Category: food recipes
Cheesy Spanish Rice with Mackerel and Crunchy Gremolata
Tinned fish is one of the hidden gems on the Aperitivo shelves, and we are always ready for more excuses to eat them.
This dish has a similar comfort factor as a tuna noodle casserole – rich and creamy rice with a firm and mild fish, topped with a bright and crunchy herb mixture. Cole’s Wild Mackerel in Piri-Piri Sauce is a great fish for this recipe, but feel free to swap it with another firm tinned fish.
Cheesy Spanish Rice with Mackerel and Crunchy Gremolata
Serves 2 as a main dish – 4 as a side.
- 1 8 oz. package Spanish Yellow Rice
- 0.5 – 0.6 pound Saffron Raclette
- 1 tin Cole’s Wild Mackerel in Piri-Piri Sauce – 4 fillets
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 anchovy fillet
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Pinch red pepper flakes
Cook the rice according to the package instructions.
Remove the rind from the cheese and grate on a large hole box grater. Once rice is cooked, remove from heat and fold in the cheese. Keep warm.
Finely mince the garlic clove and anchovy fillet. Pile the chopped garlic and anchovy on one side of the cutting board. Tilt the knife at a 30-degree angle to the board and drag it over the garlic-anchovy mixture, scraping it across the surface of the board. Pile up the mixture again, sprinkle lightly with salt, and scrape again. Repeat until the mixture is a smooth paste and add to a small mixing bowl.
In a large skillet, toast coriander seeds over medium heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Remove and crush seeds using your favorite method (mortar and pestle, back of a skillet, etc.) and add to the bowl with the garlic-anchovy paste.
Drizzle about a half a tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet and toast the Panko breadcrumbs until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add to mixing bowl, along with the lemon zest, chopped parsley and red pepper flakes. Stir together and drizzle with olive oil to slightly moisten.
Divide cheesy rice among serving plates. Remove mackerel fillets from the tin and divide evenly among the plates. Sprinkle with the crunchy gremolata and serve with a bright and crisp white wine.
Suggested wine pairing – Nortica Alvarinho from northern Portugal
Sofia, Speck and Quince “Sushi”
Sushi made with cheese. Sounds fun, right?
This hilarious and playful cheese snack comes from the DiBruno Bros. cookbook, House of Cheese.
The original “sushi” uses Rogue Smokey Blue, prosciutto and quince paste, which is presumably delicious. The Aperitivo version combines soft and beautiful Capriole Sofia and smokey La Quercia Speck with the quince. Look for a piece of Sofia that is ripe and a bit squishy.
This snack is a tad visually confusing with the quince paste looking very similar to raw tuna, but trust us. It’s yummy.
Sofia, Speck and Quince “Sushi”
- 0.25 pound La Querica Speck (about 2 sheets worth)
- 0.25 pound Capriole Sofia, at room temperature
- 1 package quince paste
Place Sofia in a small bowl and mash/stir together until smooth and spreadable. If you want it be more white in color, remove the outer rind before mixing.
Lay a 12-in piece of plastic wrap flat on the cutting board. Arrange the slices of speck across the plastic, slightly overlapping. (You should be able to gently pull the shingled slices directly from the paper in one piece)
Using a butter knife or offset spatula, spread the cheese on top of the speck slices, leaving a ¼ in border around the sides.
Slice the quince paste in half lengthwise and remove one half from the carton. Slice the piece in half again, then once more, making four strips. Place the quince paste strips about 1 inch from the bottom of the cheese and speck.
Beginning with the bottom edge, form a tight roll (like you would make a sushi roll), using the plastic wrap to assist. Keep the roll wrapped in the plastic wrap, and roll it in the brown butcher paper from the speck. (This keeps the speck from browning when exposed to light) Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to serve, gently slice the sushi into bite-sized pieces with a serrated knife. Arrange on a platter and serve.
Fiore Sardo and Pink Peppercorn Crackers
Try an update on the classic cheese shortbread crackers.
Pecorino Fiore Sardo is a firm sheep’s milk cheese from Sardina, Italy. It is sharp, earthy and smokey, pairing great with the floral and fruity notes from the pink peppercorns.
These crackers are a great addition to a cheese board and make a great snack to bring to all your holiday celebrations.
Fiore Sardo and Pink Peppercorn Crackers
- 8 ounces Pecorino Fiore Sardo – 0.5# piece
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room
temperature - 1/2 tablespoon crushed pink peppercorns*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Preheat oven 350°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
Remove the rind from the cheese and grate on the small holes of a box grater.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, salt and pink peppercorns on low speed until blended. Add the grated cheese and flour to the bowl and mix on low speed until smooth.
Pour the dough out onto a cutting board and shape into a dish. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ – ⅛ inch thick. Using a smaller cookie cutter (or a champagne flute or shot glass) cut out dough circles and place on baking sheet.
Bake crackers 13-15 minutes until lightly golden and just starting to brown around the edges. Let crackers cool and store in an airtight container.
*Gently crush peppercorns by putting them in a Ziploc bag and push down on them with the bottom of a skillet.
Maple Butter Roasted Radishes
It doesn’t get much simpler than radishes and butter. But frankly, you don’t need much more. Sharp and peppery radishes get roasted until tender and juicy, then get tossed with melted maple butter. These make a great side dish and work with any variety of radish.
Maple Butter Roasted Radishes
- 1 bunch radishes
- Olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Ploughgate Creamery Maple Butter
- Crunchy salt
- Chopped assorted herbs, parsley, tarragon, chives
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Half or quarter larger radishes so all are roughly the same size. Place on baking sheet, lightly drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper until coated. Place cut side down and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until radishes are brown and soft.
In a medium skillet, melt the maple butter on medium heat. Add the roasted radishes and toss until all are coated. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with crunchy salt and chopped herbs. Can be served warm or room temperature.
“Paella” Nachos
The goal behind the creation of all Aperitivo Nachos is to make a delicious and flavorful snack or meal, with minimal ingredients and minimal effort. They are a quick and easy dish to bring to a party, or make for yourself after a long day.
These nachos are inspired by the flavors of Spanish Paella. Saffron-infused raclette gets melted over tender and flaky Spanish tortas pieces, all topped with stuffed calamari and a piquillo lemon aioli. While this version of nachos does call for making a simple aioli, it is worth the small effort. It might be the best part of the nachos.
“Paella” Nachos
Makes 1 medium sheet pan worth of nachos
Aioli
- ¼ cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
- 1 Matiz piquillo pepper, finely diced
- 1 small garlic clove, grated on a microplane
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Nacho Assembly
- 1 package Matiz Tortas de Aceite
- 0.4 – 0.5 pounds Jumi Saffron Raclette
- ½ green or red pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 package Cole’s Stuffed Calamari
- Chopped parsley
- Lemon wedges for garnish
To make the aioli, mix all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until nachos are ready.
Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a medium sheet pan with aluminum foil.
Gently break the tortas into pieces (roughly the same size as tortilla chips) and scatter on the lined sheet pan. Remove the rind from the cheese. Using the large holes on a box grater, shred the cheese and scatter on top of the torta pieces. Place the sliced peppers over the cheese and set in the oven. Bake for 5-6 minutes until the cheese is melted.
In the meantime, slice each stuffed calamari into thin rounds.
Remove the pan from the oven and scatter the calamari over the melted cheese and peppers. Drizzle some of the leftover oil from the tin over the nachos and set back in the oven for an additional 1 minute.
Remove the nachos from the oven. Sprinkle on chopped parsley and small dollops of the aioli and serve.
‘Nduja and Butternut Squash Ravioli with Maple Brown Butter and Crispy Speck
Butternut squash ravioli with brown butter and sage seems to appear on almost every fall menu, and for good reason – it’s delicious. This ubiquitous fall classic gets an Aperitivo twist by incorporating ‘nduja, maple butter and speck.
We’ve been using every excuse to eat all the Ploughgate Creamery cultured butter as we can. It is rich and tangy, and the maple version adds a subtle sweetness and smokiness to the sauce for this pasta.
The pasta element in this dish takes the (genius) technique from pasta artist Linda Miller Nicholson, who makes beautiful pasta by blending colorful ingredients with the eggs before making the dough. The ‘nduja adds a beautiful orange hue to the dough and is also incorporated in the filling. If making pasta dough from scratch isn’t your thing, don’t worry! Just make the ‘nduja-spiked squash filling and use store-bought wonton wrappers as the ravioli dough.
If you’ve ever purchased a butternut squash, you know that two are rarely the same size. You may need to adjust the filling ingredients based on the size of your squash. And if you’ve ever made ravioli before, you know that you almost always have leftover filling. But don’t toss out that tasty mixture. Thin it out with stock and make soup, stir into mac and cheese or spread on corn tortillas with black beans and cheese for autumn enchiladas.
‘Nduja and Butternut Squash Ravioli with Maple Brown Butter and Crispy Speck
Serves 4
PASTA DOUGH
- 3 tablespoons ‘nduja
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons “00” flour
- Cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting
FILLING
- 1 small butternut squash, sliced in half, lengthwise
- 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- ½ cup hand labeled ricotta, drained
- 2 – 3 tablespoons ‘nduja, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
ASSEMBLY
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 6 large slices La Querica Speck
- 6 tablespoons Ploughgate Maple Butter
- 1 cup starchy pasta water
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- Salt, pepper and more Parm to season/garnish
Pasta Dough Instructions
Blend the ‘nduja, eggs and hot water in a blender until smooth, then pour into a bowl of a stand mixer. Add the flour and mix with a paddle attachment until dough comes together. Remove from bowl onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is elastic and silky, about 3 minutes. Set in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. (If using at later date, dough will keep wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days.)
Divide the ball of dough into 4 pieces, keeping the pieces covered when not in use. Using a pasta roller or attachment on it’s thickest setting, pass one of the pieces of dough through the machine. Fold the dough sheet into thirds (like folding a letter for an envelope) and pass through the machine again. Repeat 2-3 more times.
Adjust the machine to the next thinnest setting and pass dough sheet through. Continue to reduce the thickness and pass the dough through until the desired thickness is achieved (setting 4 or 5 on a KitchenAid stand mixer pasta attachment)
Keep pasta sheets under a damp kitchen towel on a sheet pan dusted with cornmeal or semolina flour until ready to use. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
If you don’t yet have a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, check out this great article from our friends at BetterFood.co to help find the perfect standmixer for your kitchen.
Filling Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Drizzle squash halves with salt, pepper and olive oil and lay cut-side down on a baking sheet. Wrap the garlic cloves in aluminum foil and place on the same sheet pan. Roast for 45 – 65 minutes, until squash is tender and garlic cloves are soft and sweet.
Scoop the squash into a bowl and mash until smooth. Remove the garlic cloves from their paper and mix with the squash. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and stir until smooth. Set aside until ready to fill pasta.
Ravioli Assembly
Lay a sheet of pasta dough on a clean, flat surface. Scoop or pipe about 1 tablespoon of squash filling in a row about 1 ½ inch apart. Lightly brush water around each of the dots of the filling, and place another sheet of pasta on top. Gently press the top sheet of dough around each of the dots of filling to seal each ravioli. Cut into squares using a fluted pasta cutter or a knife. Set on a sheet pan lined with cornmeal or semolina flour and repeat with remaining dough and filling. Let pasta rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) before boiling.
*If using wonton wrappers, place a wonton wrapper on a clean, flat surface. Brush edges lightly with water. Place about 1 tablespoon of the squash mixture in the middle of the wonton. Cover with a second wonton wrapper and press gently with fingers to seal edges. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers and squash mixture until all have been used.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once at a rolling boil, add a handful of salt to the water. Gently drop the ravioli into the water and let boil 3 – 4 minutes, then remove from pot. Boil in batches if pot seems crowded. Keep 1 cup of pasta water to use for the sauce.
Sauce Instructions
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add walnuts and toast until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Pour out onto a cutting board and coarsely chop. Wipe out pan and return to heat.
Add slices of speck and cook on each side until bright red and crispy, about 3 minutes. Place on a paper towel-lined plate until ready to use.
Return pan to stove and lower heat. Add the butter and let melt and become foamy. Cook until butter is amber in color and smells sweet and nutty. Turn off the heat and add the 1 cup of pasta water. Stir until the sauce starts to thicken.
Add the cooked raviolis to the sauté pan and toss gently to coat the pasta in the sauce, then season with salt and pepper.
Place a few raviolis onto each plate, spooning some brown butter over the top. Tear the speck into pieces and scatter onto the plates. Top with the chopped walnuts, parsley and grated parm.
Baked Belgian Endive with Epoisses and Golden Raisins
There is nothing, repeat, NOTHING wrong with eating a wheel of Epoisses, room temp, with a baguette. That sounds great. You can even watch this video of someone doing exactly that.
But if you are looking to try something a little different with the creamy and stinky French classic, this is for you.
The bitterness of the endive is balanced by the fattiness of the cheese and the sweetness of the golden raisins and the honey drizzle at the end. It makes a hearty side dish on a cold night. And you only need half the wheel for the recipe, leaving you the other half to eat with that baguette.
Baked Belgian Endive with Epoisses and Golden Raisins
BREADCRUMB TOPPING
- 4 ounces Italian bread (about ⅓ of a field&fire loaf)
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons EVOO
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon La Quercia Pesto Bianco lardo spread* /
ENDIVE
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Belgian endives, sliced in half, lengthwise
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup sweet Riesling
- ½ cup golden raisins – about .15 pounds
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ½ wheel Epoisses or 4 ounces a washed-rind cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons honey
*If you are needing to keep this dish vegetarian, omit the Pesto Bianco and add ½ teaspoon of salt to the breadcrumb mixture instead.
Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Slice the outer crust off the bread and tear into small pieces. Combine the bread, parsley, olive oil, crushed red pepper and black pepper in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Toss together with a wooden spoon and cook until brown and toasty, around 8 minutes. Halfway through, add the Pesto Bianco. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Wipe out the skillet and return to medium heat.
Add the butter to the skillet. Once foamy, add the endive, cut-side down. Let the underside develop some color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set on a cutting board. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the salt on the cut-side of the endive, getting in between the leaves.
Add the minced garlic to the remaining butter and let cook for 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic, adding a splash of olive oil if the pan seems too dry. Add the wine and raisins to the skillet and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining teaspoon of salt and return the endive to the skillet, cut side up.
Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set to broil. Slice the Epoisses into 4 pieces. Top each endive half with a piece of the cheese and the bread crumb topping. Set back in the oven and broil until melty and golden, about 2 minutes.
Let cool slightly and top with chopped parsley and a light drizzle of honey. Serve with sauce and raisins spooned on top.
Pesto Bianco Stuffed Dates
Just when we thought we couldn’t love La Quercia any more, they send us these INSANE meat spreads.
Image source: La Quercia
Similar to Nduja, the Pancetta and Pesto Bianco spreads are made with delicious cured meats from humanely raised and responsibly sourced pork, sea salt and spices.
The Pesto Bianco is a savory lardo spread made from the cured fat from La Quercia’s prosciutto. The aged lardo is blended with sea salt, black pepper, rosemary and red chili flake.
It can take the place of butter in almost any application – worked into biscuit or tart shell dough, served over a steak, or tossed with warm pasta.
Image source: La Quercia
These two-ingredients snacks are perfect to serve with drinks at your own Aperitivo time. The subtle sweetness of the warmed dates and the softened, rich Pesto Bianco make for an addicting bite.
Pesto Bianco Stuffed Dates
- 1 container, Medjool dates
- 1 package, La Quercia Pesto Biano
- Toothpicks
- Chives and rosemary (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Pit the dates by slicing a small slit down the length of the date, being careful as to not slice through it entirely. Gently pull the pit out, leaving a contained space for the filling.
Using a spoon or your fingers, stuff a small amount of the Pesto Bianco spread inside the date. Secure with a toothpick and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dates.
Heat in the oven until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to a serving dish, top with chopped herbs (optional) and serve immediately.
Salad Combo – Smokey Blue, Balsamic Onion and Apple
There are countless combinations that can be created with ingredients from the shelves of Aperitivo, and over the years, certain combinations have become favorites. Staff members have their go-to combo they recommend to customers, and customers have come back and shared amazing and delicious pairings they’ve put together at home.
Whether it’s for a salad, flatbread, pizza or nachos, certain ingredients just taste great together.
This salad combines smokey blue cheese, tangy cipollini onions, crisp and sweet apples and crunchy pumpkin seeds. It’s great for the fall, when Michigan apples are at their peak. You don’t really need a recipe for this salad, just use your best judgment. Making it for one person? Use a small piece of cheese and only part of the apple. Making it for a crowd? Use a bigger piece of cheese and a big apple. You get the picture.
Rogue Smokey Blue, Balsamic Cipollini Onion, Apple and Pumpkin Seed Salad
- Small tub Balsamic Cipollini onions, quartered
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Mixed greens
- 1 piece Rogue Smokey Blue, crumbled by hand
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- A handful, toasted pumpkin seeds
- Salt and pepper
In a bowl, pour in a nice splash of the liquid from the onions. Drizzle in the same amount of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and whisk until combined.
Add the mixed greens to the bowl and toss until they are lightly coated in the dressing. Transfer to serving dish.
Top dressed greens with crumbled pieces of cheese, chopped apples and toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve and enjoy.
Burrata, Tangerine, Fennel and Olive Salad
The classic Spanish combination of oranges and olives is delicious both in a glass (see the Aperitivo bar favorite, Barcelona Vermut) and on a plate.
Calling this dish a “salad” feels a bit generous. The mix of creamy burrata and sweet, juicy tangerines creates a slight resemblance to an orange creamsicle. So if eating a salad seems no fun, try one that tastes like dessert!
The olives from the Taberna mix are great in this salad, but if you are partial to the lemony, bright green Castelvetrano olives, feel free to use those instead. They just need to be pitted before chopping.
Burrata, Tangerine, Fennel and Olive Salad
- ½ medium head or 1 small head of fennel
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- 2 tangerines or small oranges
- .25 pound Taberna olives or Castelvetrano olives
- 1 bunch watercress – thick stems removed
- ¼ cup good quality EVOO, plus more for drizzling
- Crunchy salt and pepper
- One 4 oz package Di Stefano burrata
- Parsley, chopped
Core and thinly slice the fennel bulb – you should have about 1 cup. Reserve a few fennel fronds to garnish the salad. Place the sliced fennel in a large bowl with the vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Peel the tangerines and slice into rounds and place in the bowl with fennel.
Quarter the olives and place in the bowl with fennel and tangerines. Stir in ¼ cup of olive oil and season with crunchy salt and pepper.
On a large platter or shallow bowl, scatter the watercress. Scatter the fennel, tangerine and olive mixture over the watercress. Place the burrata in the center of the platter and drizzle the cheese with olive oil, crunchy salt and pepper. Sprinkle the reserved fennel fronds and chopped parsley over the salad.
Serve by slicing into the burrata and scooping up the rest of the salad components.
(Alternately, you can tear the burrata and scatter over the rest of the salad.)
