Rotisserie Done Betta’ From Vanchetta
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Abby Allen-Leach - Jun 19, 2018
- 5 min read
What’s succulent, savory and heavenly all over? Porchetta! For those unaware as to what Porchetta (properly pronounced as Por-ketta) is, let us get you up to speed. Porchetta, in short, is traditional in Italian cuisine and is typically comprised of boneless Pork, Herbs and Garlic, and other varietals, which may differ from location to location. The meat is usually slow-roasted, and frequently served between some fresh bread. Some argue that it is the King of Pork, and, dare I say, better than Bacon.
Lucky for us here in St Pete, we don’t have to venture over seas and up the cobblestone streets of Italy to enjoy a taste of this prized Pork number- instead (and, better yet) we have Vanchetta.
Back in 2012 in Stamford, CT, Andy Dolan opened up Vanchetta. The truck was in operation there for 3 years, until Andy decided that he wanted to turn the truck into a full-time living (in CT, he was only able to remain open 6 months out of the year, due to weather). At the time, a few things fell perfectly together for Andy, which planted him (and his food truck) in St Pete.
Andy picked up a knack for cooking in his teenage years from his father- a life-long chef. You know what they say about that apple and the tree. Fortunately, his father was an ideal teacher and Andy obtained a wealth of knowledge from him in the kitchen.
Every single dish that pours out of the Vanchetta truck window is made by Andy. Also in the truck, you’ll find Andy’s right-hand woman, Jenn. She’s been overseeing the register and slicing up hundreds of pounds of Porchetta, all with a bright smile on her face, for two years now.
While having a Rotisserie on the truck instead of a Chargrill, Steam Table, or Deep Frier, may not be the best utilization of space, it has given Vanchetta the opportunity to evolve much more distinctively than most other trucks. To elaborate, in Vanchetta’s early years, Porchetta had a chance to flourish, and in turn, it gained some well-deserved attention. In addition to the Rotisserie, Andy shakes things up by serving Patatas Bravas style Home-Fries that are cooked on a flat top.
Andy sets a very high standard for his sandwiches. The Vanchetta Sandwich is the original (and, one of the most popular items on the menu) and his philosophy is that a sandwich must be “one of the best ever” to land a spot on the starting lineup. Therefore, the menu does not fluctuate much, but, you can assume that everything on it is exceptionally delicious. In fact, Vanchetta has a sizable following of folks who constantly seek out the staple menu items.
Vanchetta is an advocate for a solid Beer and Porchetta pairing. The truck proudly displays a sign that states, “Beer is Betta with Porchetta.” Who’s honestly going to argue with that? To support this claim, we caught up with Andy and his truck at Overflow Brewing.
Our order included: The Vanchetta Sandwich, Porchetta N’ Sauce Sandwich, The Black Bean Burger Salad and the Patatas Bravas.
If we’re being honest, I almost did not order the Vanchetta Sandwich, until I was strongly advised to do so. This, hands down, ended up being my favorite item on the menu. This delectable Vanchetta original has slow roasted Italian Pork, Provolone, Aioli, ACV Slaw, and Red Onion Marmalade. The marriage of flavors, to be frank, blew me away. The Pork was juicy and tender, the Slaw added some nice texture and the Red Onion Marmalade escalated everything to that next level. It’s easy to see why this sandwich is a fan-favorite.
For those who enjoy a bit of fire, the Porchetta N’ Sauce is for you. It has enough spice to enhance the sandwich without completely overpowering it. This baby is layered with a stack of slow roasted Italian Pork, gooey Provolone and a Spicy Tomato Sauce. I typically enjoy a bite of something crisp on a sandwich such as this, like fresh Herbs or Lettuce; however, this simple compilation confirms that less is more.
For us, the Black Bean Burger Salad was an unexpected home-run. In fact, their Black Bean Burger won a well-deserved Creative Loafing award for best Veggie Burger, and that is no surprise at all. This salad has all of the same goods as the award-winner, without the Potato Roll. The bed of Lettuce has a Black Bean Burger Patty, Chipotle Aioli, Ketchup, Pickles, Onion and Tomato. Each bite of the Burger Patty is a detonation of exemplary flavor. Unlike other Veggie Burger’s, this one is exciting and full of character. You need this in your life, no questions asked.
The only disappointment we had during our visit was that we did not add the crispy Porchetta to our Patatas Bravas (which is totally an option for only $3 more)! These home-fry style Patatas Bravas are a fun play on the classic. The home-fries are covered in Spicy Tomato Sauce (which also has a touch of sweetness to it) and Ailoi. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a satisfying dish, but adding crispy Porchetta would’ve presumably elevated it. There’s always next time, right? And trust me, there will undoubtedly be a next time.
I am happy to report that the majority of the time, you can find Andy and the Vanchetta truck in the local area (he makes monthly trips to Sarasota and Winter Haven, also). Whenever Andy generates his schedule, he does so with St. Pete in mind.
Wednesday evenings, you can find Vanchetta at different breweries around Tampa Bay- they’re a staple on their schedule. Every Sunday, a new schedule for the truck is released on both Instagram and Facebook with their weekly locations. Have any questions as to where to find Andy and his truck? Not to worry, he and his team are very responsive! If the address is published online on any given day, that means anyone is welcome to pay Vanchetta a visit!
- Readers Rating
- Rated 4.9 stars
4.9 / 5 ( Reviewers) - Spectacular
- Your Rating
- Vanchetta
- Porchetta, Rotisserie, Italian Pork
Rotisserie food truck serving up Porchetta / Italian Pork sandwiches.
PLEASE NOTE: Reviews reflect a certain moment in time. Some restaurants stay extremely consistent over many years, and some change for the better or worse. Some things that may change are: chefs, recipes, food suppliers, ingredients, philosophies, ownership, etc. We always hope that you have the same good, or great experience we had.
Written by Abby Allen-Leach
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Tucked away in the Museum of Fine Arts in downtown St. Pete is what I consider to be one of our city’s foremost culinary gems. Café Clementine is, in my opinion, the best artisan bakery and casual kitchen in the city. I’ve been visiting Clementine since July 2023, and I rave about it to anyone who will listen. It’s high time I formalize my crazed compliments into a review, so that it’s out there for everyone to see. They’re primarily a bakeshop, with a generous selection of pastries, savory bakes and breads that rotate every couple of weeks. But this café is also a perfect spot for brunch – they have a seasonal brunch menu with a great variety of tea options and some creative non-espresso coffee as well. Occasionally, the hot kitchen team will put some brunch specials on the menu, and those dishes have turned out to be the ones that have imprinted permanently on my brain. To give you some background – after I graduated high school in India in 2020, I started and ran a full-time home bakery business for six months. I then decided to pursue two culinary degrees from Le Cordon Bleu, Paris. As you can imagine, I had the absolute time of my life eating my way through every boulangerie, pâtisserie and restaurant in Paris (and throughout France). After graduating from culinary school and moving to St. Pete for university, I loved how many coffee shops there were, but I never thought I’d find an artisan bakery that could meet the Parisian standards. Café Clementine is now my new standard. The owners, Paulina and Vince, are some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. I highly recommend keeping up with Clementine on their Instagram – the team’s passion, candor and compassion for the community is so evident. The manager, Jayme, is one of my favorite people. 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Café Clementine has had an incredible two-year run so far, and their ingredients are sustainably and locally sourced – if they raised their prices, honestly, I don’t think anyone would have batted an eye. But they haven’t, and honestly, they’re one of the few places in St. Pete that consistently deliver an absolute bang for every buck. Here are some of my favorite eats from Café Clementine. Have you ever had a meal that was so unbelievably sublime, that you actively mourn its absence in the days since you last had it? This is that meal for me. Being eloquent is proving really difficult for me right now, because I just want to say, “OH MY GOD IT’S SOOO GOOD.” It was one of the most well balanced plates I’ve had in my life. The sweet potato gnocchi was crisp on the outside and pillowy perfection inside, its sweetness complemented by the nutty, herby pepita (pumpkin seed) pesto. 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After reading some wonderful things about Eat Art Love, we decided to check them out for brunch a couple of weeks ago. Located in the Warehouse Arts District at 589 22nd St S in an unassuming strip plaza, one would never guess what wonderful creations come out of this kitchen. They are currently open for brunch only Friday – Sunday from 9:00am – 3:00pm. However, starting January 8th they will be joining forces with Roy Allen who is opening Sage’s Playground (next door) to offer a full cafe experience. Sage’s offers specialty coffee, tea and seasonal drinks. The new hours starting January 8th will be Wednesday – Friday 8am – 2pm for fast casual grab and go food and caffeine fixes, and Saturday – Sunday for full service brunch from 9am – 2pm. There are plans in the works for 2025 to possibly add dinner a night or two during the week. The Executive Chef and Co-Owner is Mario Brugnoli, whose resume includes professional cooking at fine dining restaurants, including Michelin star Rocca in Tampa and Meliora in Sarasota. He has also competed on Food Network’s show Chopped. Co-Owners with Chef Mario are Jose and Natalie Martinez also owners of Sartorial, Inc in downtown St Pete. Our first visit we decided to start with one of the specialty drinks called Jess’s Spiced Green Tea Elixir made with green tea, spice infusion and rosemary. You can choose to add prosecco, which I did. It’s quite refreshing for any occasion. The interior is quaint and festive. Reservations are recommended as there are limited tables. Our first food item was the Poached Egg Dip with creamed potato and chives and served with sourdough bread for dipping. This is a wow dish and a must order to share. It’s rich, creamy and the sourdough is just dreamy as well. Next, we had to order the E.A.L. Classic which has perfectly soft-scrambled eggs, with kielbasa that has that satisfying snap when you bite into it and a juicy burst of salty flavor. The hashbrowns were quite crunchy, but a tad overcooked giving them a bit of a burnt taste. The caramelized onions and housemade spicy salsa verde rounded out the dish nicely. The Housemade Sausage Sandwich was a no brainer to try with pickled onions, Weber’s mustard and a potato roll. In my book, you can never go wrong with sausage and mustard. This was very good, but in my opinion, it could have used more mustard. On our second visit, the very next week, our friend Lisa joined us. She and I started with prosecco. Kevin ordered this highly impressive, housemade hot cocoa which came out ceremoniously with a flaming marshmallow. This was so rich and decadent. You could tell it was made in house. I would so order this again. I had my eye on the Confit Duck Leg from the get go. The grits with whipped feta were a perfect textural balance to the crispy duck skin and juicy interior. I could not really find a reason for the tomatoes. They didn’t add anything flavor wise to the dish or the visual appeal. I think it would be gorgeous and taste better without them. They just seemed out of place. The stand out star from both visits was Grandpa Larry’s Benedict which Lisa ordered. The 24 hour ragu is Mario’s grandfather’s recipe and is absolutely delicious. Combined with the eggs, garlic bread, parmesan and basil it is an outstanding, hearty dish that I can’t wait to eat again. A very cute presentation on the Fried Chicken Sandwich served in a sandwich sleeve with Chef Mario’s picture on the front. The Fried Chicken Sandwich is monstrous. It is served on a potato roll with hot honey, mayo and pickled cabbage. The chicken was fried to perfection. I am not a fan of the “hot honey” craze that it seems every chef in town is into, I would order this again without it. If you’re a savory person, like me. I would suggest that. The bun is good but had a hard time holding up to the sandwich. But again, the chicken is really the star here and it worked well. Kevin recommends cutting the sandwich in half, and then eating it from the middle. This way you get all of the flavors together at once and it’s much more enjoyable than chewing through the plain chicken alone from the outside overhang until you get to everything else. All in all, Eat Art Love is such a great addition to the Warehouse Arts district and has such a unique menu. I would highly recommend for all to support this great local spot. Eat Art Love Menu
Lajawab Indian Cuisine is a great new Indian spot in St. Pete. They opened in June 2024. (They are at 2705 54th Ave N. where ABC Seafood used to be.) It is owned by two Indian chef brothers making a wide variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. “Lajawab” means “unmatched” or “incomparable.” It is often used to describe something that is exceptional, outstanding, or beyond comparison. Lajawab Indian Cuisine chose their name well. My Indian friend Mahika (she writes for St. Pete Foodies too) went with me for my second visit and she was quite pleased. My Pakistani friend (Pakistan used to be part of India), Brendan said, “It’s the best Indian food Pinellas has ever had!” One last quote from Bieanca, “Love this place! I just came back from India and can say the food is authentic”. Lori accompanied me for my first visit. Cilantro tastes like soap to her. It’s genetic. It completely ruins any dish. 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In this recipe, we are transforming simple ingredients into an elevated flatbread that is ideal for enjoying on these cooler December evenings. All of the elements involved in this sausage, pesto & peperonata flatbread are not only complementary together, but they are equally as delicious when used in different applications. The pesto can be tossed with your favorite pasta or served alongside arancini (we actually did this for Thanksgiving this year and it was a hit). Peperonata can serve as an easy appetizer spooned onto crusty slices of bread, or as a tangy topper for sandwiches, crispy cutlets or even with a steak. You can use any type of flatbread for this recipe. On a busy weeknight when time is of the essence, I suggest grabbing a flatbread option that is already baked in the package – naan could even work well here. Rollin’ Oats Natural Food Market sells a few different variations like O’Doughs flatbread, which happens to be gluten free and vegan. If you’d rather bake a homemade or store-bought dough and have the time, I recommend going for it. This way, you can control the thickness of your flatbread. The bake time is only about ten extra minutes, if you opt for this route. The ground Italian sausage brings the the whole flatbread together with its subtle touch of savory spice. Ground Italian sausage is my preference, but if you’d rather a fully-cooked version, you can’t go wrong. Simply slice it into rounds and arrange before baking the flatbread in the oven. Sausage, Pesto & Peperonata Flatbread Recipe In this recipe, sweet and sour peperonata, pesto and sausage are combined to create an elevated take on flatbread. You don't have to make your flatbread dough from scratch in order to get the most out of this recipe – there are plenty of suitable store-bought options available. Pesto5 cups basil (5 packed cups, fresh)3/4 cup parmesan cheese (finely grated)1/2 cup pine nuts3 garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)3/4 cup olive oil1 tsp salt (plus more, to taste)1 tbsp lemon juice (from 1/2 of a small lemon (optional))Peperonata3 bell peppers (about 3 cups, mix of colors of choice, thinly sliced)1/2 cup olive oil1/2 white onion (medium in size, sliced thin)4 garlic cloves (peeled, smashed and sliced very thin)5 sprigs fresh thyme2 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegarsalt (to taste)Flatbread Assembly1 flatbread (homemade or a mix like Bob's Redmill or an already prepared flatbread of choice (naan would work great too))1 lb cooked ground sausage1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated )basil or parsley (chopped (optional)) PestoHeat your oven to 325F and spread your pine nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toast for 6 minutes. Add pine nuts and all pesto recipe ingredients, except the oil, (including lemon, if using – this will add a touch of brightness) to a food processor or high powered blender. Blend or process on high while slowly streaming in the oil until the pesto is smooth. Add more salt as needed. Set pesto aside until you're ready to assemble the flatbread.PeperonataHeat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add in peppers, onion, garlic and thyme and cook for 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low to cook the mixture slowly until peppers and onions soften, about 25 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs, stir in red wine vinegar and season with salt to taste. Set aside.Flatbread AssemblyHeat oven to 400F. If using a homemade or store bought dough, roll it out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet to your desired thickness. Top with a few spoon fulls of pesto (evenly dispersed), cooked ground sausage and half of the grated parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes. If using an already baked flatbread or other bread like naan, repeat steps with pesto, sausage and parmesan and bake for only 10 minutes.Remove flatbread from the oven and increase oven heat to 425F. Top flatbread with peperonata and remaining grated parmesan. Bake for another 6-8 minutes.Carefully remove the flatbread from the oven, drizzle with more pesto and garnish with chopped basil or parsley.Slice flatbread as desired and serve. Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course, Main DishAmerican, Cajun, ItalianSausage, Pesto & Peperonata Flatbread
French and Moroccan cuisine are two genres of food that we currently do not have enough of in the St. Petersburg area. Because of this, it is no surprise that the community has welcomed the newly-opened permanent location of Cybel French Moroccan Restaurant on 5th Ave N. in Kenwood with open arms. Cybel is actually the only French Moroccan restaurant in the area. Chef Touf, who we had the pleasure of meeting during our meal at Cybel, is the mind behind the operation. Chef started his professional cooking journey in LA as a private chef for a number of athletes and celebrities. This operation then transformed into a catering company. In 2023 Chef Touf brought Cybel to life as a ghost kitchen located at Foodie Labs, which acts as a culinary incubator. After eight months at Foodies Labs, Chef Touf announced in July that a new home for Cybel would be coming soon. On November 1st, their brick and mortar location opened to the public. Why French Moroccan fare? Chef Touf’s inspiration behind serving French Moroccan in his restaurant stems from his years spent in Morocco as a child. During this time, he grew very fond of the cuisine. Currently, Cybel is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday beginning at 5:00PM, however, they just announced on November 19th that brunch would be debuting this weekend (weekend of November 23rd) from 11:00AM – 3:30PM. The brunch will be in collaboration with Brewed Awakenings, which operates out of Cybel’s restaurant Wednesday – Monday from 7:00AM – 3:00PM. The brunch menu will feature dishes like Tagine Shakshuka, Za’atar Avocado Tartine and Merguez, just to name a few. Intriguing coffee beverages by Brewed Awakening include cold brew lemonade, a thai latte, matcha latte and an oat latte with your flavor choice of lavender or cinnamon banana bread. Reservations are now available. As for Cybel’s standard dinner menu, you’ll find an array of shareable items, vibrant salads, mouthwatering entrees like tagines, kabobs, shawarma and a must-order French taco, a selection of pitas and various sides that are not to be overlooked. We tried to order something from each section and what made this easy is the fact that a number of the entrees offer some of the sides and salads. This was ultra convenient and allowed us the opportunity to try some items that we otherwise may have not ordered on our own. Because Cybel does not serve alcohol, they encourage guests to bring their own. That’s right – BYOB. When you’re planning your visit to Cybel, make sure to bring along one of your favorite bottles to enjoy along side your meal. For their new brunch, I suggest a bottle of delicious bubbles to complement your leisurely weekend dining experience. As I mentioned earlier, when talking about their new brunch, Cybel encourages reservations. These can be secured via their website here. We arrived at Cybel on a Friday night for our 6:00PM reservation. Because we checked in before the rush, we had our pick of sitting inside or outside. The interior of the space has approximately ten tables and the exterior offers a handful more – we opted for a two top inside. Around 6:30PM, the restaurant was packed both inside and out. It was bustling which kept the staff quite busy. Our server was so attentive, especially considering how busy they were. After we placed our food order and received our appetizer, she informed us that the mains may take a bit longer than expected, but that’s never an issue for us. We really wanted to try a number of the items from the starters section of the menu and the Un peu de tout was absolutely perfect for that. It is great to share between a few people and includes falafel, labneh, hummus, Moroccan ratatouille, tabbouleh with zaatar pita bread. 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The six sick sauce (additional $3) is a blend of all six of their sauces in one which makes for an incredible sauce that hits all of the notes (I know, it sounds like a lot, but you have to trust me here). This item could definitely be split between two people, as it is very large. The next entree of note that we ordered is the Chicken Shawarma. It comes with marinated shawarma that is sliced thin and served with garlic sauce (Toum), Mediterranean rice and parsley salad. This was my entree of choice and I’m so glad that I selected it as it was light, fresh and chock-full of savory flavor and I couldn’t get enough of the garlic sauce. It was like a build your own bite experience which also makes this an entree that could easily be shared. We had the leftovers the next day with some pita and that whole experience was equally as tasty as the first. We really wanted to give the beef kabobs a try and the pita as our kabob vessel with a side of fries and it was a home-run. It arrived dressed with […]
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In this recipe, we are transforming simple ingredients into an elevated flatbread that is ideal for enjoying on these cooler December evenings. All of the elements involved in this sausage, pesto & peperonata flatbread are not only complementary together, but they are equally as delicious when used in different applications. The pesto can be tossed with your favorite pasta or served alongside arancini (we actually did this for Thanksgiving this year and it was a hit). Peperonata can serve as an easy appetizer spooned onto crusty slices of bread, or as a tangy topper for sandwiches, crispy cutlets or even with a steak. You can use any type of flatbread for this recipe. On a busy weeknight when time is of the essence, I suggest grabbing a flatbread option that is already baked in the package – naan could even work well here. Rollin’ Oats Natural Food Market sells a few different variations like O’Doughs flatbread, which happens to be gluten free and vegan. If you’d rather bake a homemade or store-bought dough and have the time, I recommend going for it. This way, you can control the thickness of your flatbread. The bake time is only about ten extra minutes, if you opt for this route. The ground Italian sausage brings the the whole flatbread together with its subtle touch of savory spice. Ground Italian sausage is my preference, but if you’d rather a fully-cooked version, you can’t go wrong. Simply slice it into rounds and arrange before baking the flatbread in the oven. Sausage, Pesto & Peperonata Flatbread Recipe In this recipe, sweet and sour peperonata, pesto and sausage are combined to create an elevated take on flatbread. You don't have to make your flatbread dough from scratch in order to get the most out of this recipe – there are plenty of suitable store-bought options available. Pesto5 cups basil (5 packed cups, fresh)3/4 cup parmesan cheese (finely grated)1/2 cup pine nuts3 garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)3/4 cup olive oil1 tsp salt (plus more, to taste)1 tbsp lemon juice (from 1/2 of a small lemon (optional))Peperonata3 bell peppers (about 3 cups, mix of colors of choice, thinly sliced)1/2 cup olive oil1/2 white onion (medium in size, sliced thin)4 garlic cloves (peeled, smashed and sliced very thin)5 sprigs fresh thyme2 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegarsalt (to taste)Flatbread Assembly1 flatbread (homemade or a mix like Bob's Redmill or an already prepared flatbread of choice (naan would work great too))1 lb cooked ground sausage1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated )basil or parsley (chopped (optional)) PestoHeat your oven to 325F and spread your pine nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toast for 6 minutes. Add pine nuts and all pesto recipe ingredients, except the oil, (including lemon, if using – this will add a touch of brightness) to a food processor or high powered blender. Blend or process on high while slowly streaming in the oil until the pesto is smooth. Add more salt as needed. Set pesto aside until you're ready to assemble the flatbread.PeperonataHeat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add in peppers, onion, garlic and thyme and cook for 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low to cook the mixture slowly until peppers and onions soften, about 25 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs, stir in red wine vinegar and season with salt to taste. Set aside.Flatbread AssemblyHeat oven to 400F. If using a homemade or store bought dough, roll it out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet to your desired thickness. Top with a few spoon fulls of pesto (evenly dispersed), cooked ground sausage and half of the grated parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes. If using an already baked flatbread or other bread like naan, repeat steps with pesto, sausage and parmesan and bake for only 10 minutes.Remove flatbread from the oven and increase oven heat to 425F. Top flatbread with peperonata and remaining grated parmesan. Bake for another 6-8 minutes.Carefully remove the flatbread from the oven, drizzle with more pesto and garnish with chopped basil or parsley.Slice flatbread as desired and serve. Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course, Main DishAmerican, Cajun, ItalianSausage, Pesto & Peperonata Flatbread
The temperature here in Florida may still be quite warm, but it is in fact fall and I can’t help but shift into comfort-cooking mode. For me, that means that lots of pasta dishes and comforting soups are frequently in the dinner rotation. A few months ago, I made stuffed rigatoni for the first time and fell in love with both the process of making it and the end result. The rigatoni was filled with a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella and provolone cheese and minced mortadella and was served in a spicy tomato sauce. While enjoying this dish, a number of alternative filling possibilities entered my mind and a simple mixture of ricotta and mushroom was one of the first. I’ve been making marinara at least once (sometimes twice) per month, usually on Sundays, for at least ten years now. Over the course of these ten years, tweaks and changes have been made to the recipe and a few years ago, I landed on what works best for my taste. The ingredient list is simple, but depends heavily on quality ingredients – like premium whole peeled tomatoes, 24 month parmigiano reggiono rinds and some good red wine. Luckily, Rollin’ Oats is a mecca