In the Kitchen with Sigona’s featuring Spectacular Cheeses

We have some incredible cheeses on sale this week at Sigona’s…savings this extreme don’t come around too often, so hurry in to try these cheeses today! The following are recipes for a few of our super-sale cheeses – including one you can get for free next week, March 28-April 3, 2012 – to get you started. These prices are available for a limited time.

le Petit d’Affinois Serving Suggestions (on sale for $3.99 9.5 oz., reg. $12.99 9.5 oz.)

Bake, wrap, slice, cook? Are you thinking, “I don’t have time for all that!” Well, you’re in luck. Simply arrange a round of this creamy, rich and buttery le Petit d’Affinois on a platter and top/decorate with some of these suggestions:

• Top with sun-dried tomato puree and serve with wedges of red bell peppers, kalamata olives and sliced baguettes
• Prepare slices of Brie and drizzle them with preserves or honey
• Feel free to experiment with chutneys, jellies or marmalades and serve with crackers. Use holiday colors (jalapeno jelly, red pepper relish, blueberry chutney, etc.) to wow the crowd on the big day
• Mixed dried fruits and nuts
• Brie always pairs nicely with seasonal fruits, such as berries.

Village (Greek) Salad with Epiros Greek Feta (get it free with your coupon)

Village Greek Salad with Epiros Greek Feta. Recipe and photo courtesy of Peter Minaki of www.kalofagas.ca.

Oh yes! There is nothing more delicious than a large Greek salad topped with Feta and oregano! If the picture isn’t enough to make your mouth water, read through the list of ingredients and you will be in no time. Absolutely delicious! Get a 7 oz. container of Epiros Greek Feta FREE next week (March 28-April 3, 2012) with your coupon. Recipe courtesy of Peter Minaki of the food blog Kalofagas, Greek Food and Beyond. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 2 large, ripe tomatoes, rinsed & cut into 6 wedges
• 1 cucumber, washed and sliced
• 2 sweet banana peppers, sliced, OR 1/2 sliced & seeded bell pepper (color of your choice)
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 12 Kalamata olives (find them at the Sigona’s olive bar!)
• Sigona’s Fresh Press extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• Epiros Greek Feta, served in cubes, batons or slabs (get a free 7 oz. container with your coupon March 28 – April 3, 2012!)
• Sea salt, to taste
• 2 tsp. dried Greek oregano
• Garnish of capers or purslane (optional)

Directions: Add your tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, onions and olives together in a large bowl and sprinkle with some sea salt and mix well to combine. Drizzle in some olive oil and sprinkle in about 3/4 of the dried oregano, stir to combine.

Either leave in the large bowl or scoop out onto 4 salad plates. Top with Feta, drizzle on a bit more olive oil on the Feta and sprinkle with a little more oregano. Garnish with capers or purslane, if desired. Serve with good crusty bread.

Stilton and Walnut Quesadillas with Apple Fig Salsa (on sale for $9.99 lb., reg. $19.99 lb.)

Stilton and Walnut Quesadillas with Apple Fig Salsa. Recipe and photo via Stilton Cheese.

Why not try this instead of a plain ol’ toasted cheese next time you’re seeking a quick comfort dish? Cheese and apple is a classic combo, and with the addition of walnuts and figs, this dish sparkles while balancing the bold flavor of Stilton. Adapted from Stilton Cheese. Serves 2.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. crumbled Stilton Blue
• 2 oz. California walnuts, toasted and chopped
• Half a large Golden Delicious apple, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 2 oz. dried Calimyrna figs
• 1 TBL fresh lemon juice
• Four 6 – 7 inch tortillas (flour or other)
• 2 TBL Sigona’s Fresh Press extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 390F

2. In a bowl stir together apple, figs, and lemon juice to form the salsa.

3. Put 2 tortillas on a baking sheet and brush with some oil. Turn tortillas over. Sprinkle tortillas with walnuts and Stilton and cover with remaining 2 tortillas, pressing gently.

4. Brush tops with remaining oil and bake in middle of oven until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Cut into wedges and top each wedge with a spoonful of the salsa.

Eggplant Rolls with Prosciutto & Pecorino Gran Cru (on sale for $9.99 lb., reg. $19.99 lb.)

Eggplant Rolls with Prosciutto and Pecorino Gran Cru. Recipe and photo via Academia Barilla.

Pecorino Gran Cru has a strong flavor that pairs well with the prosciutto and infuses the eggplant, adding depth of flavor. These rolls are well suited for a light lunch or as Hors’devours. Recipe adapted from Academia Barilla. Serves 4 (about 3-4 rolls each).

