It’s finally summer and all I can think about is the colorful, fresh abundance that is available in ShopRite’s produce department.

Salad and grilling season doesn’t have to mean the same old, same old. Below, you will find some creative salads and a fabulous burger recipe based on my seasonal produce and product picks for your 4th of July or summer picnic and patio table buffet. If you have trouble locating any of these products at your local ShopRite, our friendly store managers will be more than happy to assist you.

Chef’s Product Pick: La Tourangelle Oils

Award winning La Tourangelle Oils are the same brand of fine, artisan handcrafted French nut oils used by the world’s most discerning chefs. This small family owned mill in the Loire Valley of France has specialized only in the small batch production of very fresh, very pure nut oils for 150 years. Other wonderful oils they produce include Almond, Avocado, walnut as well as black and white truffle oil. In select ShopRites near you.

Why would you use an expeller-pressed nut oil such as this? Packed with all the great health benefits of nuts and the rich, earthy flavor that is the soul of the nut, these specialty oils are the secret ingredient in 5 star restaurant quality salads and marinades. Salads take on a whole new dimension when dresses with these subtle oils, citrus juice or a fine quality wine vinegar, a bit of sea salt & freshly cracked pepper.

French Green Bean & Grape Tomato Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette

By Chef Faith Alahverdian

Serves 6-8

 

Ingredients:

1- 2lb. package pre-trimmed Haricot Verts (French green beans)

2 shallots, minced

1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, halved

1 tablespoon fresh chives

½ cup La Tourangelle Roasted Hazelnut Oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Sea Salt & Freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place washed beans in a large pot. Fill pot with 1 inch of water, cover and place on medium heat. Steam green beans until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, plunge beans into ice water and drain well.
2. Place beans in a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients.

Serve a top a large lettuce leaf. Add some sliced, freshly grilled tuna for a full meal.

This salad may come as a surprise to you but it’s power packed with beta carotene, valuable vitamins, minerals and nutrients. It’s a great alternative to the hum drum lettuce salad you might be bored with. This dish works great on a buffet!

Great Beta Salad with Carrots, Yams, Cranberries and Orange Squash

By Chef Faith Alahverdian

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

 4 cups prepeeled, precut Butternut Squash, each piece cut in half

1 ½ cups baby carrots, halved

2 yams, peeled and cut in large cubes

1 cup Dried Cranberries

1 garlic clove, minced

2 shallots, minced

¼ cup La Tourangelle Roasted Almond Oil

1 tablespoon ShopRite Imported White Wine Vinegar

Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper to taste

Pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground coriander

2 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley

6 oz. toasted, slivered almonds for garnish

Directions:

1. Place squash, carrots and cut yams in a large pot. Add enough water so that it reaches 1 inch in depth in the pan. Cover and bring pot to a simmer over medium heat. Allow the vegetables to steam until fork tender, about 8 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, drain and place in a large mixing bowl.

Add all of the remaining ingredients and toss gently. Chill until ready to serve. This salad keeps and travels well.

Chef’s Product Pick: Twinings African Rooibos Red Tea

You may have heard about rooibus tea, a traditional South African tea which recently has been found to be a rich source of anti-oxidants. Homemade iced tea takes on a delicious naturally red hue with this tasty tea and summer’s best berries.

Red Berry Iced Rooibos Tea

By Chef Faith Alahverdian

Makes 2 pitchers

Ingredients:

 6-8 teabags of Twinings African Rooibos Red Tea

1 gallon of filtered water

1 lemon, thinly sliced

½ pint each red raspberries and blackberries, washed and frozen

Fresh mint for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1. Place filtered water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add tea bags and cover pot. Allow to steep for 4 minutes.
2. