As autumn approaches and the colorful leaves begin to fall, I always get excited about the delicious comfort foods that we all associate with this time of year. In this fall edition of my blog, I thought it might be fun to explore a couple of these cozy recipes, and how you could elevate them by incorporating some of my favorite new offerings from Kronos.
Some of my favorite appetizers are savory dips and spreads. How can one not love a piping hot bowl of goodness with that patented crusty, bubbly cheese on top and the irresistible aroma that envelopes the dining room?
You’ll begin this Mediterranean-inspired spinach dip by whipping cream cheese to incorporate air, which gives the cheese a light and fluffy texture. Next, fold in equal parts mayonnaise and Kronos Nonfat Greek Yogurt. Now, mix in a smaller portion of Kronos crumbled feta cheese; and this completes the cheese “base”, which will be set aside for later.
Start the next step by sautéing finely diced yellow onion and red bell pepper. Add baby spinach and chopped garlic and continue to sauté until the onions are translucent. Next, add a splash of dry white wine and simmer for a couple of minutes or until the veggies have absorbed the wine. Turn off the heat and add chopped KronoBROIL™ beef and lamb gyros slices. All of the meat and vegetables will now be incorporated into the reserved cheese base. For service, spoon the dip into an oven-safe crock or soufflé dish, top with shredded asiago cheese and bake uncovered @ 450°F for approximately 10-12 minutes or until the center is warmed through and the cheese has browned on top. Garnish with chopped parsley or snipped chives and serve with pita chips for the perfect autumn appetizer.
My family loves it when I make soups and stews, but they are not easily impressed; so keeping my recipes fresh and relevant is an absolute must. Most great stews start with a meat that must be seared and then slow cooked in order to “render” the fat so it can be drained and discarded. This is a time consuming process, but a crucial step if you want to avoid greasy soups. This recipe will highlight the essence of KronoBROIL™, as we have perfectly executed this process during the rotisserie flame broiling of the gyros slices. As we sear the exterior of the cone, the fats melt away – naturally basting the leaner proteins as the robotic arms slice the gyros at the optimal time and temperature. So our customers are left with perfectly cooked gyros slices and all of that greasy waste goes down our drain…not yours!
Let’s get started by sautéing diced onions, celery and carrots in a heavy bottomed pot. When the onions become translucent, add chopped kale, diced garlic and stewed San Marzano tomatoes. You’ll simmer this mixture over medium heat for about 5 minutes before adding a splash of red wine and a healthy portion of tomato paste. Once everything is heated through, add chopped KronoBROIL™ gyros slices, canned (drained) fava beans, diced Yukon Gold potatoes and beef stock to cover. Bring everything to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Finish off this one-pot-wonder by adding some freshly chopped Italian parsley prior to serving.
So when the colder weather keeps you indoors this year, I hope you’ll join me and venture outside the box by incorporating Kronos’ new and innovative products into your favorite comfort foods.
-Chef Nick