Ingredients:

• 1 large, long eggplant, about 21 oz
• 12 slices prosciutto
• 3 oz. Pecorino Gran Cru, grated (on sale this week at Sigona’s!)
• 2 TBL Sigona’s Fresh Press extra virgin olive oil
• 12-14 fresh chives (as long as possible, for tying around eggplant rolls)
• Salt, to taste

Cook’s tip: Watch this how-to video from Academia Barilla for step-by-step instructions.

Directions: Thinly slice the eggplants lengthwise into 12 long pieces. Brush both sides with olive oil, and then grill for no longer than 2 minutes, turning once, on a pre-heated grill.

While the eggplant slices are still hot off the grill, sprinkle one side of each with grated Pecorino. Top with a slice of prosciutto and then carefully roll them together, using chives to wrap around, tie and secure each roll. This adds a final touch of flavor and a“wow” factor.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Baber’s White Cheddar Serving Suggestions (on sale for $9.99 lb., reg. $16.99 lb.)

This isn’t just any white cheddar! Baber’s has been aged one year, making for a nice and complex, mature cheddar that is incredibly diverse.

• Put it out as a great table cheese
• Slice some and pack it along with a refreshing apple for a mid-afternoon snack
• Make flavorful mac ‘n cheese
• Croque Monsieurs, anyone?
• Kick back for the evening and pair Baber’s with a nice glass of chilled, white wine

Kohlrabi Gratin with BioParmesan & Cheddar Cheese (on sale for $9.99 lb.,  reg. $16.99 lb.)

Kohlrabi Gratin with Bio Parm and White Cheddar. Photos and recipe courtesy of Jessica Metzler of Meal-A-Day.

Looking for a warm, comforting side dish other than regular potatoes au gratin? This dish combines a few other root vegetables as well as a combination of nutty parmesan and creamy white cheddar that’s sure to satisfy. Serve with maple balsamic glazed ham. Recipe courtesy of Jessica Metzler, author of the vegetarian food blog Meal-A-Day.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 small Kohlrabies (smaller ones are more tender)
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 small potatoes (such as Yukon Gold)
• Breadcrumbs (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 -2 cups combo of shredded white cheddar and parmesan (such as Baber’s White Cheddar – on sale this week – and our outstanding BioParm —  also on sale this week!)
• 1 cup milk or soy milk, warmed
• 2 TBL butter, plus more to grease baking dish (or use other method to do so)
• 2 TBL flour
• salt & pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×9 baking dish and sprinkle some bread crumbs over the bottom of the dish.

Prepare vegetables by washing and peeling. Cut the woody base and leafy tops off the kohlrabi (you can save the leafy bits and eat them like spinach, if they’re fresh). Peel with a paring knife until no veins are visible. Peel carrots and potatoes. Slice all vegetables thinly with either a food processor or mandolin. Parboil vegetables for about 7 min., or until just tender. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt 2 TBL of butter in a pan then whisk in 2 TBL of flour to start a roux. Cook for a few minutes and allow to brown slightly. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of warm milk or soy milk. Whisk continuously over low-med heat until the sauce thickens. Stir in the cheese until it melts.

Place parboiled vegetables in a large bowl and pour cheese sauce over top. Add salt & pepper and gently stir to combine. Pour mixture into baking dish and top with bread crumbs. Bake for 30-45 min. When the bread crumbs are browned and the cheese is bubbly, it’s done.

Caprese Salad with Mozzarella di Bufala Pomella (on sale for $2.99 8oz.,  reg. $ 12.99 8 oz.)

Caprese salad with Mozzarella di Bufala Pomella.

A caprese salad is one of the best ways to enjoy the three star ingredients: tomato, mozzarella and basil. The Mozzarella di Bufala is made with buffalo milk, creating a creamy, sweet and delicate cheese that’s not to miss.

What you’ll need:

• Basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
• An assortment of large tomatoes, sliced
• Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Mozzarella di Bufala Pomella (on sale this week at Sigona’s!)
• Salt & Pepper
• Sigona’s traditional balsamic, optional

Directions: Slice the tomatoes first, lightly salt and let them rest for a few minutes to bring out the intense tomato flavor. Slice the mozzarella into slices similar in size to the tomato slices.

On a long, thin serving platter, lay a tomato slice at one end, followed by a basil leaf and then a slice of the mozzarella. Continue the pattern until the ingredients are gone. Drizzle the display with olive oil and a little sprinkle of pepper to taste. For garnish, roll a few basil leaves up and slice little shavings using scissors and a drizzle of balsamic, optional. Serve at room temperature.