Recipes to help you host a glamourous Oscar party

So put on your fancy clothes and prepare one of these fancy dishes for you and your guests.

Silent Martini Cocktail

Inspired by 'The Artist'

A dry, fruity cocktail inspired by a classic French cocktail from the era of the silent cinema. The Artist's Special Cocktail was first created in the 1920s at the Artists' Club on Rue Pigalle, Paris.

2 oz Grey Goose vodka
1 oz Fino sherry (dry, fruity sherry like Manzanilla or Amontillado)
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz red currant syrup or Grenadine
2 dashes cherry bitters

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled coupette.

If you are unable to find Red Currant Syrup or Grenadine at your local grocery or specialty store you can make your own. Wash currants and warm on the stovetop over low heat, stirring until tender. Remove from heat and wring them as dry as possible in a cheese cloth over a bowl or pitcher. Measure the juice and return it to the heat and cook for 15 minutes. Then add a pound of granulated sugar to each litre of juice. Boil gently for fifteen minutes, skimming the top. Bottle and keep in a dark place.

French Hawaiian

Inspired by 'The Descendants'

1 1/2 oz Grey Goose L'Orange
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 oz freshly squeezed blood orange juice
1/3 oz Orgeat or almond syrup
3 dashes Angostura bitter

Build and serve over crushed ice. Garnish with pineapple leaves and a couple of drops of bitters.

Bohemian Goose

Inspired by 'Midnight in Paris'

Inspired by the Bohemian nightlife of 1920s Paris, a fragrant cocktail mixing fresh fruit and herbal flavours.

1 oz Grey Goose La Poire
1/3 oz green chartreuse
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 oz maraschino liqueur

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled coupette and garnish with a pear fan.

Julep

Inspired by 'The Help'

A citrus and peach twist on an iconic cocktail of the southern United States.

1 1/2 oz Grey Goose L'Orange
1/2 oz peach Liqueur
3 dashes peach bitters
3 dashes peychaud's bitters
10 leaves fresh mint

Add mint leaves to a julep mug and bruise with the back of a spoon. Build and serve over crushed ice. Garnish with mint and peach or lemon slices

Le Fizz

Inspired by 'War Horse'

A sparklingly elegant cocktail pairs vodka with elderflower for a timeless taste of England.

1 oz Grey Goose vodka
1/2 oz elderflower liqueur or cordial
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
Top soda water

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a champagne flute. Top with soda water.

~ Recipes courtesy of www.greygoose.com

Cucumber grape gazpacho

2 lbs seedless green grapes
1 greenhouse cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp fresh dill
6 green onions, green and white parts minced
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp cream cheese
4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch of chives, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the first nine ingredients into a food processor until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Refrigerate the soup for one hour. Serve in chilled soup bowls and garnish with chives, toasted almonds or dill sprigs.

Flavour note

Adding a 1/2 cup of toasted slivered almonds gives a nice crunch and delightful finish to the soup.

Japanese salad with cucumber
6 baby Japanese apples
1 seedless cucumber
12 grape tomatoes
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 red pepper
Sea salt to taste

Hollow out the baby Japanese apples from the bottom and set aside. Thinly slice pepper and cucumber. Halve grape tomatoes.

Soak cucumber and peppers in soya and sesame marinade adding sea salt to taste.

Artistically arrange the marinated peppers, cucumber and tomato on a small serving plate around the baby apples and serve.

Stuffed cucumbers
1 seedless cucumber
1/4 cup cream cheese
4 sprigs of fresh chives
1/2 lemon for juice
Dash of sesame seed oil
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tabasco sauce

Cut the cucumber into one-inch pieces and hollow each piece with a small Parisian scoop or spoon.

Place the remaining ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth.

Pipe the mixture into each cucumber and garnish with fresh chives. Chill and serve.

Cinnamon brochettes with greenhouse cucumber riata
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground lamb
16 short cinnamon sticks
1 cup Spanish onion, peeled and diced
1/2 cup garlic, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 cup chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ground meat, onions, herbs, garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper.

Form the meat mixture into 2 oz oval balls and skewer each piece with one cinnamon stick.

Line the brochettes on a plate. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Heat your grill to a medium/high heat.

On a well oiled grill (to prevent sticking), place the cinnamon brochettes on the grill. Ensure the cinnamon stick ends are not exposed to direct heat by placing a piece of foil on the grill under the sticks. Grill until cooked through.

Serve immediately with cucumber riata.

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
5 Ontario cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
Sprigs of mint for garnish
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Cucumber riata
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together, cover and refrigerate.

Tomato cheese strata
4 to 5 slices French bread
6 tbsp butter, to coat cookie sheet
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
8 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 pound mozzarella, sliced
4 slices of crisp bacon
3 eggs, beaten
Pepper to taste

Heat oven to 400 F.

On a large greased cookie sheet, bake slices of bread in the oven until toasted. Cut the bread into one-inch cubes.

