Contest Alert: Get Cooking and Win with Homegrown this Civic Holiday Weekend

To celebrate Food Day Canada on July 30th, as well as the Civic Holiday weekend, we are having a contest! Please send us a picture of your favourite "Food Day Canada" recipe using all local ingredients that you (or your kids!) made, and we'll post it here on our blog, as well as on Facebook and Twitter (@OntarioHEA). Don't forget to use the hashtag #MakeItHomegrown on Twitter, and we'll retweet you. One lucky winner will be chosen to receive a signed copy of Homegrown, as well as an OHEA apron. Deadline: August 5th, 2016. Need inspiration? Try some of these delicious recipes, and start cooking!
All recipes below excerpted from “Homegrown: Celebrating the Canadian Foods We Grow, Raise and Produce”, by Mairlyn Smith. Reprinted with permission from Whitecap Books, 2015.

Grilled Peaches

6 ripe juicy local peaches (see note below)
2 Tbsp (30 mL) canola oil or melted unsalted butter
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) nutmeg
3/4 cup (185 mL) ricotta cheese
1/3 cup (80 mL) liquid honey

Ingredient Note:
Peaches—If your peaches are still firm, place them on the counter at room temperature and they should ripen within a few days. Refrigerate ripe peaches and eat them within a week of purchase. Not a fan of peaches? Use nectarines.

METHOD
1. Preheat barbecue to high. If you forgot to do so the last time you barbecued, clean the grill with a wire brush.
2. Rinse peaches and pat dry. Slice in half from top to bottom following the natural crease. Twist apart to reveal 2 halves and use a paring knife or soup spoon to remove pits.
3. Stir together oil (or melted butter), cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Brush peach halves with mixture.
4. Cook cut-side down until grill marks appear, about 5 minutes. Flip over and grill skin-side for another 3 to 5 minutes until slightly charred.
5. Remove peaches from the grill and serve immediately in individual bowls with 1 Tbsp (30 mL) of ricotta cheese and approx. 1 tsp (5 mL) of honey drizzled on each.

Kick-Ass Barbecued Burgers

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2 lb (900 g) medium ground beef (see note)
1 onion, grated or finely diced (see note)
2 cloves garlic, minced 1 omega-3 egg
1/4 cup (60 mL) 100% whole wheat breadcrumbs or Panko crumbs
1 Tbsp (15 mL) Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp (1 mL) iodized salt
1/4–1/2 tsp (1–2 mL) freshly ground pepper

METHOD
1. Crumble beef in a large bowl. Add onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs (or Panko crumbs, if using), Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Combine gently but thoroughly. Divide meat mixture into 8 equal sized balls and gently shape into 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick patties. Make a shallow depression in the centre of each patty to keep patties from puffing up during cooking.

2. Preheat barbecue on high. Place patties on and reduce heat to medium-high (400°F/200°C). Cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side, testing doneness with a digital rapid-read food thermometer inserted sideways into centre of each patty; burgers are completely cooked when thermometer reads 160°F (71°C).

Ingredient Notes:

Medium Ground Beef—If you are wondering what makes this Kick-Ass Burger worthy of its name, taste the difference that medium ground makes vs lean beef. With only a 6 percent difference in fat content compared to lean ground beef, the difference is well worth it.

Onion—Grating the onion on a box grater helps to incorporate it better into the patty so there are no ‘alien bits’ that young picky eaters might take offense.

Best Burgers 101

• Manage the meat gently when forming the patty to make patties more tender—compressing the patty makes it more dense, which makes it seem tougher.
• Don’t press on your patty while grilling, this presses juices out.
• The patty is ready to flip on the grill when you see meat juices rising to the surface.
• Making patties ahead and refrigerating them helps them hold together better on the grill and makes for a better flavour.
• Keep your tools and hands clean between handling raw and cooked meat—soap and water does the trick.

PHEc Tip:

Skip the cheese and bacon on this burger, you won’t need any more bells and whistles. The
burger stands on its own, just add condiments.

Pickled Red Onions

1 large red onion (see note)
2/3 cup (160 mL) white vinegar
1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp (2 mL) iodized salt

1. Peel and thinly slice red onion. If you have a mandolin, use it, if not slice the onion really thinly and ask Santa for a mandolin for Christmas.
2. Separate rings and place onions in a clean 2-cup (500 mL) Mason jar.
3. In a small saucepan or large glass microwave-safe measuring cup, combine vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir to dissolve sugar. Pour over onion slices into the Mason jar.
4. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. Will keep up to 1 month refrigerated.

Ingredient Note:

Red Onion—Don’t be tempted to use a different onion; the flavour of the red onion along with the rest of the ingredients is a marriage made in Onion Heaven.

Salmon with Peach Salsa

Peach Salsa (makes approximately 2 cups/500 mL)

1 large ripe juicy peach, peeled and diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 ripe tomato, diced
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped chives
1 Tbsp (15 mL) liquid honey
1 Tbsp (15 mL) apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp (1 mL) iodized salt
Pepper to taste

Salmon

1 lb (450 g) fresh or frozen farmed Canadian salmon fillets, cut into 4 equal pieces
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried basil
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter, melted

METHOD
1. To make the salsa, toss together peach in a small bowl with the red pepper, tomato, chives, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to develop the flavours. Salsa can be made up to 2 hours before serving.
2. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place salmon on the baking sheet and set aside.
3. Combine basil and pepper in a small bowl. Brush salmon with butter and sprinkle with the basil/pepper mixture. Depending on thickness of the fish, bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until it flakes when prodded with a fork. Do not overcook.
4. When salmon is done, transfer each fillet to a plate and top with ½ cup (125 mL) of the Peach Salsa.