Celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday with this eclectic sample of recipes representing our country’s ethnic diversity. Regardless of our roots, the red and white maple leaf flag is a symbol of shared values and pride in Canada.
Jellyroll with Strawberries
A traditional jellyroll is a sponge cake but for a truly white cake, use angel food. It bakes well in a jellyroll pan. A jellyroll pan is simply a baking sheet with sides. Macerated strawberries turn any strawberry into a sweeter and tastier berry. Just sprinkle sliced berries with a spoonful of sugar about an hour before serving.
Read Also
Farm equipment dealership chain expands
This summer, AgWest announced it was building two new dealership buildings in Manitoba to better service its expanding market area — one in Brandon and the other in Russell.
The sponge cake has British origins and is a sweet that Queen Victoria enjoyed filled with a layer of raspberry jam and whipped cream.
Sponge Cake
- Cake flour is lower in gluten and produces a more tender baked good.
- Be sure to sift before measuring because this flour tends to pack down.
- 3/4 c. sifted cake flour 175 mL
- 1 tsp. baking powder 5 mL
- 1/4 c. milk 60 mL
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 30 mL
- 3/4 c. sugar 175 mL
- 5 large eggs
- Keep all ingredients at room temperature.
- Heat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line the bottom of a 17 1/2 inch by 11 1/2 inch (44 cm x 29 cm) jelly roll pan with parchment paper to fit. Sift the flour before measuring, then put it in a small dish and add the baking powder. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter until the butter is just melted. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whip attachment, beat the eggs with the sugar until light and fluffy and about tripled in volume.
- Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture and fold in. Add the hot milk and fold in until well combined.
- Scrape mixture into jellyroll pan and gently smooth out. Bake until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
- Loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and invert onto a clean, dry kitchen towel.
- Remove the parchment paper. Roll the cake, long side toward you, with the towel and leave until completely cooled. You will be rolling the towel into the cake to prevent the cake from sticking to itself.
- 2 c. whipping cream 500 mL
- 2 tbsp. icing sugar 30 mL
- 4 c. fresh strawberries 1 L
- 1 tbsp. sugar 15 mL
- While the cake is cooling, slice the strawberries and toss with sugar. As it sits, the juices will be released. Whip the cream to soft peaks and add icing sugar. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form and set aside.
- To finish, unroll the cooled cake and remove the towel. Spread the whipped cream over the entire cake. Add sliced strawberries, if desired. Reroll the cake without the towel. Refrigerate for one hour before serving.
- To serve, place on a platter, dust with icing sugar and garnish with macerated strawberries. Serve with more strawberries.
Bruschetta with Feta
- One of the earliest Italian visitors to Canada was Giovanni Caboto, or John Cabot as history has named him, who arrived in 1497. Then there were two main waves of immigration.
- The first was from 1900 to the beginning of the First World War, mainly young men who came to work in construction and the mines.
- The second and largest migration was after the Second World War. Most Italian immigrants arrived from the impoverished and agricultural areas of Calabria, Abruzzi, Molise and Sicily.
- 1 c. cherry tomatoes 250 mL
- 1/2 c. feta, crumbled 125 mL
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 loaf baguette
- 2 tbsp. camelina oil 30 mL
- sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
- dried chili flakes
- Coarsely chop the tomatoes. Add minced garlic, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Drizzle with camelina oil. Refrigerate until serving.
- Thinly slice the baguette at an angle. Lay the pieces on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F (180 C) until crisp and lightly browned.
- Serve the tomato mixture in a bowl with the toasted baguette slices on the side. Each person can top a piece of baguette with the bruschetta.
Watermelon Agua Fresca
- Agua fresca translates to cool waters from Spanish. This is a cold, non-alcoholic beverage typically sold in Mexico and Latin America. The migration of Central American and Mexican people was mainly to the United States despite our proximity to their country.
- However, since 1974 about half of Canada’s seasonal workers come from Mexico.
- Refreshing and healthy, this summer beverage should not be made more than a day in advance. It does become bitter as it sits. It is best served the same day it is made.
- 1/4 c. sugar or agave syrup 60 mL
- 5 c. peeled, seeded 1.25 L
- coarsely chopped
- watermelon
- 1/4 c. fresh lime juice 60 mL
- mint sprigs for garnish
- Combine sugar and 1/4 cup (60 mL) water in a small pot. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar has dissolved. Transfer mixture to a heatproof container and chill, uncovered, until cool, about 30 minutes.
- Combine watermelon, sugar syrup and lime juice and blend until smooth. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain into a pitcher and discard solids. Add two cups (500 mL) water and stir well to combine. Serve with mint sprigs.
Bannock with Strawberry Jam
- Red fife flour arrived on the continent in the mid 1800s with Scottish immigrants. First Nations made bannock derived from lichen and plants. The Scottish bannock was sustenance for explorers and traders and when a currency was introduced, aboriginals purchased flour for their bannock.
- 1 pkg. dry yeast
- 3 c. warm water 750 mL
- 1 tbsp. salt 15 mL
- 1 tbsp. sugar 15 mL
- 6 c. flour 1.5 L
- 2 tbsp. oil 30 mL
- 1/2 c. cornmeal 125 mL
- oil for frying
- Dissolve yeast in warm water with the sugar, then let stand until foamy. Add flour, salt and oil to yeast mixture. Mix and knead on a floured countertop until it is smooth. Place dough in a clean greased bowl, cover with towel and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from bowl and knead in the cornmeal.
- Make dough into two balls rolling each into 12 inch (30 cm) circles 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Cut each circle into two-inch (5 cm) squares and drop into hot cooking oil. This works best with a cast iron skillet that has about two inches (5 cm) of oil in it. Fry five pieces at a time for only a few minutes. Drain on paper towel and sift icing sugar over them.
- Serve with strawberry jam.
Sarah Galvin is a home economist, teacher and farmers’ market vendor at Swift Current, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. She writes a blog at allourfingersinthepie.blogspot.ca. Contact: team@producer.com.