for premium ingredients. For the sauce, they have a few canned tomato offerings that I recommend, like Cento and also organic variations from Muir Glen and Bionature. And we all know that they have a wonderful selection of great wines to choose from and a few experts on their staff to help you make a selection. You’re only using 1/4 cup in this recipe, but I always recommend using a wine that you would drink when cooking. You could undoubtedly assemble this recipe on a weekday, however, I think it is best enjoyed on a slow Saturday or Sunday. In the recipe, I suggest cooking the sauce for at least an hour, but you can definitely allow it to simmer for up to a few hours. The smell of marinara flowing through the home is one of my favorite scents ever. You can use this sauce in many other recipes like meatballs, chicken parmesan or other pastas of course like spaghetti. Ricotta & Mushroom Stuffed Rigatoni Recipe This comforting pasta dish is comprised of rigatoni that is stuffed with a mix of creamy ricotta cheese and savory mushrooms that is then baked in a simple marinara sauce. ovensafe skillet or large dutch ovenBlender Marinara1 tbsp olive oil1/2 white onion (medium in size, roughly chopped)3 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed)1 tsp dried oregano2 tbsp tomato paste1/4 cup red wine (pick a red that you would drink)2 bay leaves1 28oz can crushed or whole peeled tomatoesparmesan rind (optional)1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)Ricotta & Mushroom Filling1 tbsp olive oiltsp tsp salt (divided)8 oz mushrooms (diced into very small pieces – shiitake, baby bella, or most any other mushroom will work)10 oz ricotta cheese1 eggRigatoni & Assembly16 oz rigatoni (you may have leftover rigatoni – save them for another use)1 tbsp olive oil1/4 cup parmesan (grated)1/4 cup fresh basil (roughly chopped or torn) Ricotta & Mushroom FillingHeat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated completely – about 10-12 minutes.Add cooked mushrooms to a bowl with ricotta, beaten egg and remaining 1 tsp salt. Allow mixture to cool in the refrigerator while you prepare the marinara.After filling has cooled for an hour, add filling to a sandwich-sized ziplock bag. Cut a very small opening into one corner of the bag (smaller than the size of the opening of the rigatoni).MarinaraHeat a dutch oven or pot that is medium in size over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and chopped onion. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until it softens (6-8 minutes). Season with 1/2 tsp salt.Add in crushed garlic cloves and dried oregano and cook for one minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant – about one minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook until it takes on a brick red color. Pour in wine, deglaze pan, and allow the wine to reduce for 2-3 minutes. Add bay leaves, tomatoes, parmesan rinds (if using) and another 1/2 tsp salt to the pot and stir to combine.Bring marinara to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and allow sauce to simmer gently for about one hour. Season with more salt as needed. After an hour, discard bay leaves and parmesan rinds and blend sauce with an immersion blender or in a high powered blender until smooth. Add sauce to a large oven-safe skillet (like cast iron) or a large dutch oven and set aside until ready to fill rigatoni.Rigatoni & AssemblyHeat oven to 350 F. Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than package instructions (you want an al dente texture to keep the rigatoni from ripping – they will cook further in the final steps of the recipe in the oven). Strain and rinse with cold water, add to a large bowl and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil to keep the rigatoni from sticking together.One at a time, pipe filling mixture into each piece of rigatoni and arrange in a single layer in prepared skillet/dutch oven with pureed marinara until you run out of room (you want to nestle them into the sauce so they are mostly covered).Repeat with remaining pieces of rigatoni. Distribute half of grated parmesan over the stuffed rigatoni in marinara.Place skillet into the oven until cheese melts and begins to take on a light golden color- 20-25 minutes. Top with remaining grated parmesan and basil and serve immediately. Dinner, Main Course, Main DishAmerican, ItalianRicotta & Mushroom Stuffed Rigatoni
Elevate your appetizer game with these beef kofta skewers that are laced with irresistible spices and baked to juicy perfection. A drizzle of zesty toum sauce adds a garlicky kick, while a cucumber and tomato salad brings a refreshing crunch that complements the meat beautifully. Serve this all with some warm naan bread to round out the dish. Kofta is a popular Middle Eastern dish that is typically made from ground beef, lamb or chicken that is mixed with spices, herbs and often garlic and onion. The mixture is then formed onto skewers and usually grilled or sometimes baked. Kofta is often served with rice, flatbreads, vibrant salads and a sauce like tahini or toum. There are many different variations and it is a beloved dish across many different cultures. I like to serve kofta as an appetizer for a group and often as an entree for my husband and I. My sauce of preference with kofta is usually a homemade toum sauce. Toum sauce is a recent discovery of mine that I had while dining with friends and after one taste, I knew that I loved it and needed to recreate it. It’s a creamy and flavor-packed condiment that is made from a few simple ingredients – a head of garlic, neutral oil, lemon juice and salt. The mixture is formed in a food processor until a creamy sauce forms (similar to the consistency of yogurt). We use ground beef in this kofta variation – a very high quality organic and grass-fed ground beef that can be found at Rollin’ Oats. They have a few different options, but I prefer the Simply Balanced 90/10 selection. Quality is always of