BellaVitano Champagne Sauce
Ingredients :
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup sweet onion –(small dice)
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 bay leaf
½ cup Champagne (dry)
2 cups skim milk
1½ cups half & half
Roux – as needed (see directions below)
1 cup BellaVitano cheese – shredded/shaved
Sea salt & black pepper (to taste)
Instructions :
Cooking Directions:
1, Melt butter in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and bay leaf. Cook on medium heat until onion lightly starts to brown.
2. Deglaze pan with Champagne and reduce amount to ¼ cup.
3. Add milk and half & half. Bring just to a simmer and thicken with Roux as you stir with a fine wire whisk. Add Roux slowly, one tablespoon at a time. Sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a teaspoon but not so thick that it looks like paste.
4. Slowly whisk in BellaVitano cheese until thoroughly combined.
Roux:
1. In a saucepan melt ¼ pound of unsalted butter and stir in ¼ pound of all-purpose flour until there are no lumps. Hold until ready to use. May be stored in refrigerator for up to two months.
Final Preparation:
1. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with sea salt & pepper. Serve over pasta or as a sauce with chicken, shrimp or scallops.
BellaVitano & Two Bean Artichoke Salad
Ingredients :
½ pound fresh green beans
½ pound fresh wax beans
4 ounces artichoke hearts (marinated – drained & chopped)
1 tablespoon roasted red pepper (diced)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sweet, stone ground mustard
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Sartori Reserve BellaVitano cheese – shaved
½ cup Sartori Signature Blends Sicilian Blend
1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil
Sea salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
Instructions :
Cooking Directions:
1. Cook beans in boiling water until al dente. Shock in ice water to stop cooking process. Drain, pat dry and reserve.
2. Cook beans in boiling water until al dente. Shock in ice water to stop cooking process. Drain, pat dry and reserve.
3. Whisk together balsamic vinegar and mustard in a mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil.
4. Place beans, artichoke hearts, red pepper, basil and half of both cheeses in the bowl with the balsamic/olive oil blend and toss together.
5. Taste and season accordingly with sea salt & pepper.
Final Preparation:
1. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with each of the remaining cheeses.
2. Chill until ready to use.
3. BellaVitano Crème Brûlée
BellaVitano Crème Brûlée
Ingredients :
¼ cup unsalted butter
5 egg yolks
3 whole eggs
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 ½ cups heavy cream
½ tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla seeds
½ cup Sartori Reserve BellaVitano cheese – shredded or shaved
½ cup light brown sugar (for topping to caramelize)
Instructions :
1, Lightly butter ramekins and place in a baking dish that is deep enough to allow water to reach ¾ of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Place egg yolks, eggs and ¼ cup brown sugar in a 2 qt. mixing bowl. Stir together, but do not whip! Set aside.
3. Place cream in 2 qt. saucepan and heat to a scald. Slowly whisk hot cream into egg mixture. Add both vanillas.
4. Slowly pour mixture into each ramekin. Divide BellaVitano cheese equally between all eight portions.
5. Place in 325°F oven, add water to baking pan and bake 25 minutes or until custard is set.
6. Remove ramekins from water bath and cool slightly at room temperature before moving to refrigeration. Store until ready to serve.
Final Preparation:
1. To serve, sprinkle each Crème Brûlée with brown sugar, then caramelize sugar lightly with plumber’s torch. Top with your choice of berries and serve.
