Vegetable – Volpi Foods

Roasted Butternut Squash With Lime

Hashtag Labs — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 14:05:03 +0000

Squash rarely gets the attention elicited by spring asparagus or perfect summer tomatoes. Instead, they are the stalwarts of the kitchen, dutifully churning out the fall dishes we crave, rarely receiving any praise as they do. We decided to change all that and give squash its due as the star of an unexpected, killer side dish. The moment you try roasted butternut squash with lime, it’s sure to become a family favorite.

Braised Cipollini

Hashtag Labs — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 12:39:41 +0000

Braised cipollini elevates the onion. No longer relegated to just a supporting role in sauces and stocks, the cipollini, or “little onion,” can stand on its own in a lovely little braise boosted by the porkiness of guanciale. The juices get all sticky and sweet, and if you don’t stop popping them into your mouth right out of the pan, dinner will never get on the table.

Shaved Root Vegetable Salad

Hashtag Labs — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 13:47:57 +0000

When it comes to vegetables, roots are kind of an anonymous workhorse. They aren’t trendy like kale and they can’t compete with the sexy sweetness of a tomato, but they’re there for us in cold storage all winter. Roasting is the general way to dispatch them, and that’s fine. But there’s a moment when they are young and exciting. That’s the perfect time to use them in a shaved root vegetable salad. Look for red and purple carrots, and the newest of the crop of watermelon radishes. They are colorful, packed with flavor, and begging for a moment of stardom. One taste, and you’ll be begging for their moment of stardom, too.

Grilled Mexican Corn

Hashtag Labs — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 14:42:39 +0000

Street eats. That’s the provenance of grilled Mexican corn. It’s grilled to a sweet char, then slathered with mayo, lime, chile and cheese. If you’ve had it, you know exactly how good it is. If you haven’t, you can’t even imagine. So don’t imagine. Make it! We improve on perfection by adding shards of crisped Coppa. Prepare to make a mess of your chin, but don’t let that slow you down. That’s why there are napkins.

Summer Cucumber Salad

Hashtag Labs — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 13:52:31 +0000

Peek inside the fridge of most Scandinavians on any given summer day and you’ll likely find a bowl of summer cucumber salad. Whether made with sour cream or vinegar, as in our version, it’s a refreshing accompaniment to almost anything. It’s a midsummer’s dream.

Charred Cauliflower with Olives and Pancetta

Hashtag Labs — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 13:44:58 +0000

Wrap it up. Foil pouches filled with all sorts of tasty things and tossed on the grill are your new best friend. They are low maintenance, a great sidekick, and fun to personalize. Think about vegetables that taste nice roasted in the oven. Those are what you want to cook in packets like this. Throw in a smattering of spices, umami-rich ingredients like Pancetta or olives, and voila! You’ve got a winner. Charred cauliflower with olives and pancetta is a side dish that will challenge your entree for attention.

Tabbouleh

studio2108 — Mon, 23 May 2016 14:11:43 +0000

Tabbouleh is all about the parsley. It is not a bulgur salad with some parsley to flavor and freshen it up. It’s a parsley salad. Fresh, grassy, flat-leafed parsley chopped lovingly in zen bliss (or frenetically to heavy metal if that’s your jam) by hand. And a lot of it. So much that it’s a commitment. All that’s required is a sharp knife. Fine bulgur is traditionally used and requires less soaking time, but it’s not that easy to find. If you have a Middle Eastern market close by or want to order online, go for it, but we use the more accessible medium-grind bulgur.

Don’t try to process the herbs in a food processor, you’ll end up with pesto or a puree.
We do recommend using the tender parsley stems in addition to the parsley leaves. The stems give a little texture and juiciness. It’s less waste and tons of flavor.

Honey and Butter Braised Radishes

studio2108 — Thu, 19 May 2016 12:24:41 +0000

You didn’t know there was a radish season, did you? It’s OK to admit. Those sad little bags that are in the grocery store all year make it easy to forget they can be special. And they’re special right now. When you see a colorful bunch at the farmer’s market, those aren’t the same thing. They’re superior and worth celebrating. Grab a bunch, or several, and eat a couple with butter and salt as soon as you get home because you shouldn’t have to wait any longer. But with the rest, try this braise, which opens a new window on their flavor profile. You’ll start looking forward to radish season every spring.

Stuffed Artichokes

studio2108 — Tue, 03 May 2016 13:53:29 +0000

When fresh artichokes appear, grab them and don’t look back. They’re a fleeting whisper of spring at its finest. Elegant and brutal at once, adorned with thistle-topped leaves, they are delicious and like no other vegetable (except for cardoons, their cousin). They look like a million bucks on the plate, and they’ll make you work for the pleasure of enjoying them. Indulge and take the time to prep them. They’ll be gone by summer.

Okra with Salami and Tomatoes

studio2108 — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 13:25:12 +0000

We love okra. Some people say it’s slimy and refuse to consider it. We say this dish could convert them. By charring the okra whole (no goo oozing out from slices) in a wicked-hot pan, you get crisp-tender pods. Don’t relegate okra to a gumbo limbo. Our salami-tomato sauce is surprisingly sweet, tart, and savory all at once, so it really makes okra the perfect side dish for almost anything.