Tag: sides
Mortadella Pasta Salad
“Pasta salad: both pretty boring and the most popular dish at every outdoor gathering you go to, a true mystery of our time.”
Alison Roman
Thank you Alison for that oh-so-true food nugget.
While pasta salad has to be the most ubiquitous summer potluck item, there is much to be improved on the expected curly noodles, black olives, and bottle of Italian dressing pasta salad.
This recipe, brought to you by another great cookbook author Molly Baz, incorporates one of the most underrated meats in the Aperitivo case – mortadella.
You can sub any other thinly sliced cured meat from the case, but morty-d adds a beautiful creamy, fatty, and saltiness to the pasta salad.
This is a perfect salad to make a few days before, add the nuts and herbs before serving, and snack on it the entire day.
Mortadella Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 lbs dried large short cut pasta – rigatoni, cavatappi, whatever the fun shape from the photo is called
- 1 lbs fresh mozz – cow or buffalo
- ½ lbs mortadella – thinly sliced
- ⅔ cup pistachios – chopped
- 1 cup basil leaves – torn
For the dressing:
- 1 ½ cup Castelvetrano olives – about one small container
- 2 lemons
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 ½ oz grated hard Italian cheese – Parm, Pecorino Romano, Toscano, Provolone
- ⅔ cup EVOO
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Boil noodles according to package directions in salted water. Drain and rinse under cold water to wash off the excess starch. Let cool.
Make the dressing:
- Pit the olives and tear the flesh in half. Add to a large bowl.
- Zest one whole lemon into the bowl. Cut both lemons in half and squeeze the juice over the olives.
- Grate the garlic into the bowl. Add the grated cheese.
- Pour in the EVOO, season with salt and pepper, and stir the dressing together.
Assemble the salad:
- Tear the fresh mozz and mortadella into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl.
- Add the cooled pasta and gently stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and lots of pepper.
- Just before serving, add the chopped pistachios and torn basil leaves.
- Serve cold or room temp.
Charred Corn Salad with Queso Fresco
We love it when our favorite creameries introduce new cheeses! Evergreen Lane, a quaint farm and dairy in Fennville, MI, is most known for their seasonal goat’s milk cheeses and jersey cow’s milk cheeses.
Queso Fresco is Evergreen Lane’s newest addition to our case. It is a fresh cow’s milk cheese, perfect for crumbling over salads, tacos, enchiladas, and this charred corn salad. Compared to traditional queso fresco, Evergreen Lane’s version isn’t as dry. So let it sit out, unwrapped, for a few minutes to dry out.
This corn salad is a perfect dish to take on a picnic, to a BBQ, or just eat alone in your house. Thanks to food goddess Alison Roman for the idea to add corn nuts to a corn salad. The extra crunch and saltiness takes the salad to the next level. If making this ahead, wait to stir in the corn nuts just before serving, so they stay nice and crunchy.
Charred Corn Salad with Queso Fresco
Ingredients
- 6 ears of corn
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 Divina Calabrian Chili pepper, finely chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp EVOO
- 1 lime, juiced
- ½ tbsp Tajin or other brand of chile lime seasoning
- ½ cup corn nuts
- ½ piece Evergreen Lane Queso Fresco, crumbled
- Salt and pepper, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a dry cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the ears of corn. Cook and rotate corn until kernels begin to char, about 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.*
- In a mixing, place an upside down glass or bowl that fits in the bottom part of the bowl. Trim the bottom end of one corn cob to sit even on the bottom of the glass. Slice the kernels off the cob and let them fall into the bowl. Repeat with remaining ears. Remove the glass and stir the kernels.
- Add the minced shallots, chopped calabrian pepper, chopped cilantro, EVOO, lime juice, and chile lime seasoning to the corn. Stir to combine. Taste and add more chile lime seasoning or salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
*You can also char the corn on an outdoor grill.
Vinegared Smashed Potatoes with Schallenberg and Cornichons
There are some flavor combinations that are hard to improve on, because well, they are already so perfect on their own. But who are we to not try and push the envelope?
People have been melting Raclette on potatoes for hundreds of years, enjoyed alongside bright and acidic pickles and cornichons.
Salt and vinegar chips have been around since the 1950’s and are one of the most popular potato chip flavors in America.
Why not marry these two dishes and make one bigger, better, bolder snack?
We hereby bring you….
Vinegared Smashed Potatoes with Schallenberg and Cornichons
The potatoes get boiled in vinegar, then smashed and roasted until they are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Then to top it all off, a robust and beefy Alpine cheese gets melted on top. Yum yum yum.
Any Alpine cheese will work – Raclette, Gruyere, Appenzeller, Challerhocker – but we are really excited about Schallenberg. So grab a wedge and try it out.
Vinegared Smashed Potatoes with Scallenberg and Cornichons
Ingredients
- 1 lb small Yukon Gold potatoes
- 6 Tbsp apple cider or white distilled, or a mix of both, plus 1 additional Tbsp
- ¼ cup EVOO
- 0.15-0.25 lbs Schallenberg, grated on the large holes of a box grater
- ¼ cup cornichons, chopped
- Chopped fresh herbs, dill, parsley, carrot tops, etc.
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Put potatoes and 6 tablespoons of vinegar in a large pot. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a gentle boil. Boil for 10-15, until the potatoes are just fork-tender. Drain and transfer to a rimmed baking dish.
- Smash the potatoes by either placing an additional rimmed baking sheet on top of the potatoes and pressing down. You can also use a skillet, plate, or a mug to smash each potato. Break a few apart to get jagged edges and spread out on the baking sheet.
- Toss the potatoes gently with olive oil, the additional tablespoon of vinegar, salt, and pepper and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through until the potatoes are golden brown. Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the potatoes. Place back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer potatoes to a serving dish and top with chopped cornichons and fresh herbs.
Roasted Broccoli and Broiled Robiola
Do you miss that beloved childhood dish of mushy steamed broccoli and neon yellow cheese squeezed out from a plastic bottle? Hopefully not. But this updated take on “broccoli and cheese” can satisfy any cravings for the classic combo.
Similar to roasting cauliflower, roasting broccoli turns the cruciferous vegetable into a crispy, tender, and earthy bite.
Robiola is a creamy mild Italian cheese, made with cow and sheep’s milk (oftentimes labeled “due latte” or “two milks”.) It has subtle mushroom notes and a soft rind and is a great cheese to warm slightly and dunk crusty bread into.
Roasted Broccoli and Broiled Robiola
Ingredients
- 2 heads broccoli
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 piece Robiola Bosina
- Crunchy salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the florets from the broccoli head and slice into bite-sized pieces. Slice the top part of the stem into ¼-inch thick slices. Spread both sections of broccoli out on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle over enough olive oil to lightly coat. Sprinkle on salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, flipping pieces halfway through. Once the edges get golden brown, remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the broccoli is roasting, gently slice the robiola into ¼-inch slices, using a serrated knife.
- In a smaller oven-safe serving dish (or on the same rimmed baking sheet,) lay the robiola slices over the broccoli. Place back in the oven and set to “broil.” Broil until the cheese starts to bubble and melt over the broccoli, about 3 minutes. It doesn’t take too long, so don’t walk away.
- Serve directly from the broiled dish (or transfer to a serving dish,) sprinkle with crunchy salt and serve.
Napa Cabbage Salad with Marcona Almonds and Paški Sir
Have a head of Napa Cabbage from your CSA or farm share box? Not sure what to do with it? Make this salad!
The leaves of the cabbage get softened with some salt and tossed with a sweet and tangy dressing. It is fresh and bright, crunchy and sweet. A perfect salad to accompany a light dinner.
The cabbage doesn’t take too long to soften up – only about 5 minutes. So make sure you have everything else ready to go so you can plate and serve the salad before it gets too soggy.
Paški Sir is a Croatian sheep’s milk cheese that is salty, savory and tangy. It is delicious shaved over this salad, but feel free to use Parmesan or a Pecorino in its place.
This salad is super easy to scale up or down. A full head of Napa Cabbage should make 4 plated salads. But if you are making this for less people, use about 4-5 leaves per person.
Napa Cabbage Salad with Marcona Almonds and Paški Sir
Makes 4 servings
- ½ cup Marcona Almonds (about .25 pound container)
- ½ tsp lemon zest (or any citrus you have on hand)
- 1 head Napa Cabbage, tough outer leaves removed
- 1 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning dressing
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Italian Cherry Blossom Honey
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup parsley leaves, torn
- 1 Tbsp sliced chives
- 3 oz. Paški Sir, shaved, plus more because more cheese is always better
Preheat oven to 350°F. Shake the plastic container of Marconas to redistribute the oil. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes until warmed and slightly golden brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle over the lemon zest and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop.
Remove the leaves from the cabbage core, tear off the tough white bottom, and tear into 3″– 4″ pieces. Add to a large bowl and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the leaves. Gently massage with your hands and set aside until ready to serve, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey and black pepper together. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt and drizzle over the cabbage. Add the chives, parsely, shaved Paški Sir and the chopped Marconas and toss together.
Transfer salad to a platter or individual plates. Sprinkle on more cheese, chopped Marconas, salt and pepper and serve.
Cheesy Bacon Potato Nests
Potatoes…yum.
Bacon…yes, please.
Cheese… hell yeah.
These cheesy potato nests are a yummy riff on a French Reblochon Tartiflette – a rich gratin dish from the Savoie region of France. The dish is made with sliced potatoes, onions, lardons, a big glug of white wine, and then topped with an entire wheel of Reblochon cheese before it is baked in the oven.
The name “Reblochon” comes from way back in history when farmers would get taxed on the amount of milk their herds would produce. They would wait until the tax collectors had counted their yield, then go back and milk their cows again. The second milking was much richer and creamier and made cheese which was equally as rich and creamy. True raw Reblochon from France isn’t available in the United States, but there are US creameries making washed-rind cow’s milk cheese in a very similar style.
Sawtooth from Cascadia Creamery was tasting particularly amazing when this batch of potato nests were made, but any soft washed-rind cheese would work in this recipe – Oma, Taleggio, Mont. St. Francis, Muenster, or Raclette. The pungentness of the cheese does reduce a bit in the recipe, so don’t worry too much if the wedge you picked up is a real stinker. Using the entire wedge (rind included!!) adds a funkiness that makes these potatoes addicting.
Traditionally, a Reblochon Tartiflette would use a white wine from the Savoie region. Essay Chenin Blanc is a great (non-French) option to use in this recipe and to drink alongside. No matter what you get, use something you would enjoy drinking also. The recipe only calls for less than a glass, so get something you like to drink.
These cheesy bacon potato nests are a great side to serve at brunch, at a spring holiday meal or just alongside a light green salad. Let them cool a bit in the pan before you start to remove them, so they have a better chance of holding together on a plate.
Cheesy Bacon Potato Nests
Makes 12 muffin-sized nests
- 1 small onion
- 7 oz slab bacon
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 ½ oz. dry white wine
- 1 pound waxy potatoes (ex. Red Bliss, Fingerlings or New Potatoes)
- 9 oz. washed rind cheese (.6 pound wedge)
- Salt and black pepper
- Pan spray
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a standard muffin tin with pan spray.
Peel and dice the onion into small pieces. Slice the bacon in lardons. Add onions, bacon and bay leaf into a skillet over medium heat and cook until the bacon is beginning to crisp and the onions are tender, 8-10 minutes.
Pour in the wine and cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated, around 3-5 additional minutes.
Using the julienne blade on a mandoline (or carefully by hand,) slice the potatoes into matchsticks. Stir into the onion, bacon and wine mixture and remove from heat.
Cut the cheese into bite-sized pieces and gently stir into the potato mixture. Evenly portion into the muffin tins and place in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
Let cool slightly in the pan and serve warm.
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.
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.
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.
