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The Good Excuse Cocktail

MAKES 2 12 OZ. DRINKS

Inspired by one served at Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal, this drink can be approached in two ways: Serve the gin straight over ice with the green smoothie on the side, or toss the gin right in the blender and give yourself a good excuse to eat some greens.

4 oz. gin 1½ cups ice 1 green apple, cored and chopped 1 green pear, cored and chopped 1 orange, peeled 1 mini cucumber, chopped 1½" chunk ginger 1 leaf kale 1 slice jalapeño Juice of 2 limes, about ⅓ cup Handful of fresh mint, about 10 leaves Maple syrup

1. Combine all ingredients except maple syrup in a blender and purée until smooth. Add maple syrup to taste.

Quick Charred Cabbage Salad

SERVES 4

This cabbage salad makes a perfect summer side dish — but as an alternative, you could add a chicken thigh or a few scallops and call it dinner.

6 tender shiitake mushrooms 2 tbsp butter ½ cup olive oil, divided 1 large carrot, cut in matchsticks 6 tbsp cider vinegar 2 tbsp each fresh cilantro and mint leaves, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds 2 tbsp chopped ginger 1 clove garlic, chopped 2 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp sesame oil Salt and pepper 1 savoy cabbage

MAKE DRESSING 1. Remove stems from mushrooms and discard. Slice mushrooms thinly. Heat butter in pan over medium-high and sauté mushrooms until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add ¼ cup olive oil, carrot, vinegar, cilantro, mint, sesame seeds, ginger, maple syrup and sesame oil to bowl. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

COOK CABBAGE 1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Cut cabbage into 8 to 12 wedges. Toss in remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill cabbage, turning as needed, until slightly charred and tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Add hot cabbage to bowl with mushrooms and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Oyster and Clam BBQ

SERVES 4, OR MORE AS AN APPETIZER

If you can’t get your hands on littleneck clams, nice plump mussels are also a good choice. You will need enough chicken wire to cover your barbecue grill for this recipe.

1 stick butter, divided 4 French shallots, chopped 2 sprigs tarragon, picked and finely chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped ½ cup olive oil 1 tsp absinthe or anise-flavoured spirit Hot sauce, to taste Salt and pepper 12 meaty oysters, such as the

B.C. beach oyster 12 littleneck clams Lemon wedges, to serve

PREPARE GRILL 1. Preheat barbecue to medium-high, or prepare hardwood or charcoal fire. Cover grill loosely with chicken wire to hold oysters and clams securely.

MAKE TARR AGON-SHALLOT BUT TER 1. Heat 2 tbsp butter in small pot over medium heat. Add shallots and sweat until tender, about 3 minutes. Add remaining butter, tarragon, garlic, olive oil, absinthe and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

GRILL OYSTERS AND CL AMS 1. Shuck oysters and clams, and discard top shells. Nestle oysters and clams in chicken wire. Drizzle tarragon-shallot butter overtop and season with salt and pepper. Cook until oysters and clams have plumped up and are cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to serving tray. Serve with more hot sauce and lemon wedges.