"Entertaining should be easy - so you want to choose recipes that allow you to spend time visiting with your guests and not preparing food the whole time", said Ms. Haynes.

The ACE Bakery Cookbook, now in its sixth edition, is an award-winning bestseller featuring recipes for and with bread, from appetizers to main dishes that are both quick and easy, to elegant entertaining ideas. "Summer is my favourite season for entertaining. These recipes from The ACE Bakery Cookbook can all be made ahead of time, and are very simple to make", says Linda.

One of North America's leading artisan bakeries, ACE Bakery's famous baguettes and artisan breads are available at hundreds of restaurants, hotels, caterers, grocery and gourmet food shops across Canada, New York State, and the Midwest U.S.A.

ACE Bakery opened in 1993 as an artisan bakery creating hand-made, European-style rustic breads. The gentle shaping of each loaf, long fermentation periods and a stone deck oven all work to create exceptionally flavourful products with a light, airy texture and crisp, golden crust. The breads contain no preservatives and are made with the best all-natural ingredients.

Community involvement is an essential part of ACE's philosophy. The company donates a percentage of its net profits to charitable organizations in the principal centres where ACE breads are sold. ACE's focus is on food and nutrition programs that assist low-income members of the community, financing culinary scholarships and supporting organic farming initiatives. All royalties from the sale of The ACE Bakery Cookbook are donated to support these efforts.

Avocado and Cucumber Soup

Makes 7 to 8 cups (1.7 to 2 L)

This cool, refreshing soup is best on a steamy day. It's light, and the flavours are very delicate. A fresh, crusty baguette is a must as an accompaniment.

4 cups (950 mL) strong-flavoured vegetable stock, plus 1 extra cup, if needed
1 generous tsp. (5 mL) minced garlic
4 cups (950 mL) English cucumber, cleaned and diced (approximately 1 cucumber)
3 avocados, peeled and roughly chopped
2 ½ tsp. (12.5 mL) minced fresh chervil
2 ½ tsp. (12.5 mL) minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. (5 mL) minced fresh tarragon
1 ½ Tbsp. (22.5 mL) chopped fresh chives
1/8 tsp. (.5 mL) ground hot chilies or cayenne
1 tsp. (5 mL) lemon juice
1 tsp. (5 mL) kosher salt
1/8 tsp. (.5 mL) freshly ground white pepper

Garnish
5 to 6 Tbsp. (75 to 90 mL) plain yogurt
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) sweet paprika
2 to 3 radishes, thinly sliced

Bring the stock to a simmer. Add the garlic and simmer for about 5 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat and bring to room temperature. Strain the stock through a sieve and reserve the garlic. Mix all the soup ingredients and ¾ tsp. (4 mL) of the cooked garlic in a large bowl.

Purée in batches in a food processor or blender until completely smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more herbs and garlic if you wish. Pulse again and place in the refrigerator until cold. If the soup is too thick, whisk in some of the extra stock.

Serve in individual bowls garnished with 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) of yogurt, a dusting of paprika, and some sliced radishes.

The ACE Bakery Cookbook ©

Field Tomato, Corn, and Grilled Onion Salad with Giant Croutons

Serves 6

Here's one of those versatile recipes you'll find yourself making all summer. Serve as an appetizer, a vegetarian lunch, or as an accompaniment to barbecued steaks or burgers. For a change of pace, substitute blanched green beans, cooked cannellini beans or raw zucchini for the corn.

½ a large Vidalia onion cut in 4 or 5 crescent-shaped pieces through the root
½ a large red onion cut in 4 or 5 crescent-shaped pieces through the root
2 or more tsp. (10 mL) olive oil for brushing onions
6 large ripe tomatoes, cut in large chunks
2 large ears of sweet corn, husked
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) minced fresh chives or garlic chives

Vinaigrette
1 tsp. (5 mL) Dijon mustard
1 tsp. (5 mL) balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) red wine vinegar
¼ cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Croutons
3 large pieces ACE Calabrese, white, or country bread
1 clove garlic, halved
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) if roasting the onions.

For the Vegetables
Brush the onion sections with a little oil and grill or roast them until slightly charred and cooked through. Grilling takes about 15 minutes; roasting will take about half an hour. Cool.

Put the chopped tomatoes in a serving bowl.

Cook the corn in boiling water for 3 minutes. Shock with cold water and drain. Using a very sharp knife, slice the kernels off the cob and add to the tomatoes. Then add the cooled onions to the bowl.

For the Vinaigrette
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and the 2 vinegars. Slowly add the oil, still whisking. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add the chives just before tossing the salad.

For the Croutons
Grill or toast the bread. Rub with the cut garlic clove and brush each piece with olive oil. Cut into 1- x 2 ½- inch (2.5- x 6.2-cm) croutons.

Assembly
Toss the vegetables with the vinaigrette, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Decorate with the croutons. For softer croutons, toss them into the salad and let them marinate for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

The ACE Bakery Cookbook ©

The Cosmopolitan Burger

Makes 4 large burgers

This twist on the basic cheeseburger substitutes Gruyère or chèvre for cheddar (or processed slices), and spicy sweet tomato chutney for ketchup. It can also be served open-faced on a thick slice of grilled bread. The small centre of herbed butter keeps the burger moist.

4 tsp. (20 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. (5 mL) finely chopped chives
1 ½ lbs. (700 g) minced beef
1 egg, lightly beaten ½ tsp. (2.5 mL) kosher salt
¼ tsp. (1.2 mL) freshly ground white pepper
1 ½ tsp. (7.5 mL) finely minced onion
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) Worcestershire sauce
¼ to ½ cup (60 to 120 mL) coarse fresh breadcrumbs made from ACE white or Calabrese bread
4 ACE burger rolls, or 4 thick slices ACE White, Calabrese, or sourdough bread

Toppings
Gruyère or chèvre
Dijon mustard
lettuce
Tomato Chutney (see below)

Mix the softened unsalted butter and the chives together. Form into 4 equal-sized disks. Wrap in foil and chill until very cold, at least an hour.

Put the minced meat in a bowl. Add the egg, salt, pepper, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix together lightly (hands are best). Add ¼ cup (60 mL) of the breadcrumbs. Mix. Add more crumbs if needed. The mixture should just hold together.

Divide the beef into 4 portions. Make patties, hiding one pat of the chilled butter and chive mixture in the centre of each burger. Make a small ½-inch (1.2-cm) dent in the top of each patty to ensure a flat top when cooking, to hold the condiments better. Chill the patties until half an hour before cooking.

Barbecue, grill, or pan-fry the patties to your desired doneness. If using chèvre, top the burger with it 45 seconds before removing from the heat. The Gruyère cheese will take a little longer to melt. Lay the burger buns on the grill, cut-side down, just before you put the cheese on the burgers.

As soon as the cheese melts, remove the burgers and buns from the grill. Spread mustard on the bun, top with a lettuce leaf, and then add the burger and tomato chutney to taste. Top with the other half of the bun and enjoy. If serving open-faced, lightly grill or toast the bread and build the sandwich the same way.

Tomato Chutney
5 cups (1.2 L) tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks or 3 28-oz. (796 mL) cans tomatoes, drained and peeled
¾ to 1 cup (180 to 240 mL) sugar
1 ½-inch (3.8-cm) piece of ginger, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, peeled and grated
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) minced garlic
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups (360 to 420 mL) cider vinegar
1 ½ tsp. (7.5 mL) kosher salt

Combine all the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pot, starting with ¾ cup (180 mL) sugar and 1 ½ cups (360 mL) cider vinegar. Simmer over low heat until thick, stirring occasionally. There should still be some texture to the tomatoes. This should take about 1 to 1 ½ hours, depending on the water content of the tomatoes. Canned tomatoes will cook in less time. If there is still a lot of liquid left, increase the heat and bring the chutney to a simmer, but watch that it doesn't burn and that the tomatoes don't reduce to a paste.

Tomatoes vary in acidity, depending on the type and the season. Taste and add more sugar and vinegar, if needed. If you add more sugar, heat until the sugar has dissolved. Cool. Taste again, and if the cooled chutney needs more sugar or vinegar, add those now, reheat the chutney, and let it cook again before using. Tomato chutney will keep in the refrigerator for 1 month or can be canned using traditional methods.

The ACE Bakery Cookbook ©

For more information, contact Samantha Mesrobian, 416/241-3600 ext. 305, smesrobian@acebakery.com.


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