Cherchies Blog

Cooking Tip: How To Cook Asparagus

cooking tipsSheri SpalloneComment
Asparagus.jpg

Asparagus is an antioxidant powerhouse packed with vitamins and fiber—and it’s one of the easiest vegetables to prepare.

No matter which method you choose, start by washing and trimming the asparagus. Season before serving, and for extra flavor try a squeeze of lemon with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning or Garlic ’n Herbs No-Salt Seasoning. Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan if you’d like.

For a lighter option, skip the butter and drizzle with a quick vinaigrette made with Cherchies Champagne Mustard, white vinegar, and olive oil.

5 easy ways to cook asparagus

Roasted (Our favorite)
Place washed, trimmed asparagus in a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and your favorite Cherchies Garlic Seasoning. Roast for 10–15 minutes at 350, or until browned and tender.

Sautéed
Sauté over high heat for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally. Cook in a bit of butter or oil and season to taste. This method helps asparagus keep its bright green color.

Steamed
Place asparagus in a steamer basket over boiling water and cook 4–8 minutes, or until tender. If you’re using it for salads or stir-fries, transfer to an ice-water bath for a few minutes to stop the cooking. Season to taste.

Microwave
Add about 2 tablespoons of water to a microwave-safe bowl or plate. Microwave asparagus 2–3 minutes. If using for salads or stir-fries, add to an ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Season to taste.

Grilled
Toss asparagus with a small amount of oil and place on a hot grill. For easier flipping, skewer several stalks together. Grill about 10 minutes (turning to brown evenly), or until tender. Season to taste.

How to trim asparagus: Bend each spear near the bottom until it naturally snaps at the tender point, or line up the spears and cut off the woody ends with a knife so they’re all an even length.

So, what’s your favorite way to cook asparagus? Comment below—we’d love to hear your tips and recipes!

Thank you for visiting! Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

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Grilled Muffuletta Recipe

lunch, entrees, grillingSheri SpalloneComment
Grilled Muffuletta Recipe

Grilled Muffuletta Recipe

Cook Time: 20 minutes  Difficulty: Easy

Today is Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday", and in honor of this celebration I share with you my version of "The Muffuletta", grilled with melty provolone cheese, salty olives and salami, ham, sweet roasted peppers, and Hot Banana Pepper Mustard.  Making your mouth water?

PRINT RECIPE

My hubby and I and a few friends traveled to New Orleans (aka NOLA) for the first time recently and had the most sinfully delicious sandwich, "The Muffuletta" from The Central Grocery in The French Quarter. This gargantuan sandwich is made with homemade bread and stuffed with layers of ham, salami, cheeses, and a tasty olive salad.  Seriously insane.  Talk about a flavor party in your mouth!

My version has all the flavors sans some of the the guilt.  The Banana Hot Pepper Mustard is the "piece de resistance" of this sandwich.  Go ahead and try it, it's the perfect Fat Tuesday sandwich or anytime you have a hankering for salty olives and salami, ham, sweet roasted peppers, tangy mustard, and gooey melty cheese.  Everything in moderation, right?  Here's how it's made.  This recipe serves 2.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Ingredients (per sandwich)

  • 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard

  • 1/4 cup chopped pitted black olives

  • 1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives

  • 1/4 cup chopped salami

  • 1/4 cup cubed Provolone, chopped (optional)

  • 1/4 cup Pepperoncini, seeds removed, chopped

  • 1/2 jar Cherchies® Pretty Peppers

  • 4 slices of good fresh bread (Here I used sourdough bread)

  • 4 slices Provolone Cheese

  • 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) butter

Preparation

Chop the olives, provolone chunks (optional), salami, and pepperoncini into small pieces (In the second picture the salami had not been chopped fine enough).  In a medium bowl, mix the olives, Provolone, salami, Pretty Peppers, and pepperoncini.

Turn griddle (or pan) onto medium.  Spread softened butter or olive oil onto bread.  Place buttered bread onto griddle.  Grill until desired consistency.  

Turn oven onto broil.  Now, let's build this glorious sandwich.  Spread Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard on the grilled slices of bread that are facing up.  Add ham then the olive mixture (oops, sorry about the ham picture).

Now for the melty "glue".  Place the slices of Provolone cheese over the olive mixture and broil the sandwiches open faced until cheese has melted (only a few minutes).

When the cheese has melted, carefully put the halves together, and cut sandwich in half.  Is your mouth watering yet?  Mine is:)  The perfect sandwich anytime, not just for Mardi Gras.  Enjoy!

grilled muffuletta (1 of 1).jpg
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Recipe Roundup-Top 20 Game Day Recipes

parties, recipe round upSheri SpalloneComment

Top 20 Game Day Recipes

Munchdown! It's almost time for the Super Bowl folks and that means parties, which means food! 

To help with your football party planning, I've listed 20 of our favorite quick and easy Cherchies® recipes to make your party is extra "super". 

Now go, have yourself a game day party...even if you don't like football (What???...just kidding... I won't hold it against you, if you won't hold it against me that I like football...or The Eagles...sorry guys, maybe next year;)

Appetizers

Main Meal/Heartier Appetizers

Desserts

Have a super party folks!

 

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Muffuletta Cream Cheese Roll-Up Recipe

appetizers, snacksSheri SpalloneComment
muffuletta revise (1 of 1).jpg

Prep Time:  5 minutes  Difficulty: Easy

This easy, tasty appetizer is an ode to my recent trip to New Orleans—and my take on my new favorite sandwich: the muffuletta. It’s perfect for Mardi Gras, game day, or anytime you’re craving salty olives and salami (easy to omit for a vegetarian option), sweet roasted peppers, provolone, pepperoncini, and creamy cream cheese. Mouth watering yet?

My husband and I (plus a few friends) visited New Orleans—aka NOLA—for the first time and tried the most sinfully delicious muffuletta from Central Grocery in the French Quarter. This iconic, oversized sandwich is stacked with layers of ham, salami, cheese, and a bold olive salad. Seriously insane… in the best way (everything in moderation, right?).

These bite-sized morsels capture all those classic muffuletta flavors in appetizer form. Instead of a traditional olive salad, I grabbed green and black olives and provolone from my local grocery store’s olive bar (you can absolutely make your own), added salami, then finished it off with our sweet Pretty Peppers and spicy Hot Banana Pepper Mustard. Oh my—total flavor party.

If you try these, comment below and tell me what you think! And for more easy, delicious appetizer recipes, visit our blog at blog.cherchies.com. Thanks for stopping by :) We hope you’ll come back!

PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese. softened

  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard

  • 1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped

  • 1/4 cup pitted black olives, chopped

  • 1/4 cup cubed Provolone, chopped

  • 1/4 cup salami, chopped

  • 1/2 jar Cherchies® Pretty Peppers, drained

  • 1/4 cup pepperoncini (seeds removed), chopped

  • 3 8" tortillas

Preparation

Mix the cream cheese and the Hot Banana Pepper Mustard together in a medium bowl.  Chop the olives, provolone, salami, and pepperoncini into small pieces (In the first picture the salami had not been chopped fine enough).  Mix in the olives, Provolone, salami, Pretty Peppers, and pepperoncini.

Generously spread cream cheese mixture over tortillas.  Roll up tortillas and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (you could slice immediately, but the roll-ups are easier to slice if chilled).  

Once roll-ups are chilled, slice into 1/2" slices.  Enjoy!

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