then a thick, delicious slab of goat cheese in between each piece of beet.

Scatter a handful of raw, organic walnuts around the plate. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a good balsamic reduction. Finish with 2 or 3 long chives leaned decoratively against the beet and goat cheese stack.

Enjoy with good company.

Here’s to savouring each and every minute of summer we have left. Cozy up with your loved ones and watch for the fireflies. They really are magical.

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|August 21st, 2012|0 Comments

Summer Salads: Watermelon, Feta + Basil

I absolutely love the sweet, fresh flavours of summer. Our family are watermelon addicts and we pretty much always have one on the go in the summer months when they are in season. So in celebration of the second official (smokin’ hot) day of summer, I thought I’d share a recipe with you. This is one of my favourite simple summer salads.

This salad is super fast, easy, and pleases even our son who tends to turn his nose up at the sign of anything too “mixed” or “with green stuff in it.” I think it’s the juxtaposition of the salty feta, the savoury basil and the sweet watermelon that makes it such a pleasant surprise to the palette.

Here’s what you need:

1 medium watermelon cut into 1″ cubes
1 container of firm feta (packed in rind – about 200g – more if you really love feta) cut into 1/4″ cubes
A big handful of basil leaves (maybe 1/4 cup when they’re pressed together), washed and cut into chiffonade (long, thin strips)
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp of my favourite mustard – Sable & Rosenfeld’s Tipsy Dijon (this amazing mustard is spiked with ale!)
2 or more tbsp of really good extra virgin olive oil
A generous pinch of salt (I use Maldon as the light flakes are just perfect for salad dressings)
Pepper to taste

Mix together the lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, salt + pepper until well combined. In a large serving bowl, combine the watermelon, feta and basil and gently drizzle half of the dressing over the salad. Toss and taste. Sometimes I stop there depending on how tart the lemon was and how much watermelon I’ve got. Sometimes I use it all. Just depends on my my mood and how the flavours are combining that day.

We love this salad along with a light and refreshing glass of Sparkling Pinot Grigio like this one from Barefoot Wines. It is remarkably reasonable at $12 a bottle and has that perfectly crisp, minerally refreshing taste that pairs beautifully with this kind of dish. I’m a champagne girl for sure, but this one fits the proverbial beer budget quite nicely, thank you very much!

Pair this salad with some gorgeous Lemon, Garlic + Rosemary Grilled Chicken (I’ll share that recipe soon) and it makes a delightful summer meal, especially al fresco!