Posted on by Brittany Levett

Food & Wine | Our favourite summer recipes with President’s Choice

So they say today is the first day of fall, and that’s ok. But for those of you who aren’t ready to let go of the warmer months either, we’ve rounded up our favourite summer recipes with the best ingredients from President’s Choice. No matter what the time of year, you can be sure that we will be enjoying ourselves in the kitchen and are always looking forward to sharing our creations with you all.

We picked up some of our favourite black label items, fresh produce and delicious must haves at our local Loblaws. Make sure to click on each ingredient we’ve highlighted below to get inspired for your very own recipes. If you haven’t tried the black label products yet, what are you waiting for?

“The President’s Choice® black label Collection brings an exceptional array of fine foods and flavours from around the world and here at home, to the grocery store. All with the value and convenience you expect from the PC® brand. Not only are they an extraordinary selection, they’re the very best we’ve ever tasted.”

So let’s get to the good stuff!

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Grilled Turkey Naan Sandwiches (Source: President’s Choice)

2 cups (500 mL) – Zucchini Rounds, very thinly sliced (about 1 small zucchini)

1 cup (250 mL) – Red Onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp (25 mL) – PC® 100% Pure Canola Oil

½ tsp (2 mL) – Salt

¼ tsp (1 mL) – Black Pepper, freshly ground

6 – Aged Gruyère Cheese Slices

12 – PC® Whole Wheat Naan Rounds

12 – PC® Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast, slices

6 tsp (30 mL) – PC® Old Fashioned Dijon Prepared Mustard

3 to 4 – PC® Cocktail Tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 cups (500 mL) – PC® Organics Baby Arugula

  1. Preheat barbecue to medium-high heat; place grilling basket on grill.
  2. Combine zucchini, red onion, oil, salt and pepper in bowl; stir well to coat. Transfer to grilling basket; cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden and tender. Remove from heat; reduce barbecue to medium-low heat.
  3. Arrange cheese evenly over 6 naan rounds; top each with an equal amount of turkey and grilled vegetables. Spread each remaining naan with 1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon; place on top of each sandwich to finish. Carefully transfer sandwiches to grill; cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until cheese is melted and naan rounds have grill marks.
  4. Transfer to serving platter. Open each sandwich; add tomatoes and arugula. Serve immediately.

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Crispy Chicken Sandwich with Blue Cheese Slaw (Source: President’s Choice)

1 pkg (340 g) – PC® Fresh Cut Washed Coleslaw

½ 125g pkg – PC® Blue Cheese, crumbled

¼ cup (50 mL) – Mayonnaise

1 tbsp (15 mL) – Dijon Mustard

1 tsp (5 mL) – White Wine Vinegar

Pinch – Black Pepper, freshly ground

1 cup (250 mL) – PC® Black Label Panko Japanese-Style Bread Crumbs

¼ cup (50 mL) – All-purpose Flour

2 – Eggs

1 pkg – PC® Free From Boneless Skinless Air-Chilled Chicken Thighs, about 1 lb (500 g)

1 pkg – PC® Ciabatta Burger Buns

½ cup (125 mL) – PC® Smoky Bacon Hot Sauce

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.
  2. Toss together coleslaw, blue cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon, vinegar and pepper in large bowl; set aside.
  3. Add panko to large frying pan; spray lightly with cooking spray. Toast over medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring often, or until golden brown; transfer to wide shallow dish.
  4. Place flour in another shallow dish. Whisk eggs together with 1/4 cup (50 mL) water in third shallow dish.
  5. Unroll chicken thighs. Working one at a time, dip first into flour to coat all over, shaking off excess. Next, coat in egg, letting excess drip back into bowl. Transfer to panko bowl; press to coat all over, shaking off excess. Arrange on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining thighs. Discard any leftover flour, egg and panko.
  6. Bake in centre of oven for 10 minutes. Turn chicken; continue to bake about 5 minutes longer or until chicken is crispy and golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C). Transfer to cutting board.
  7. Cut thighs in half; stack on bottoms of buns. Drizzle a heaping 1 tbsp (15 mL) hot sauce over top of each; mound coleslaw on top and sandwich with bun tops

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Cool Maple Goat Cheese Dip (Source: President’s Choice)

1 pkg (140 g) – PC® Maple Goat Cheese Log

2/3 cup (150 mL) – Sour Cream

¼ tsp (1 mL) – Black Pepper, freshly ground

  1. Stir together goat cheese, sour cream and pepper in bowl until smooth.
  2. Transfer to serving bowl; serve with PC® Kettle Cooked Applewood Smoked Bacon Potato Chips.

TIP: For a healthier choice, serve chilled leftover dip with sliced apples & PC® Biscuits for Cheese. 

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Guacamole Salad (Source: INA GARTEN)

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and 1/2-inch diced

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup small diced red onion

2 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers, seeded (2 peppers)

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled, and 1/2-inch diced

  1. Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno peppers, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss well.
  2. Just before you’re ready to serve the salad, fold the avocados into the salad. Check the seasoning and serve at room temperature.
  3. Serve with PC® Biscuits for Cheese & PC® Cured Meats for a light meal that will leave you satisfied

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Panna Cotta (Source: SMITTEN KITCHEN)

Neutral oil such as canola or safflower

4 tablespoons (60 ml) water

2 1/2 teaspoons (1 packet or 1/4 ounce or 7 grams) unflavored gelatin

2 cups (460 grams) PC® 2% Greek Yogurt (Plain)

2 cups (475 ml) milk, heavy cream or a combination thereof (see note up top), divided

1/4 to 1/2 cup (50 to 100 grams) granulated sugar (see note up top)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)

  1. If you plan to unmold the panna cotta later, lightly coat the inside of a 9-inch round cake pan or smaller dessert cups with the oil. (No need to if you will scoop it from its cups.)
  2. Place water in a small bowl. Stir in gelatin and set aside until the gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk all of yogurt and 1 cup of milk, cream or a mixture thereof. In a small saucepan, bring remaining milk or cream and sugar to a simmer. Stir in water-gelatin mixture (it will dissolve immediately) and remove from heat. Whisk this mixture into the yogurt mixture, then stir in lemon juice at the end. Pour mixture into cake pan or smaller cups and chill in fridge for at least 2 hours for small cups and up to 8 for a large pan. It’s best to do this the night before you need it, to be safe.
  4. To unmold the cake pan, fill a larger baking dish with 1-inch boiling water. Dip panna cotta cake pan in it for 10 seconds, then flip it out onto a flat round platter. (A curved one will cause the panna cotta to appear sunken in the middle.)
  5. To unmold smaller dishes, bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer and dip the bottom of a small panna cotta cup in one for five seconds, then invert it onto a plate. Repeat with remaining cups.
  6. Right before you serve the panna cotta, sprinkle it with walnuts and drizzle it with honey. This needs to be done right before you serve it because the honey will (unfortunately) become liquidy and roll off it it sits on the panna cottas for too long.
  7. Do ahead: Panna cottas can be made two days ahead, though I suspect longer. Keep refrigerated.
  8. For added flavour, soak fresh strawberries in PC® Black Label Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena for several hours and spoon on top of the panna cotta as you serve it to your guests. Sweet & savoury!

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Peach “Donuts” (INSPIRED BY MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN / Source: Brittany Levett)

Ripe peaches

A half cup almond flour

A third cup PC®  Black Label 100% Pure Roasted Almond Oil

A handful of fresh basil leaves

Honey to drizzle

  1. To skin peaches, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add peaches. Blanch for 30 seconds and transfer to a bowl of ice water; drain. Cut peaches laterally around pit and gently twist apart. If peaches do not twist apart easily, insert knife tip and cut around the pit, then gently ease it out and separate the peach halves. Remove skin.
  2. Dip peaches in almond meal and place aside.
  3. Heat a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons almond oil and add a batch of peach halves; do not crowd the pan. Sear for about 1 minute, until almond coating has browned, and flip over. Sear for another 30 seconds to a minute and remove to dessert plates, placing two halves on each plate, cut side up. Add more almond oil to the pan if necessary and finish searing peaches.
  4. Finish with a drizzle honey to taste and chopped basil leaves.

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Brittany’s Beer Can Chicken (Source: Brittany Levett)

PC® Free From Air Chilled Whole Chicken

PC® Black Label Goose Fat

PC® Black Label Harissa Spice Blend

One “Tall Boy” Can – Beer of your choice

  1. Lift the skin of the chicken and smear a generous amount of goose fat under the skin.
  2. Using your hands, massage goose fat into the flesh of the chicken.
  3. Take harissa seasoning, and, using your hands, coat chicken entirely with spice mixture.
  4. Heat barbeque to medium high, and place beer can carefully into the chicken cavity, standing upright.
  5. Place chicken and beer can, standing up, onto barbeque. Close lid and check regularly (note that the harissa spice while cause a good amount of smoke)
  6. Cook 45-60 minutes until skin is crispy and juices run clear when pierced.
  7. Serve with charred romaine hearts & fresh tomato salad for a refreshing meal all year round

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Best Snack Ever (Source: Brittany Levett)

Combine PC® Lime & Habanero Chili Flavour Kettle Style Tortilla Chips, PC®  Black Label Jalapeño & Passion Fruit Salsa and PC®  Black Label Smoky Chipotle Salsa. The end.

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Daniel’s Frittata (Source: Daniel Desforges)

1 package PC® Broccoli Florets

1 package PC® Free From Naturally Smoked Bacon

8 eggs

1 tablespoon of butter

Garlic Salt

Onion Salt

  1. Preheat a large frying pan (cast iron is best, but not a deal breaker) over medium heat, add butter.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. In a mixing bowl, crack and combine eggs. Beat until well mixed (here’s a tip. For fluffy omelettes and Frittatas, add a dash of heavy cream or milk of choice)
  4. Slice bacon and add to pan. Fry until desired texture (some people like it crispier)
  5. Add Broccoli to bacon and sauteed together for 3-4 minutes to lightly soften the broccoli
  6. Season with Garlic & Onion salt to taste
  7. Pour egg into frying pan and cook over medium heat until sides of pan bubble and egg pulls away.
  8. Remove from heat and place in oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top of your Frittata is golden brown
  9. Carefully slide onto a serving board or plate and allow to cool for several minutes before serving.
  10. For some added kick, crumble goat cheese during the last 5 minutes of baking

 

For more delicious recipes, make sure to stay tuned to DoTheDaniel.com as I cook around the world. You can also check back regularly on the President’s Choice Recipe page as a great resource!

For more foodie inspiration, follow @PresChoice on Twitter and Instagram. To join in on the social media conversation about some of the best summer recipes and ingredients, follow the #PCSummer hashtag. You can be sure that they will be sharing seasonal inspiration and treats to get us all inspired. It’s a must in my social media feed!

Make sure to come along on my culinary adventures around the world by following my Instagram Account. See something you’d like me to cook or write about? Tag me! I can’t wait for you to join in on the #DoTheDaniel adventures.

Photos: Brittany Levett

All the best,

Brittany Levett