CategoriesNews

How to build the ultimate holiday charcuterie board

The charcuterie trend is all the rage this holiday.

Salty meats, crispy crackers, creamy cheeses and a pop of sweetness, gathered in perfect harmony on a beautiful wood board has always been a crowd-pleaser, but this year, charcuterie boards are likely to be a staple at Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings.

Online searches for charcuterie are up nearly 300% in the past 12 months, according to TrendKite.

Vince & Joe’s Executive Chef Angelo Loria (winner of Hour Magazine’s 2021 Best Virtual Chef and 2020 Best Chef) is getting a lot of attention for his holiday charcuterie boards. In fact, the Hand-Carved Butcher’s Board, featuring premium meats such as prime rib, beef tenderloin and miso chicken thighs, made the front cover of Macomb Now Magazine. Chef Loria’s glammed-up charcuterie boards were also featured on Fox 2 Detroit and WXYZ Channel 7.

FOX 2: Holiday Charcuterie Boards 

To order the boards featured on TV, click here.

Charcuterie boards are great for many occasions because they’re versatile and easy to tailor for occasions and diet preferences.

If you’re putting together a board of your own, have fun with the possibilities and remember Chef Angelo’s golden rule: every item on the board should have a “wingman or woman” with it.  If it’s prosciutto, you should have some parmesan and fig jam, if it’s grilled steak it could be roasted potatoes and pesto, if it’s a BBQ board and you’ve got smoked brisket, crispy onions, BBQ sauce and cheddar cheese make a great team.

Here are some more general rules to live by when constructing your charcuterie board.

  • Apples – pair well with most cheeses
  • Grapes – pair well with mozzarella and hard cheeses
  • Strawberries and blueberries – pair well with creamy, soft cheeses
CategoriesNews

Chef Angelo’s Tips on Cooking with Winter Squash

You know it’s officially fall when winter squash starts arriving by the truckload.

There are two main harvests for squash: summer and winter. The most familiar summer squashes for cooking are zucchini and yellow squash and the most popular winter squashes for cooking are acorn, butternut, spaghetti and pumpkin.

Although we call them winter squash, they are harvested in the late summer and fall, then “cured” or “hardened off” to toughen their exterior skin.

Winter squash is a great source of fiber, potassium, as well as vitamin A. Orange and yellow vegetables (although they’re technically a fruit because it produces a seed) contain beta carotene, which supports healthy eyes and a strong immune system.

Although the large vegetables can be a little intimidating to cook with, each has a unique and delicate flavor and loads of cooking uses.

Vince & Joe’s Executive Chef Angelo Loria shares his favorite winter squash dishes and secret uses.

Follow Vince & Joe’s on Facebook and Instagram for exclusive videos and recipes. Chef Angelo posted his favorite Spaghetti squash dish, prepared Aglio e Olio.

CategoriesNews

Star Vince & Joe’s Employee Al Calcaterra Retires After 30 years

Dear Al,

We want to truly express how important you’ve been to Vince & Joe’s.

We have loved and enjoyed working with you over the past three decades (Wow)!

You are an old-school kind of guy who gives everything he has to his family and his job.

Your work ethic, honesty and trustworthiness have always reflected Vince & Joe’s values.

Your name is synonymous with the Produce Department. You’re part of the reason the department has run so smoothly over the years and has a reputation for the best in town.

You and your work have been so greatly appreciated and you’ll be missed here.

Employees and friends like you don’t come along often.

Our sincere wish for you is that you enjoy your well-deserved retirement with your wife and family.

Thank you and God Bless,
Mimma, Vince, Maria & Joe Vitale
Gasper Vitale, Salvo Munaco & Sal Zappa

CategoriesNews

Chef Loria and Hope Network’s Eddie Murray on Fox 2 for World Autism Awareness Day

Vince & Joe’s Executive Chef Angelo Loria and Hope Network’s Director of Donations Relations Eddie Murray appeared on Fox 2 News Friday, April 2, to talk about World Autism Awareness Day.

Autism affects 70 million people worldwide, including a member of the Vince & Joe’s family.

In the past few years, Vince & Joe’s has donated more than $20,000 to Hope Network through the proceeds of their pasta sauce, Emma’s Hope. During the month of April, which is autism awareness month, Vince & Joe’s will be collecting donations at the register for Hope Network.

We’ve posted all the recipes seen on Fox 2 to our website. 

CategoriesNews

Chef Angelo & Mimma cook Pasta con le Sarde using Cuoco Condimento

Chef Angelo Loria and Vince & Joe’s Founder Mimma Vitale demonstrate how to make a quick and delicious Pasta con le Sarde also known as Sicilian pasta with sardines using Cuoco Condimento per Pasta con Sarde,  a classic topping and seasoning for this traditional Sicilian dish.

The pasta dish is typically eaten during the holidays and especially during Lent since it’s fish-based, light and fresh.

Here’s a recipe to help guide you through. Buon Appetito!

PASTA CON LE SARDE (PASTA WITH SARDINES)
This is a popular sauce for many special occasions, including during Lent, Christmas Eve and the feast of Saint Joseph.  I like making it all the time because it is quick, easy and delicious.

  •  1 bunch of green onions sliced thin
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • 2 mediums cloves of garlic, minced
    3 tbs. olive oil
    2 (2-ounce each) cans anchovies
    1ea (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 6 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Dill
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Italian Parsley
  • 2 lb Fresh or Frozen Sardine, pine bones removed
  • 1 quart Vince and Joe’s Marinara Sauce
  • ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (OPTIONAL)
  • 1 medium Head Cauliflower florets, blanched and chopped (OPTIONAL)
    1 (14-ounce can Cuoco Seasoning for Macaroni with Sardines
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • Grated Parmesan
  • 1 cup plain bread crumbs, toasted

In a heavy saucepan, saute onions, shallots and garlic until translucent; add anchovies and saute until completely dissolved. Add tomato paste and Saute for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and then add diced tomatoes, sardines and dill. Simmer uncovered on moderate heat for about five minutes.  Add un-drained can of Cuoco Sarde Sauce and marinara sauce and continue cooking over moderate heat for about 10 minutes.Serve over cooked bucatini and top with toasted bread crumbs.

 

 

CategoriesNews

FOX 2: Valentine’s Day Brunch and Dinner for Two

Executive Chef Angelo Loria live on Fox 2 News Thursday with Valentine’s Day celebrations for the whole family, starting with brunch with the kiddos and ending in a romantic dinner for two. (Recipes below)

To place your order, click here.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Ingredients

4 ea – 12 oz boneless short ribs

Kosher salt

Black Pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 ea large Spanish onion, cut into ½ inch pieces

3 ea ribs celery, cut into ½ inch pieces

3 ea carrots, peeled, cut in 1/2 lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1ea fennel cut in ½ in pieces

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 cups tomato paste

2 cups red wine

¼ cup flour

3 cups highly flavored beef stock

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves

Directions

  1. Season each short rib generously with salt and pepper. Coat a pot large enough to accommodate all the meat and vegetables with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown very well, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd pan.
  2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  3. When the short ribs are browned on all sides, remove them from the pan. Add the vegetables and season the vegetables generously with salt and pepper. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Add the tomato paste and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until caramelized in pan.
  5. Add flour and coat the vegetables.
  6. Add the wine to deglaze and scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook until about ¼ cup of wine remains
  7. Return the short ribs to the pan and add beef stock. Add the thyme, bay leaves and rosemary. Cover the pan and place in the preheated oven until tender, about 2 hours. Turn the ribs over halfway through the cooking time and add more stock if necessary. Remove the lid during the last 20 minutes of cooking to let things get nice and brown and to let the sauce reduce. Serve with the braising liquid.

Crab and Corn Bisque

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons bleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup minced yellow onions

1 cup corn kernels (from 2 ears corn)

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 tablespoons minced celery

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)

1 cup fish, crab, shrimp or clam stock

2 bay leaves

2 cups milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon old bay seasoning

1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells, whole pieces set aside for garnish

1 bunch of green onions green and white part separated, sliced thin

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until blended. Continue stirring to make a light brown roux, 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. Add the onions, the white part of the green onion, corn, shallots, celery, garlic, salt, and cayenne, Worcestershire and hot sauce, if using.
  3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 4 minutes. Slowly stir in the stock. Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Add the milk, cream, and the old bay. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  4. Stir in the crabmeat (but not the ones left for garnish) and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves, adjust seasoning if necessary.
  5. Serve hot ladled into bowls and garnish with remaining

Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp served in a lemony, garlicky and buttery sauce.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound (16-24) shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

1/4 cup white wine

2 tablespoons lemon juice (~1 lemon)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

  1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper, cook for 2 minutes, flip shrimp and cook for 1 more, then remove shrimp to plate.
  2. Add the white wine and lemon juice to the pan, to deglaze it, simmer for 2 minutes, add the shrimp and any juice from the plate, lemon zest, butter and parsley, tossing everything and removing from the heat.
  3. Enjoy immediately!

Spanish Tortilla w/ Potato, Spinach, Cheese and Chorizo

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, diced ½”

1 tablespoon salt, plus more for boiling potatoes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, sliced thin

2 cups tightly packed fresh spinach

1/2 cups shredded Mahon cheese

8 cage-free organic eggs

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 85 ml

Pinch sea salt

Dash black pepper

Instructions

  1. Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add potatoes and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until potatoes are tender, but still holding their shape.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  3. Crack eggs into a large bowl and season with cheese, salt & black pepper, whisk together until well combined
  4. Heat a large nonstick fry pan with a medium heat and add in a generous 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil and add chorizo, constantly breaking up the meat, until fully cooked.
  5. Add in the onions and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes.
  6. Add in the pieces of potatoes and continue to mix, Start adding the spinach into the pan, add in batches to not over-fill the pan, mix the spinach with the potatoes so it wilts, once all the spinach has been incorporated and wilted, turn off the heat, season everything with sea salt & black pepper, mix so the seasonings are evenly mixed
  7. Add the potatoes mixture into the bowl with the eggs, add the 2 cups of shredded mahon and mix everything together until well combined, at the same time, make sure to heat the same fry pan with a low to low-medium heat
  8. Once well mixed, add the mixture into the pan.
  9. After 4 to 5 minutes, the bottom should be set and it can be put in the oven. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until firm and solid.
  10. Let the tortilla cool for about 10 minutes then place on a plate to cut, enjoy!

Panettone French Toast

2 cups milk or heavy whipping cream

6 ea large eggs

¼ cup honey

1 T Cinnamon

¼ t nutmeg

1 Pantone, sliced ½ inch thick

Directions

  1. Preheat lightly oiled non stick skillet over medium heat on the stove.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix cream or milk, eggs, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  3. Dip each slice of pantone into the batter and let soak for 5 seconds.
  4. Remove from liquid and place in skillet.
  5. Cook for 4 minutes, flip using a spatula
  6. Cook for an additional 4 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides
  7. Serve with pure maple syrup, berries or whatever you enjoy
Big Game CateringCategoriesNews

Big Game BBQ and Elevated Appetizers Featured on Fox 2 News

Executive Chef Angelo Loria was live on Fox 2 News Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, talking about Big Game food recipes and catering ideas.

VIDEO: Big Game Elevated Appetizers from Vince & Joe’s Gourmet Market

VIDEO: Outdoor Tailgate BBQ and Smokehouse meats from Vince & Joe’s

RECIPES:  

Chorizo Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers

20 min Cook: 20 min Yield:  24 jalapeno poppers

½ pound chorizo, casings removed

½  pound smoked gouda, shredded

¼  cup finely chopped red onions

½  cup cream cheese

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon hot sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 large jalapeno peppers, halved, seeded

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Brown chorizo in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place into a large mixing bowl and cool for about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the cheese, red onion, cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and salt and pepper, to taste. Press into jalapeno halves and assemble on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Hot Crab Beer Cheese Dip

8 oz cream cheese

¼ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 teaspoon cornstarch

2/3 cup IPA beer

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella

¼ cup green onions, chopped

8 oz crab meat

Directions

  1. In a food processor add the cream cheese, sour cream, old bay, garlic powder, chili powder, hot pepper sauce, corn starch, beer, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella, process until smooth.
  2. Stir in the onions and crab meat.
  3. Add to an oven safe serving dish.
  4. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until warm and golden brown.
  5. Stir, garnish with green onions.

Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Chicken Wings

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon olive oil

½  cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons  grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt

½⁄ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ ⁄ teaspoon dried basil

½ ⁄ teaspoon dried oregano

teaspoon ground black pep

36 bone in chicken thigh wings or traditional chicken wings

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.   Toss garlic cloves with oil in a small oven-safe dish and bake for 20 minutes or until the cloves soften and begin to turn light brown.

3.    Cool garlic and finely mince with a sharp knife. Combine garlic and remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight before using.

4.    To use sauce, pour 1/4 cup over 12 cooked chicken wings, breaded tenders, or chicken nuggets and toss gently until coated. Makes 3/4 cup sauce, enough to coat 36 wings.

 

Oven-Roasted Beef Brisket

Total: 4 hr 10 min Prep: 10 min Cook: 4 hr Yield: 10 servings

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika, or pimento

2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 bay leaf, crushed

½ cup Worcestershire

4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed

1 1/2 cups beef stock

 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
  2. Pour the Worcestershire sauce over brisket. Make a dry rub by combining chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, brown sugar, dry mustard, and bay leaf. Season the raw brisket on both sides with the rub. Place in a roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour.
  3. Add beef stock and enough water to yield about 1/2 inch of liquid in the roasting pan. Lower oven to 300 degrees F, cover pan tightly with foil and continue cooking for 3 hours, or until fork-tender.
  4. Trim the fat and slice meat thinly across the grain. Top with juice from the pan.

Mojo Pulled Pork

6 lbs pork shoulder/butt

Mojo Marinade for the Pork:

2/3 cup olive oil

2/3 cup cilantro

4 tablespoon mint leaves

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

7 garlic cloves, minced

1 1⁄2 tablespoon grated orange peel

2 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2/3 teaspoon black pepper, ground

½  teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Blend all ingredients for the marinade in blender and marinade pork shoulder for 12 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 275. Place pork shoulder until 170°F internal temp (should still be a light pink on inside).
  3. Baste pork with marinade throughout roasting, about 4-5 hours.

 

Korean Style BBQ Ribs

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup rice wine (or mirin or white wine)

2 tablespoons sesame oil

4 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons brown sugar use regular sugar if unavailable

3 tablespoons minced garlic (8 or 9 plump cloves)

2 tablespoons finely grated ginger

1/2 medium onion, grated

2 medium sweet apple, grated

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Prepare the ingredients for the marinade of your choice. Mix all of the ingredients well.

Preparing the ribs

  1. Coat the ribs well with the marinade, and marinate them for a minimum of eight hours (preferably 24 hours to 48 hours). Turn them over once after half of the marinating time has passed.

Cooking the ribs

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (300°F if using a convection oven). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the ribs, meat side down Pour some marinade into the baking sheet or dish. Cover the baking sheet/dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake them for about 1.5 hour
  2. Pour the juice in the sheet pan out into a sauce pan along with any reserved marinade, and bring the liquid to a boil and reduce by about half or until it turns into a thick consistency… Brush the sauce onto the ribs.

Finishing the ribs

  1. In the Oven: Change the oven setting to broil (500°F) and preheat for a few minutes. Then broil the ribs until the ribs are lightly caramelized and charred, about 5 minutes on each side. Baste the ribs with the sauce a couple of times while broiling.
  2. On the Grill: Preheat the grill and grill the ribs over medium heat until the ribs are lightly caramelized and charred, about 5 minutes on each side. Baste the ribs with the sauce while grilling.

Herbs and Garlic Grilled Lamb Chops

Prep Time: 15 minutes  Cook Time: 10 minutes

2 racks of lamb, cut into individual bones

4 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

Lemons halved for juiceing

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Whisk the garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl.
  2. Pour the marinade over the lamb chops, making sure to flip them over to cover them completely. Cover and marinate the chops in the fridge for as little as 1 hour, or as long as overnight.
  3. Preheat grill.
  4. For medium rare, grill the lamb chops on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 120 degrees F.
  5. Allow the lamb chops to rest on a plate covered with aluminum foil for 5 minutes before serving. Squeeze lemon juice over lamb chops and enjoy.
CategoriesNews

Fresh Start: Healthy Recipes Featuring In-Season Mushrooms

Happy New Year!

As most of us look to the future, we’re making our resolutions, and often that includes healthier and cleaner eating.

Award-winning Chef Angelo Loria is pulling out his favorite healthy recipes so that we can spice up our cooking with in-season vegetables.

Today, it’s all about mushrooms, which are in season in the month of January.

These delicious, umami-packed fungi are healthy, low in sodium and calories and are cholesterol-free.  They’re also packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

To boot, they taste good in almost any dish and can be very easy to cook. Here are Chef Angelo’s favorite mushroom-packed recipes.

Enjoy!

The Blended Burger

Burger Patties:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb mixed portabella, shiitake, and crimini mushrooms cleaned and chopped
1⁄4 cup red wine
2/3 pound ground sirloin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1/3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Form patties and grill

Mushroom and Beef Tacos

1 tbsp vegetable oil
½  pound white button mushrooms, ground
½  pound ground beef, pork, turkey or chicken
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cups diced onions
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chile powder blend
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp salt

ground black pepper, to taste
lime juice, to taste about 2 tablespoons

12 fresh corn tortillas taco shells, warmed
1 cup finely shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup salsa of your choice
1 avocado cut into 12 slices
6 oz. grated cotjia cheese (or Monterey jack cheese)
Ground black pepper, to taste
Lime juice, to taste
12 cilantro sprigs for garnish

Directions: Heat a 10 inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pan, then the onions and season with a pinch of salt. Sauté the onions over medium heat until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the mushroom-beef mixture and chile powder. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes until the flavors meld and warm through. Stir in the cilantro and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Keep warm.

To assemble: Place 1 tablespoon of shredded cabbage on a warm taco shell . Top with 2 tablespoons of mushroom and meat mixture. Top with a generous tablespoon of salsa, a slice of avocado, some cotija cheese, lime juice, and a sprig of cilantro.

Mushroom, Chicken and Quinoa

Yield: 6 servings

Serving size: 1 cup

Ingredients

1 cups quinoa
Cooking spray
½  pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
¼  cup olive oil (divided)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound shitake mushrooms, halved
½  red onions, cut into ½-inch dice
1 small red chili pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
1 large green bell peppers, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
1 large red bell peppers, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
¼  cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼  cup fresh scallions, chopped
¼  teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾  teaspoons sea salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cups fresh lemon juice
1 T  cup balsamic vinegar
¼  cups Cotija or skim milk mozzarella cheese, crumbled

Directions: Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Place in a large stockpot with 2 cups of water; simmer 15 – 20 minutes. Remove cooked quinoa to a 2-gallon bowl; partially cover and keep warm.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat a hotel pan with nonstick spray; lay out chicken breasts and roast for 12 – 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until cooled. Once cooled, cut into 1-inch pieces.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. In a large bowl toss together 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, mushrooms, onion, peppers, parsley, scallions and red pepper flakes. Place mix on sheet pan and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir after 5 minutes.

Stir cooked vegetables into warm quinoa; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle mixture with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and remaining 1 cup olive oil. Toss until evenly mixed.

Stir in diced chicken and cheese; toss again. Serve warm.

 

DonationCategoriesNews

Vince & Joe’s Makes Record Donation of $15,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Vince & Joe’s Gourmet Market raised a record $15,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, ALSAC, in 2020.

Funds were collected through generous register donations made by our customers and an annual fundraiser the store holds in October called BREAD-The Staff of Life, where 50% of all house-made bread purchases were donated to St. Jude.

We’re proud to continue our long-time partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through numerous events that benefit this wonderful mission and facility for families most in need. These programs represent our heartfelt gratitude to our community.

CategoriesNews

How To Carve a Whole Turkey

Tips for Carving Whole Turkey

By: Chef Angelo Loria 

Use a sharp Knife: You’ll have the best results with a carving set containing a long, thin-bladed carving knife (to make easy work of the slicing) and a two-pronged meat fork (to hold the bird steady and help with the actual serving). Be sure the knife is good and sharp—you may even want to plan ahead and have it professionally sharpened.

LET IT REST: After roasting, let the turkey rest on the serving platter for 30 to 45 minutes. The bird will not get cold during the rest period. However, the hot juices (which have been moving around inside the bird) will settle and soak back into the meat. Remember: don’t carve it too soon! You’ll want to retain as much juice as possible.

CARVE IN PRIVACY: Don’t feel that you have to carve the turkey at the table and let everyone admire your masterpiece. Then, duck into the kitchen and carve in privacy. In the meantime, you can ask the guests to start passing around the sides.

CARVE IT ALL: We find it much easier to carve up the entire bird instead of serving the old-fashioned way, one guest at a time. This makes it possible to separate the white and dark meat before serving (and allows for a better presentation). Cut the turkey into its major sections on the platter, and then do the actual carving on a wooden or plastic board, preferably with a well to contain the juices.

REMOVE THE STUFFING: If you’ve stuffed the turkey, scoop the stuffing into a serving bowl before carving. Cover the dish with its lid or aluminum foil to keep it warm.

A JUICY TIDBIT: Pour any carving juices from the board over the sliced meat. Then, ladle about half a cup of piping-hot turkey or chicken broth over the carved meat on the platter. Your turkey is now beautifully carved, steaming, juicy and ready to serve!

CategoriesNews

Chef Angelo’s Turkey Tips: How to Brine a Bird

Brining Tips

Brine is a basic salt-and-water solution that helps your turkey retain more moisture and flavor throughout the cooking process. Giving your bird a long, luxurious brine bath is a simple way to guard against dry meat. All it takes is a little planning ahead, and you’ll have your best turkey yet. Here are some of our essential brining tips:

  • Be sure to choose a container that’s large enough to hold the bird and the brine. It also needs to be able to fit in your refrigerator or a large cooler.
  • Plan to brine your turkey for at least 24 to 36 hours.
  • To minimize clean-up, line a large 3-5 gallon container with an oven roasting bag. Add your turkey and cooled brine, then place the container in a fridge or cooler with ice.
  • Tack an additional 30 minutes onto the estimated roasting time, just to be safe. There are many variables that come into play: from the temperature of the turkey, to an inaccurate oven, to frequent opening of the oven door (which drops the temperature) and even the temperature of the stuffing.
  • Let the turkey rest. A rest period before carving is one of the secrets to a moist, juicy bird. The hot juices in the turkey must cool and relax back into the meat—carving it too soon could release them, resulting in a dried-out texture.
  • The larger the bird, the longer it can stand at room temperature without cooling off. Allow 30 minutes for an average-sized bird of about 15 lbs. and up to 1 hour for large birds around 20 lbs. With the turkey on the platter, the oven is now free for reheating sides.
  • Invest in a digital thermometer. If there’s one thing I would love to see in every kitchen across America, it’s an easy-to-use, digital read probe thermometer. Even if you’re just checking the proper doneness of poultry, it’s worth the investment.

 

Tips for a successful Thanksgiving

  1. Write a menu and prepare a shopping list before going shopping.
  2. If people want to bring something, let them.  Do go it alone.
  3. Mis en place!!! Prepare what you can ahead of time.  That means at least 2 days before:
  • brining or seasoning you turkey at least
  • Cutting you bread for the stuffing and toasting
  • Cooking off rice for stuffing
  • Peeling potatoes and covering in water
  • Cutting all your vegetables that are being served, like brussels sprouts, squash, everything but the lettuce
  1. Do make too many new recipes, one or two are plenty
  2. Enjoy your time with your friends and family!!
CategoriesNews

Behind-the-scenes: Harvesting Vince & Joe’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Sicily

Fun fact: How many olives does it take to make one liter of extra virgin olive oil? Anywhere between 5,200 and 8,000 olives.

That’s a lot of olives!

Italy is one of the top producers of olive oil in the world and the leader in high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is more prized and expensive than other olive oils. It’s produced during the first pressing, which is either by hand or machine but does not use heat or other chemicals. Extra virgin olive oil also retains more flavor, has a lower level of oleic acid than other olive oil varieties and contains more of the natural vitamins and minerals found in olives.


Vince & Joe’s Finds Small Olive Grove in Sicily to Make Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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Vince & Joe’s Gourmet Market owners scoured Sicily, one of the top three olive oil-producing regions in Italy, to find the highest quality extra virgin olive oil to directly import from the olive groves to its customers.

They found what they were looking for in a small olive grove in between the towns of Alcamo and Partinico, overlooking the Gulf of Castellammare.

The small lot is owned by Nunzio Bastone, who has dedicated his 600 olive trees to making high-quality extra virgin olive oil solely for Vince & Joe’s.

Bastone is currently hard at work now that harvest season is in full swing. All olives on his lot are hand-picked and pressed within hours of being harvested.

Three distinct olives: Nocellara del Belice, Cerasuola and Biancolilla, give Vince & Joe’s olive oil its nutty, low-acid, slightly peppery and smooth flavor profile.

Take a look at behind the scenes of how Vince & Joe’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made, then read on to learn about some of our favorite olive-oils from around the world.


Vince & Joe’s Sells Olive Oil from Around the World

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Lebanon:

Greece:

Spain:

Italy:

 

Mediterranean Blend:

California:

Organic: