Sausage Catfish Gumbo

Sometimes you have the ingredients in your house for a great dish and don't even know it. I was scrounging around for a dinner idea, and was inspired to make some gumbo with what I had laying around. This recipe combines fresh catfish with andouille sausage and an array of vegetables to make a great tasting dish. This recipe uses our Pastamore Fresh Jalapeño Oil for a great touch of heat and depth of flavor.

Ingredients:
1 lb - catfish
2 - andouille sausages
1 lb - tomatoes
2 cups - vegetable broth
1 cup - water
3 stalks - celery
1/2 - yellow onion
1 - green bell pepper
1 Tbsp - butter
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Fresh Jalapeño Oil
1.5 Tbsp - flour
1/4 tsp - garlic powder
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Rinse vegetables and peel onion. Chop onion into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces. Chop celery into 1/2" wide pieces, and cut green pepper into similar size pieces after removing stem and seeds. Chop tomatoes into 1/2" cubes. Slice sausages into 1/4" thick pieces.

2. Heat a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Once hot, add the butter and flour. Mix together using a whisk. Cook until medium brown, stirring often. Add vegetable broth, water, garlic powered, and all vegetables. Increase heat, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.

3. Add the andouille sausages and full catfish filets. Cook for 15 minutes.

4. Use a large spoon to break the fish apart. Add the Pastamore Fresh Jalapeño Oil and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Continue to cook to thicken gumbo or remove from heat.

5. Serve over rice.

Tilapia Red Curry

After making some curry at last week I was craving another curry dish. Tilapia was on sale at the store, so it seemed like a perfect chance to make a fish curry. Our Pastamore Fresh Jalapeño Oil was used in this recipe, but our Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil would be a great substitute if you did not want the extra spice.

Ingredients:
1 lb - tilapia fillets
1 15 oz can - lite coconut milk
2 Tbsp - red curry paste
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Fresh Jalapeño Oil
3 stalks - celery
1/2 - yellow onion
1 cup - broccoli florets
2 tsp - fish sauce
2 tsp - grapeseed oil
To taste - salt

Directions:
1. Rinse celery and chop into 1/2" pieces. Remove top and bottom from onion and chop into 1/2" pieces. Rinse broccoli florets.

2. Heat a large frying pan on stove over medium heat. Once hot add the grapeseed oil and red curry paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add onions, celery, and broccoli. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes.

3. Add tilapia filets to pan, moving vegetables out of the way as needed to get the fish on the bottom of the pan. Add the lite coconut milk and stir. Cook for 10 minutes, turning fish fillets as needed during the cooking process if they are not covered by the sauce.

4. Add fish sauce and Pastamore Fresh Jalapeño Oil. Cook for 2-4 minutes or until fish is cooked to desired temperature. Adjust seasoning with salt as needed.

5. Serve over rice.

Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

Fish tacos are always a favorite, and adding fresh fruit salsa on top goes a long way in adding sweetness and freshness. The tacos are also topped with a slaw made with our Pastamore White Balsamic Vinegar with Pear. The salsa is made with our Pastamore Fresh Jalapeño Oil, and this adds a great spice and flavor to the dish. I used tilapia for the fish (because it was on sale), but any white fish would work great. Wahoo is excellent if you can get your hands on it or mahi mahi is also a go-to.

Ingredients:
Fish:
1 lb - tilapia
1/2 tsp - salt
1/2 tsp - garlic powder
1/4 tsp - oregano
1/4 tsp - black pepper
As needed - vegetable oil
As needed - corn tortillas

Salsa:
1 - pineapple, skin removed and cored
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Fresh Jalapeño Oil
1 large - tomato
1/8 - red onion
5 sprigs - fresh cilantro
To taste - salt and black pepper

Slaw:
2 cups - shredded cabbage
1/4 cup - mayonnaise
1 Tbsp - Pastamore White Balsamic Vinegar with Pear
To taste - salt

Directions:
1. Combine shredded cabbage, mayonnaise, and Pastamore White Balsamic Vinegar with Pear into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Fold until evenly mixed. Season to taste with salt. Place into the refrigerator.