the utmost importance to me when it comes to sourcing any ingredient that I use and I can always trust Rollin’ Oats to have the absolute best. Beef Kofta with Toum Sauce Recipe Savor the spiced flavors of juicy beef kofta paired with a garlicky, creamy toum sauce that elevates this Middle Eastern dish to a whole new level. skewers Beef Kofta1 lb ground beef1/4 cup white onion (minced)2 tsp garlic (minced)1/4 cup parsley and mint (finely chopped)1 tbsp olive oil2 tsp all spice2 tsp paprika1 tsp cumin1 tsp coriander 1 tsp salt1/2 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp black pepperToum Sauce1 cup garlic cloves (peeled)3 cups neutral oil (grape seed, sunflower, vegetable or canola)1/2 cup lemon juice2 tsps Kosher saltCucumber & Tomato Salad1 tomato (ripe, medium in size & diced)1/2 cup cucumber (diced)1/4 cup basil (finely chopped)1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)To Servenaan breadlemon wedges Toum SauceSlice the garlic cloves in half lengthwise and remove any green sprouts. Transfer the sliced garlic cloves into a food processor and add the kosher salt to the garlic cloves. Process for a minute until the garlic becomes finely minced. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the food processor afterwards. While the food processor is running, slowly pour one to two tablespoons of oil, then stop and scrape down the bowl. Continue adding another tablespoon or two until the garlic starts looking creamy.Once the garlic looks emulsified by the few tablespoons of oil, increase the speed of pouring the oil and alternate with the ½ cup of lemon juice until all the oil and lemon juice is incorporated. This will take about 15 minutes to complete.Transfer the sauce into a glass container and cover with a paper towel in the fridge overnight. Makes about 4 cups. The next day, replace the paper towel with an airtight lid and keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.Cucumber & Tomato SaladCombine all ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and refrigerate until the kofta is finished.KoftaIf you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes. This will prevent burning. Combine all kofta ingredients in a medium-sized bowl with your hands until everything is mixed well. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 450F. Place a wire rack onto a baking sheet and brush it with olive oil. After the mixture has been in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, divide it into four even-sized portions. Form each portion into a snake-like shape around each skewer.Bake the kofta for 13-15 minutes or until the beef is cooked through and beginning to brown on top.To ServeServe kofta on a platter with naan, cucumber and tomato salad, toum and lemon wedges. Appetizer, Dinner, Main DishMiddle EasternKofta, Toum Sauce, Baked Kofta
Low effort and high reward is the name of the game with this take on slow-roasted salmon. The slow-roasting process ensures tender and flakey salmon that melts in your mouth with each bite. The addition of citrus makes this dish quite refreshing while the chili crunch sprinkles in bold and spicy notes. Though the ingredients involved are minimal, together they are the utmost well-balanced. There isn’t a ton of produce in season right now in Florida, but citrus, including orange varietals and grapefruit are goods that you’ll find plenty of during this time of year. Marrying together the invigorating flavors in citrus with a high-quality, fatty piece of wild salmon is quite lovely. The chili crunch aids in adding some texture and the torn fresh dill (or basil) rounds out the dish. Avocado, which is also in season in September, pairs well with all of these ingredients too. If you’d like to also incorporate that, use 1/2 of a ripe avocado and slice it into thin pieces. You can certainly go the extra mile by making your own variation of chili crunch or chili crisp (trust me, it’s much easier than you may think!), but there are plenty of solid options on grocery store shelves these days. One of my favorites is from Momofuku and you can find this at Rollin’ Oats (it’s actually on sale currently). They offer a regular chili crunch, spicy and also a hot honey version. Another reputable brand at Rollin’ Oats is by Mr. Bing – they have a mild and spicy option. When it comes to selecting your salmon, I always suggest reaching for the wild caught versus the farm raised. Rollin’ Oats doesn’t have a dedicated seafood counter; however, they offer quality frozen wild caught salmon that works great for this dish. Just make sure to safely thaw the salmon prior to roasting it. Slow Roasted Salmon with Citrus & Spicy Chili Crunch Recipe Discover a new favorite low-effort dinner with this slow-roasted salmon which is paired with vibrant bits of citrus and a spicy assist from chili crunch. 16 ounces salmon (skin on and preferably wild-caught – 1 large piece or two 8 ounce pieces are recommended)1 tsp olive oil1/2 lemon (sliced into thin rounds)1 grapefruit (peel and pith removed and cut into thin rounds and then into halves and quarters)1 orange (peel and pith removed and cut into thin rounds and then into halves and quarters)1/2 tsp salt (plus more, to taste)2 tbsp chili crunch (plus more as needed – choose your favorite brand – I love Momofoku which can be found at Rollin' Oats)dill or basil (fresh & torn into smaller pieces (garnish, optional))avocado (sliced (optional)) Heat oven to 250F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the salmon on the lined baking sheet brush with olive oil, season with salt and top with the lemon slices.Roast the salmon for an hour and remove from the oven – the salmon should be quite tender and should pull easily away from the salmon's skin in pieces. Don't worry about keeping the salmon filet in one piece – we want it to flake a bit into chunks.To plate, arrange the flaky salmon pieces with citrus and avocado (if using) on a serving platter – there is no right or wrong way to do this, so feel free to get creative with your plating. Top with 2-3 spoon-fulls of chili crunch and garnish with torn dill or basil. Season with more salt as desired. Dinner, Main Course, Main DishAmericanSlow Roasted Salmon, Slow Roasted Salmon with Citrus & Chili Crunch
Fresh Corn Polenta with Pickled Shrimp brings together the sweetness of summer corn and the tangy notes of pickled shrimp. This recipe offers a brighter twist on traditional comfort food. This take on polenta acts as an idyllic canvas for the zesty shrimp which are pickled and marinated in a myriad of ingredients which include, but are not limited to: rice wine vinegar, citrus, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. It’s a perfect dish for highlighting popular ingredients that are used a lot in summer cooking. Creating the fresh corn polenta could not be more simple and only requires a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand. I first made this polenta a couple of weeks ago after I picked up some corn from a farmer’s market in the area. I was told that the corn had just been harvested the day prior from a farm here in Florida. The method for making the fresh corn polenta was something that I had been wanting to experiment with. It all starts by peeling the corn and then grating it with the large holes on a boxed grater. From there, the grated corn mixture is then simmered with a couple of pats of butter and some salt until the polenta thickens a bit. This process only takes about ten minutes. The polenta is then finished with a squeeze of fresh lime. Initially, I had planned to top the fresh corn polenta with poached lobster and some chive butter (which I will be trying soon), but then I found some inspiration for pickled shrimp from a recent episode of a food-related show on television (The Lost Kitchen, for those interested). The shrimp are first poached in some water, lemon and salt. Then, they are placed in a pickling mixture in the refrigerator for a few hours (and up to 24 hours). The pickling mixture makes for tangy and flavorful shrimp that not only work well on this polenta, but also with many other things. These shrimp would work well on some toasty sourdough, tossed in a salad, nestled in some rice or simply on their own as an easy appetizer. For the shrimp, I always strive to use wild caught, but use whatever you can find. Rollin’ Oats has great quality frozen shrimp by Baywinds and Wixter Seafood. Simply thaw the shrimp and devein them with the shells on if they aren’t already deveined (this is easier to do than you think – use a wooden skewer or toothpick, poke it through the side of the shrimp in the middle towards the top and slowly thread and pull the vein out – give it a google for a tutorial). You can also use shrimp that are already peeled and deveined too, but cooking the shrimp with their shell on adds to the flavor and prevents overcooking of the shrimp. Fresh Corn Polenta with Pickled Shrimp Recipe Put summer's fresh corn to good use with this fresh corn polenta recipe. The pickled shrimp add a zesty zing when served atop the creamy polenta. glass bowl or glass Tupperware Poaching the Shrimp12 shrimp (medium to large in size – shell on, but deveined (optional, you can use peeled shrimp if you prefer))6 cups water6 cups ice1 lemon (cut in half)2 1/2 tbsp saltPickling the Shrimp3/4 cup rice wine vinegar2 tbsp sugar2 garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)1/2 tsp crushed red pepper1 dried bay leaf1/2 cup olive oilt tsp worcestershire 1 tsp salt1/2 tsp hot sauce (use your preference – I usually opt for Diamond Crystal)1/2 lemon (sliced into small wedges)1/4 cup red onion (sliced thin)Fresh Corn Polenta4 ears corn (husk and silk removed)2 tbsp butter1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)1/2 limeDish Assemblymicro-greens (for garnish – fresh dill would work well too (optional)) Pickling the ShrimpAdd vinegar, sugar, garlic, crushed red pepper and bay leaf to a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Heat mixture for two minutes, stir to combine and cool completely in the refrigerator (30 minutes to an hour).When mixture is cool, stir in olive oil, worcestershire, hot sauce and salt. Then, mix in lemon wedges and sliced onions. Set aside until poached shrimp are ready.Poaching the ShrimpAdd water, juice lemon and lemon halves and salt to a medium pot and bring to a boil.Add deveined shrimp, remove pot from heat and allow shrimp to poach for 5 minutes (or until they turn pink).Add in ice and allow to sit for another 10 minutes.Remove shrimp from pot and discard water and lemon. Peel shrimp (leave tails on if desired, optional) and place into glass bowl or Tupperware for pickling.Pour prepared pickling mixture over the shrimp. Cover shrimp and place in the refrigerator for at least three hours and up to 24 hours.Fresh Corn PolentaGrate corn on the cob with the large holes of a box grater over a medium-size bowl.Heat grated corn, butter and salt over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn mixture thickens – about ten minutes. Taste and season with more salt as needed (polenta should now taste a bit more rich). Remove from heat and stir in juice of 1/2 lime.AssemblyTo plate, add 1/4 corn polenta mixture to each bowl, top with pickled shrimp and garnish with micro-greens or fresh dill. Appetizer, Dinner, Main DishAmericanFresh Corn Polenta, Pickled Shrimp
Our business is in a office building complex. We are located at 6830 New Tampa Hwy, Lakeland FL. There are 5 buildings in the Westwood Complex. We are interested in having you come once or twice a month. Is this something that you do or would you be interested? There are only a couple of fast food places close by. We do have a couple of food trucks that are coming and they are doing well. Everyone likes the idea of having the food truck right outside their office door. Please let me know what you decide. Thanking you in advance for your time. Denise Boyles