Saute bell pepper, onion, garlic, sugar, salt and oregano until the peppers are tender.

Place bread cubes, bacon and sauteed vegetables in a greased baking pan. Pour beaten eggs over bread mix.

Arrange the Ontario greenhouse tomatoes and cheese slices over bread mix.

Bake at 400 F until cheese is melted.

Serve with your favourite salad mixed with Ontario greenhouse vegetables.

Mini duck kebabs with harissa on Isreali couscous
Duck kebab ingredients
4 duck breasts, cut into cubes
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup cooked Israeli couscous
Salt and pepper to taste

Method for duck kebabs

In a mixing bowl, place the duck cubes, molasses, salt and pepper. Coat the duck with the molasses, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Prepare the Israeli couscous as directed on the package.

Heat the grill to a medium/high heat.

Grill duck until brown on all sides.

Remove the duck and serve over couscous with a side of Harissa.

Harissa ingredients
2 roasted Ontario greenhouse red bell peppers
1 garlic clove, peeled
A pinch of ground caraway
A pinch of ground coriander
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Method for Harissa

Blend the roasted red peppers, garlic, caraway, coriander, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Roasting method

Coat peppers with a light layer of vegetable oil. Rotate peppers over open flame, either on a barbecue or gas stove, until peppers turn black and blister. If an open flame isn't available, a broiler can be used. Slice the pepper in half and remove the core, seeds and membrane. On a broiler plate, place peppers open side down and broil until skins are black and blistered. Cover peppers in a bowl and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Peel the black skin off.

Osso buco ai pignoli
4x4 lb three-inch thick veal shanks
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1/2 cup red peppers, finely diced
1/2 cup green peppers, finely diced
1 small Spanish onion, chopped into 1/2-inch diced pieces
1 celery stalk, sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 cups basic tomato sauce
2 cups chicken stock, plus additional stock if necessary
2 cups dry white wine
Gremolata
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method for osso buco

Heat the oven to 375 F. Season the shanks with salt and black pepper to taste. In a heavy bottomed 6 to 8 quart oven safe pan, heat the olive oil until smoking. Place the shanks in the pan and brown all over, turning to get every surface for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the shanks and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the carrot, onion, celery, bell peppers and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring regularly until golden brown and slightly softened for eight to 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, chicken stock, and wine and bring to a boil.

Return the shanks back to the pan. If sauce doesn't come halfway up the shanks, add more stock.

Cover the pan with a tight lid (if it doesn't have a lid, cover it tightly with aluminum foil).

Cook in the oven until the meat is nearly falling off the bone (2 to 2 1/2 hours). Remove the pan from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving with Gremolata.

Ingredients for gremolata
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Zest of one lemon

Gremolata
Mix the parsley, pine nuts and lemon zest loosely in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.

Fettuccine with shrimp and crab
250 g package of fettuccine pasta
8 shrimp
4 oz crab meat
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 tomatoes, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 leaves of basil
1/4 cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Place butter in saute pan and add crab meat and shrimp. Cook until shrimp turn pink and opaque, then remove from heat and set aside.

Add minced garlic and saute until translucent. Add diced tomatoes, basil and heavy cream. Reduce until thick. Add crab and shrimp and heat through, then toss in al dente pasta. Season with salt and pepper.

Grilled salmon with tomato caper vinaigrette
3 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp capers, drained
1/4 cup aged sherry vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tbs fresh basil, chopped
4x8 oz salmon fillets, one-inch thick with the skin
Canola oil to brush salmon
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the first seven ingredients in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This is the tomato caper vinaigrette.

Heat the grill to medium/high.

Brush the fish with oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper.

Grill the salmon skin side down until the skin is lightly charred and crisp.

Turn the fillets over, reduce the heat to medium and cook until cooked through, but not falling apart.

Move the fish to the serving plates and spoon the tomato caper vinaigrette over each fillet. Serve immediately.

~ Recipe courtesy of Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers

Apple cream brulee
4 cups peeled, cored and chopped firm apples (about four medium)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
Pinch ground nutmeg

Custard
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups whipping cream (35 per cent)
1 tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup packed brown sugar, sifted

In medium heavy-bottom saucepan, combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, lemon rind and nutmeg; cook over medium heat until softened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Spread in six 6 oz/175 ml heatproof ramekins or in medium casserole dish; chill.

Custard

Meanwhile in medium bowl, beat yolks with sugar. Heat cream in apple saucepan until just before boiling, scraping down any apple mixture clinging to sides.

Whisking constantly, pour gradually into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Do not let boil (set saucepan immediately in large bowl of cold water to prevent overcooking and curdling). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Strain evenly onto chilled apple mixture and let cool (preferably overnight).

At least one hour before serving and up to one day ahead, sprinkle custards with brown sugar. Broil for one to two minutes until sugar melts and colours. Chill until ready to serve.

Tip

Use a propane torch in the final step instead of the broiler. Wave it about six inches above the sugar to melt.

~ Recipe courtesy of Foodland Ontario