Fresh From the Garden Sliders

It is still that time of year where gardens are pumping out loads of great food.  And even if you don't have a garden, you can get fantastic fresh produce for great prices at the store.  This recipe is an homage to my own garden, which has finally fruited tomatoes and never-ending rainbow chard!

This recipe utilizes our Pastamore Traditional Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar as most of our other burgers have.  This recipe also uses the Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil.  This oil gave a fantastic flavor to the squash, and really enhanced their fresh flavor.

Ingredients:  Servings - 3-4
1 lb - ground beef (85/15 or 80/20 preferred)

1 Tbsp - Pastamore Traditional Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vineger

1/2 tsp - salt
1/2 - 1 tsp - fresh sage
1/4 tsp - black pepper
2 - medium-sized tomatoes
1 bunch - rainbow chard (regular chard will also do)
2-3 oz - feta cheese crumbles
2 - yellow squash
1/2 Tbsp -  Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil
6 - slider buns
As needed - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1.  Rinse the yellow squash.  Cutting on a strong bias, slice the squash into 1/3" thick slices.  Place onto a plate, and drizzle with 1/2 Tbsp of Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil.  Lightly season with salt and black pepper.  Rub the squash onto the oil so that both sides are covered.  Set to the side.

2.  Fine dice the fresh sage.  Place the ground beef into a medium/large mixing bowl.  Add the Pastamore Traditional Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar, fresh sage, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt.  Mix until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.  Create 6 even-sized patties, and place them onto a plate.

3.  Turn on the grill to medium-high heat.  Once the grill is hot, add the squash and the burgers.  Squash should be cooked until they have become tender and have achieved nice grill marks.  Burgers should be cooked until the desired temperature has been reached, and they should only be turned once during the cooking process.  When finished, remove from the grill and place to the side.


4.  Place the buns on the grill and lightly toast.  Remove the buns from the grill, and place the chard leaves directly onto the grill surface.  Turn once during cooking, and cook until they have become slightly crispy.

5.  Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-1/3" thick slices.

6.  Plate the bottom half of the bun, and top with the grilled chard.  Next, add the burger, and top with the tomato slice.  Finally, top with feta and add the top half of the bun.  Serve and enjoy!

Shrimp Pesto with Garlic Chive Pasta

The garden is overflowing with basil, so it is pesto making time around the house.  This pesto is fairly traditional in flavor, but it leaves the garlic out of the actual sauce.  This is done because the pasta has a great garlic flavor, and I didn't want it to overpower the whole dish.

This recipe also utilizes our Pastamore Garlic Chive Pasta , but our Garlic Toasted Onion is also an acceptable substitution.  We will be offering GTO in gluten-free pasta as well, so that that may be something to keep in mind.  This recipe also utilizes our Pastamore White Truffle Oil.  Don't be too heavy handed with this, as it too can overpower the entire dish. 

Ingredients:   Servings - 4
.75-1 lb - shrimp
1 12 oz package - Pastamore Garlic Chive Pasta (Garlic Toasted Onion also acceptable)
2 oz - fresh basil
1.5 oz - parmesean cheese
1.5 oz - toasted nuts (your choice)
3/4 cup - water
2+ Tbsp - olive oil
2 - medium-sized tomatoes
To Taste - salt and black pepper
As Needed - Pastamore White Truffle Oil

Directions:
1.  Place a large pot of water on the stove (minimum of 1 gallon).  Bring the water to a boil.

2.  Place basil, parmesean cheese, nuts, and water into a food processor.  Blend until an even texture has been achieved.  Continue to blend while slowly drizzling in the 1 Tbsp of olive oil.  Continue mixing until the all of the oil has been added.

3.  Slice the tomato into 1/3" coins.  Place the pasta into the boiling water.

4.  Place the Pastamore Garlic Chive Pasta into the boiling water.  Cooked until al dente.

5.  Place a small saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat.  Once the pan is hot, add enough olive oil to keep the tomatoes from sticking.  Place the tomatoes into the pan, and season with salt and black pepper.  Lightly cook the tomatoes on both sides (1-2 minutes peer side).

6.  Once the tomatoes are cooked, place a medium-sized saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat.  Once the pan is hot, add the pesto sauce.  Allow the sauce to heat up for 30 seconds to one minute, and then add the shrimp to the sauce.  Cook the shrimp until the desired doneness is reached, turning them once during the cooking process.  If there is not enough sauce, or if too much water is cooked away, add water to the pan to create the desired texture.

7.  Drain the pasta in a colander once it has been cooked.  Place the cooked pasta into a bowl, and add 1 Tbsp of olive oil.  Mix until the pasta is evenly coated.  Use tongs to remove the shrimp from the sauce, and place them onto a plate.

8.  Plate the pasta onto four plates.  Spoon the sauce onto the top of the pasta.  Next, place the cooked shrimp on top, and finish the plate with the sauteed tomatoes.  Lightly drizzle each plate with the Pastamore White Truffle Oil.

Surf and Turf Burger

Surf and turf, basically kind of seafood and steak, is a fantastic combination.  Lobster and steak, shrimp and steak, and this case ground beef and shrimp.  The flavors of these two proteins come together to make a fantastic burger with tons of flavor.

This recipe utilizes our new Pastamore Passion Fruit Balsamic Vinegar, and this gives a nice sweet touch to counteract the richness of the meat.  Another fun touch to this recipe is that the bun is a potato bun.  This is a nod towards mashed potatoes that may traditionally be served with surf and turf, and it also allows the bun to add to the flavor profile.

Ingredients:  Serves - 4
1 lb - ground beef (80/20 or 85/15 preferred)
2/3 lb - shrimp, deveined and shell removed

1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp - Pastamore Passion Fruit Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tbsp - Pastamore Traditional Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp - olive oil
1 tsp - salt
1/4 tsp - black pepper
1/4 tsp - cumin
As needed - salt and black pepper
4 - potato buns
1-2 cups - baby spinach

Directions:
1.  Combine the ground beef, 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper, cumin, and Pastamore Traditional Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar in a large mixing bowl.  Mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

2.  Place the shrimp into a medium-sized mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp of salt, black pepper, olive oil, and 2 tsp of  Pastamore Passion Fruit Balsamic Vinegar.  Gently mix until the shrimp are evenly coated.

3.  Turn on the grill to medium-high heat.  Once the grill is hot, add the burgers and the shrimp to the grill.  Cook the shrimp, turning only once during cooking.  The shrimp should cook pretty quick, and they are done cooking when the flesh between the sides is firm.  Do not overcook, as they will become stringy and hard.  

4.  The shrimp should cook approximately in the same amount of time needed on one side of the burger.  Remove the shrimp from the grill, and turn the burgers over.  Continue cooking the burgers until the desired doneness has been reached.  When the burgers are nearly done cooking, lightly toast the buns on the grill.

5.  If the shrimp have tails, remove them.  Place the cooked shrimp onto a cutting board and chop them.  Run the knife each direction 3-4 times to achieve the right size.  Place the chopped shrimp into a mixing bowl, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of Pastamore Passion Fruit Balsamic Vinegar.  Mix well.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

6.  Plate the bottom half of the bun, and top with baby spinach.  Place the burger on next, and then top with the passion fruit shrimp.  Top with remaining half of the bun, and serve.

Sausage Pancakes with Elderberry Balsamic

Elderberry and sausage is classic combination, and this recipe combines them in breakfast.  Instead of having the breakfast sausage on the side, the sausage is added to the pancakes like blueberries or bananas would be.  This recipe makes a nice savory pancake, and has a nice hint of sweetness from the Pastamore Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar.

Every time we release a new product, customers ask the best way to use them.  The easy response for the elderberry balsamic would be to toss it with fruit or to make a vinaigrette dressing.  However, sometimes being creative can make for some interesting meals.  Using this balsamic instead of a syrup offers a great flavor with substantially less sugar.

Ingredients:   Serves: 4-6

4 Tbsp - Pastamore Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar

1.5 cups - All-purpose flour
2 tsp - baking powder
1 tsp - baking soda
1.5 tsp - salt
1 tsp - brown sugar
1 1/3 cups - milk
1 - egg, beaten
2-3 Tbsp - butter, melted
.5 lb - breakfast sausage

Directions:
1.  Sift the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl.  Use a whisk to evenly mix the dry ingredients. 

2.  Push the dry ingredients away from the middle of the bowl to create a well, and add the milk and egg.  Lightly whisk until the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed.

3.  Place a medium-sized saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat.  Once the pan has become hot, add the breakfast sausage to the pan.  Break the sausage into marble sized pieces, and brown the sausage until it has been cooked all the way through.  Do not overcook the sausage because it will cook further inside of the pancake.

4.  Heat a griddle or cast-iron pan on the stove over medium-high heat (stove top temperatures will vary, and the heat may need to be reduced to medium).  A regular non-stick pan can be used for this recipe, but it will not give the same uniform, golden brown look you want.

4.  Once the pan is hot, spray with cooking spray (e.g. Pam).  Once the oil has become heated, pour a pancake sized amount of batter onto the griddle.  Do not overcrowd the pan, as you want the pancakes to be nice and round.  Add a small handful of sausage to the top of each pancake. 

5.  Turn the pancakes.  The telltale sign for when they need to be turned is that bubbles have risen to much of the top of the pancake.  You can also sneak a peek by picking up one side of a pancake with a spatula.  Do not rush the pancakes, and doing this will give them a more appealing look.

6.  Cook the pancakes until the second side is the same color as the first side.  Continue cooking the pancakes until half of the pancakes have been completed.  At this time, put the Pastamore Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar into a small saucepan.  Heat over medium/medium-high heat until the balsamic has been reduced by 1/4.  Continue cooking the rest of the pancakes.

7.  Serve the pancakes warm, and use a spoon to drizzle the reduced elderberry balsamic vinegar over the top of the pancakes.  Enjoy!