2. Chop pineapple into 1/2" x 1/2" pieces. Dice tomato into 1/4" cubes. Finely dice onion. Finely dice the cilantro. Add prepped ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl along with the Pastamore Fresh Jalapeño Oil. Mix well and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

3. Combine salt, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper into a small mixing bowl. Mix well using a spoon or whisk. Season both sides of the fish using the spice mix. Heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to keep the fish from sticking.

4. Add the fish to the pan and cook to a minimum temperature of 145ºF, turning once during the cooking process. Adjust seasoning if needed.

5. While the fish is cooking, heat as many corn tortillas as needed. I like to heat them in a lightly oiled pan on medium-high heat and transfer to a cover pot after heating both sides.

6. Plate the tortilla and top with the fish. Add the white balsamic slaw next, and finish with the pineapple salsa. Serve and enjoy!

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Southwestern Blend Rotini

Often times we get requests for recipes for certain pastas and products that we sell.  The majority of the time these recommendations are something simple and easy.  Our normal recommendations for our Pastamore Southwestern Blend Rotini are pasta salad or macaroni and cheese.  The inspiration for this recipe came from a pasta salad recipe that was begging to be served warm instead of cold.  This recipe utilizes the general ingredients of a roasted corn and black bean salsa to produce a delicious sauce that matches well with the Pastamore Southwestern Blend Rotini.

Ingredients:          Servings - 4
1 12 oz package - Pastamore Southwestern Blend Rotini
2 Tbsp - vegetable oil
1 - small red onion (medium dice)
1 ear - fresh corn
1 can - black beans
3/4 lb - fresh tomoatoes - medium dice (1/4" x 1/4")
2 Tbsp - fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil
To taste - salt and pepper

Directions:
1.  In a large pot place 4 quarts of water and bring to a boil.  Remove the corn from the cob.  Hold the corn vertically and run a sharp knife down the side of the corn removing as much flesh as possible.

2.  While the water is heating, place a separate pot over medium/medium-high heat.  When the pot is hot add the vegetable oil and allow the oil to heat.  When the oil is hot add the diced red onion.  Allow to sweat (heating without adding color) for 4-5 minutes.  Add the corn to the pot and cook for 10 minutes.

3.  Open the can of black beans and drain then through a colander over the sink.  Rinse the black beans with water, and then add the black beans to the pot with the onion and corn

4.  Place the Pastamore Southwestern Blend Rotini into the boiling water.  Add the fresh cilantro and the Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil to the pot with the corn, black beans, and onion.  After 3 minutes add the fresh tomatoes and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Stir frequently, trying to remove moisture from the tomatoes.  Doing this allows the sauce to be more liquid without having to add any water to the mixture.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5.  The pasta should take approximately 4-5 minutes, but can take longer depending on elevation.  It is important to cook the rotini long enough because they can cook very unevenly do to their shape.  Be sure to test more than one noodle when determining whether or not the pasta is as done as you would like.

6.  Immediately plate the pasta when it is done and top with the fresh corn and black bean sauce.

For a little extra spice add a little more  Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil , and for a recipe that is not spicy replace the  Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil with Pastamore Roasted Tomato Blend Dipping Oil.

The Southwest Burger

The southwest burger, here is the second installment of the Pastamore Burger Per Week Summer. This week, we head southwest for some inspiration for this southwest burger. This  burger takes the Pastamore Basic Burger and adds some spices to the meat. The bun is spread with a black bean paste that has Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil added. On top of the burger is green chile, a roasted red pepper, and shredded cotija cheese. The flavor of this burger is fantastic, and all of the extra toppings and ingredients combine together to create a memorable burger.

Ingredients: Servings: 3- 1/3 lb burger
Burger:
1 lb - 80/20 ground beef
1/2 - shallot - minced
1/4 tsp - dry mustard
1/4 tsp - chipotle chile powder
1/2 tsp - dried oregano
1/8 tsp - smoked paprika
1/2 tsp - salt
1 pinch - coriander
1 pinch - cumin
1 .5 tsp - Pastamore Traditional Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp - Pastamore Barrel-Aged Worcestershire

Toppings:
As needed - cotija cheese
1-2 - roasted red peppers (canned or home prepared)
6 Tbsp - green chile sauce (again, homemade or your favorite store bought will do)
1 can - black beans
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil
3 buns - toasted on the grill

Directions:
1. Turn on the grill (gas or charcoal is acceptable).
2. In a large bowl combine the meat, Pastamore Traditional Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar, Pastamore Barrel-Aged Worcestershire, shallot, and all dry ingredients. Mix well.
3. After the meat has sat for 10 minutes, separate into 3 equal sized patties. Make sure that the grill has been cleaned off, and put on medium-high heat. Place the burgers on the grill. Allow the burgers to cook on one side for 5-7 minutes and then turn. The goal is to only flip the burger once during the cooking process.
4. While the burgers are on the grill, heat the green chile and the black beans on the stove top. Once the green chile is hot set off to the side. When the black beans have been heated, drain and place into a large bowl. Combine the black beans with the Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil and mash (using a potato masher or a fork). Set the black bean paste to the side.
5. Check the temperature of the burger to see if they have reached the desired doneness. If the burgers close to being done, place the cheese on top of the burgers and close the grill. If they are already done, remove the burgers from the grill, place the cheese on top, place on a plate, and cover the plate with a large bowl. Servsafe recommends that ground beef is cooked to an minimum internal temperature of 155°F to kill pathogens. While the burgers are resting for approximately 5 minutes, toast the buns in the oven or on the grill.
6. On the inside of the bottom bun, spread on 2 Tbsp of black bean paste. Place the burger on the black bean paste and top with the green chile. On top of the green chile, place a large piece of roasted red pepper. For the final touch, finely grate cotija cheese over the top of the burger.
7. Eat and enjoy!

This southwest burger is delicious and offers many different variations. If you like things spicy, add a tsp of hot sauce to the meat before cooking, or use a hot green chile. If cotija is not available, asadero or queso fresco would be suitable substitutions.

Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, and Jalapeno Oil Biscuits

When it comes to food, bacon is not a hard sell. It is delicious, flavorful, and is a staple of the American breakfast. For this recipe, it seemed only fitting to combine bacon with two other fantastic flavors, cheddar cheese and Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil. After making these biscuits a few times, I can say that the Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil gives an amazing flavor that is both distinct and mildly spicy. These surely are more work than opening up a can of prepared biscuits, but those who eat them will definitely appreciate your hard work.

Ingredients:
2 Cups - All purpose flour
7 Tbsp - Butter
1 Tbsp - Baking powder
1 tsp - Sugar
1/2 tsp - Cream of tartar
2/3 Cup - Milk
3/4 Cup - Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 Tbsp - Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil
6 Strips - Bacon (for vegetarian version substitute 8 strips soy bacon)

Directions:
1. Cook bacon or bacon substitute as directed by instructions. (This is best done the night before so that the bacon is cool when added to the dough.) Chop bacon in 1/4"-1/2" pieces.

2. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, cheese, bacon, butter, and 1 tsp. Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil in a medium mixing bowl. Use a potato masher or a pastry blade to cut the butter into the mix until it looks like large crumbs. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the milk. Lightly mix until a dough like consistency is reached.

3. Place the dough on a lightly floured work-surface and mix the dough. Do not over mix, the dough will only need to be kneaded 10-15 times to become fully incorporated. Roll or push the dough into a 1/2" thickness, and create a square shape. Using a knife, cut the biscuits into scone shaped pieces (approximately 2-3 inches wide and cut into triangles).

4. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet, brush the top of the biscuits with the remaining Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil, and cook for 10-13 minutes. Biscuits should be golden brown on top and resist being pushed down.

Keep the dough as cold as possible when mixing, as it will help with a light and flaky texture when the biscuits are completed. While these biscuits may not be the healthiest thing to ever come out of your kitchen they surely will be delicious.

Fish and Smokin Hot Salsa

Fish and Smokin Hot Salsa is a welcoming meal when the weather turns cold or even when you just want something hot to eat. I substituted this recipe with Tillapia and it was excellent!  However, be warned, Pastamore's fresh jalapeno oil gets hotter as it sits, you may want to go easy at first; unless you're one of those people who can tolerate some serious heat.  Pastamore's fresh Jalapeno oil is great on eggs too.  Enjoy this Fish and Smokin Hot Salsa!