Marieke Gouda

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

These days I’ve been feeling cheesy. You could say I’ve been feeling kinda Gouda. Why you may ask? Well, over in our West Lakes Specialty Cheese Department, we are now carrying one of my favorite Goudas. Ever.

Made by Marieke Penterman, her Gouda rivals the Netherlands' best cheeses in depth of flavor, complexity and balance. I won’t bore you with the details on how it's made, but I will tell you it’s made in Wisconsin with an authentic recipe that Marieke brought from Holland.

Currently ours flavors are Young (aged 4 to 6 months), Smoked, Chipotle and the most intriguing one,  Summer Fields, which is flavored with rosemary, tomato, onion and thyme.

Such high quality cheese can be enjoyed on its own or maybe with a glass of wine. However, it's a great cheese to cook with as well. Yes, it makes a great grilled cheese (yawn!) and a fantastic mac and cheese (double yawn!) but think outside the box! The Smoked Gouda makes a fantastic soup, especially if you put a splash of beer in. The Chipotle Gouda is fantastic on nachos and great in enchiladas. Finally, the Summer Fields is fantastic on a roasted vegetable tart or mixed into a ham and cheese quiche.

So stop by our Specialty Cheese Department, taste some fantastic Gouda and please see me for more delicious recipes at anytime.

Stay cheesy my friends and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex

Potato Pancakes

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

Well, it's that time of year once again. Growing up with a Jewish dad and French mother always made things interesting at our house. We would play Driedel (a traditional Hanukkah game) under the Christmas tree and never thought twice about it.

My mother wanted to support my dad’s Jewish traditions and still wanted to continue entertaining for guests on Christmas Eve like she did in France. Potato pancakes are a must for Hanukah and my mom would prepare them the traditional way, served with apple sauce and sour cream. She would then take that same recipe, make them into mini potato cakes and top them with crème fraiche (French sour cream) and red and black caviar for her guests on Christmas Eve. Same recipe, but two completely different applications.

When it became my turn to make the latkes for my family, I went a different but equally delicious route. I replaced two potato pancakes for bread and put in thinly sliced corn beef, Swiss cheese and a touch of Thousand Island dressing. Tradition with a twist.

Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

All you need:

1 and ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons flour (or more

Salt and Pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

All you do:

1. In a food processor grate the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a kitchen towel and twist in a pouch squeezing out as much liquid as possible.

2. Place potatoes in a bowl and add eggs, flour, 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss to combine, if the mixture seems a little wet and more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it comes together.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil over medium high heat until hot. Form a "pancake" of potato mixture, slip into the oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes a sad; latkes should be golden and crisp on both sides. Place on paper towel to drain oil and eat immediately. 

So whatever you are celebrating, from the bottom of my heart I wish you, your friends and family the very best. Eat, Drink, Be Merry and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex

Turkey Tetrazzini

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

Another thanksgiving has come and gone. All we have left are memories and turkey. Lots of turkey. So what do you do now? You can of course make a decadent hot sandwich in which you layer the turkey with sweet potato, stuffing, cranberries and turkey gravy. It’s rich, it’s messy, it’s delicious.

On a lighter note, why note make soup? Simmer the turkey bones with onions, celery and carrots for about 6 to 8 hours. Stain out the bones and veggies, add your chopped turkey, season with salt and pepper, add some pasta and voila, you have turkey noodle soup.

But my favorite is Turkey Tetrazzini. Created in the 1900s and named in honor of a local opera singer, this decadent dish combines cream, two cheeses, some veggies and of course, plenty of leftover turkey.

Turkey Tetrazzini

All you need:

12 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 4-5 cups)

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 3 tablespoons, 4 tablespoons, and 1 tablespoon

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

12 ounces spaghetti, linguini or other pasta

1 1/2 cups of whole milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 cups turkey or chicken broth

1/4 cup dry sherry  

3 cups coarsely chopped cooked turkey

1 cup frozen peas

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (divided into 1/3 and 1/3 cups)

1/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Salt and Pepper

Ground nutmeg  

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 

2. Heat 2 to 3 quarts of water for the pasta. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for each quart of water.

3. In a skillet, cook the mushrooms in 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat, stirring, until all of the liquid the mushrooms give off has evaporated, 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
 4. In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 4 Tbsp of butter. Stir in the flour, and cook the mixture over low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes.
 5. About now, put the pasta into the boiling water you've heated. Follow the package directions and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking continue on with the recipe.
6. Into the saucepan with the butter and flour, slowly whisk in the milk, cream, chicken broth, and the sherry. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 to 8 minutes.
7. When the pasta is ready, drain it. In a large bowl combine the pasta, the sauce, the mushrooms, the turkey, and the peas. Stir in 1/3 cup of the Parmesan and the 1/3 cup of Swiss cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Note that if you have been using unsalted butter, and/or unsalted or low sodium stock, you will need to add more salt than you might expect. Just keep sprinkling it in until it is seasoned to your taste. Add a pinch of ground nutmeg if using, again to taste. Transfer the mixture to a buttered 3-quart casserole.
8. In a small bowl combine well the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the tetrazzini, and dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cut into bits.
9. Bake the Tetrazzini in the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it is bubbling and the top is golden.
10. Garnish individual servings with chopped parsley and enjoy!

So get creative with your turkey and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex

Po' Boy Sandwiches

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

Tomorrow is National Sandwich Day and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than to make a delicious Po' Boy. Doesn’t ring a bell? A Po' Boy is a sandwich from New Orleans in which French bread is stuffed with something (it can be anything really) and topped with mayo, tomatoes and shredded lettuce. The odd name for this sandwich came about in the 1800s when street car workers were on strike. A local deli owner felt bad for those starving poor boys and handed out free sandwiches, hence the name.

Like I previously mentioned, you can stuff anything into a Po' Boy and if you are really poor, that means French fries. No meat, no seafood, just fries. Simply cut a 6 inch length of French bread, spread some mayo, top with French fries (the fries you bake in the oven are acceptable), drizzle with brown gravy that's mixed with Tabasco sauce and add tomatoes and lettuce. Hot, filling and delicious.

On the other hand, if you have a few extra greenbacks in your pocket, you might want to make a fried oyster and shrimp Po'Boy, aka the Peacemaker. This odd name came about when after a late night of drinking, a husband brought home this sandwich to make the peace with his furious wife. This sandwich is so delicious, I can guarantee the wife forgave him. See the recipe below.

The Peacemaker

All you need:

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon tabasco sauce

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

3/4 pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

3/4 pound raw oysters

3 cups seafood breading mix

6 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Four 6-inch lengths of French bread, split lengthwise

Mayonnaise, for dressing the sandwich

Shredded lettuce, for serving

Medium tomato, thinly sliced

All you do:

1. Combine the buttermilk, hot sauce and Cajun seasoning in a medium mixing bowl, stir to combine. Add the shrimp and oysters and marinate for up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium-size heavy pot or deep-fryer until the temperature reaches 360º F. Working in batches, remove the shrimp and oysters from the buttermilk marinade and transfer them to the seafood breading mix. Dredge to coat, shaking to remove any excess breading. Cook the shrimp and oysters in small batches in the oil until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. 

4. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

5. Generously spread the top halves of the bread with the mayonnaise. Divide the shrimp and oysters evenly among the bottom halves, followed by the lettuce and tomato. Place the top halves of the bread over the fillings and press lightly.

6. Enjoy!

Let the good times roll, bite into a Po'Boy and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex

New in our Charcuterie Department!

Hello my Hy-Vee friends! I haven’t discussed our charcuterie program in a while and yes, shame on me! We have a couple of new products that I have to share with you. The first one is bresaola, a dried cured beef traditionally made in Italy. Ours is coming from New York and it is tasty. Seasoned with porcini mushrooms and black pepper, our bresaola has a deep flavor and pairs perfectly with parmigiano reggiano cheese.

Another product that's just as tasty is our new felino salami. Known as the king of salami, felino is cured with cracked black pepper, sherry wine and slow aged for at least 30 days. Guys, this stuff is delicious. It has a complex taste and buttery texture.

Burnt out on the old boring turkey sandwich? Slice up some of our artisan focaccia bread, smear on some imported butter, layer it with felino salami and provolone cheese and you have a sandwich that is out of this world!

Please stop by and visit us at our Charcuterie Department and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatball Sliders

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

It's football season once again! Sure, I guess that means football…but more importantly, it means tailgating and that means delicious food! And sure, there will always be that guy hogging the grill, spending way too much time flipping burgers and turning brats.

Well forget him! This is a perfect place and time to focus on crock pots. Crock pots will keep your food nice and toasty for however long you are tailgating. Sloppy Joes? Not my thing but sure. Pulled pork? Perfect. Shrimp and corn chowder? Excellent idea. One of my favorites is mozzarella stuffed meatball sliders. These meat balls have the wonderful surprise of oooey gooey cheese in the middle and more important for our purpose, they hold up beautifully in a crock pot.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatball Sliders

All you need:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

1/4 cup Romano cheese

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

16 cubes mozzarella cheese

1 24 ounce jar marinara sauce

1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)

8 slices provolone cheese, thinly sliced

16 cocktail buns

All you do:

1. Combine ground beef, ground pork, Romano cheese, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper and garlic in a large bowl. Mix to thoroughly combine all ingredients.

2. Shape meatball mixture into 16 balls, making an indent in the middle of each ball and pushing a piece of mozzarella cheese into the middle. Seal the meat around the cheese completely.

3. Place half the meatballs into the hot skillet and saute until golden brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Flip the meatballs and brown on the other side. Meatballs do not need to cook all the way through. Remove to a plate. Re-heat the pan with the remaining oil and cook the second half of the meatballs. Return all the meatballs to the skillet.

4. Turn the heat down to medium-low and pour the marinara sauce (and red wine if using) into the skillet. Place a lid on top and simmer for 15 minutes, spooning the marinara sauce over the meatballs every so often to keep them moist.

5. Cut each slice of provolone cheese in half. Place a cooked meatball onto a bun and top with the provolone cheese.

6. Enjoy!

Whomever you cheer for, eat some sliders and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex

Souvlaki with Tzatziki

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

Whether we like it or not, summer is coming to an end. I know there are many diehards out there that will continue to grill until the first snow falls. I also know an equal amount of you that are burned out on grilling and are ready to retire until the spring.

For which ever camp you fall into, I would like you to put down the burgers and brats and think outside the box. The Japanese, Koreans, Israelis, Turks, Moroccans and many others are all masters of the grill. But today we focus on Greece. In this case, I want you think of a Greek dish known as souvlaki. Beautifully marbled pork shoulder is bathed in red wine, lemon juice and Greek spices and then grilled. Served with a simple but equally tasty yogurt sauce called tzatziki and you will be transported to the Islands of Greece.

Souvlaki with Tzatziki

All you need for the tzatziki:
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and grated on large holes of grater
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice

All you need for the souvlaki:

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine
2 lemons, juiced
1 tablespoon dried mint
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced finely
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

All you do for tzatziki:
1. In a large bowl, add all ingredients. Mix until combined.

All you do for souvlaki:
1. In a large bowl, add the meat and season with salt and pepper. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over meat.
2. Toss to combine and marinate for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Drain the pork and thread onto skewers. Cook the kebabs until nicely browned and cooked through.
4. Serve with pita and tzatziki.
5. Enjoy!

Eat some Greek tonight and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex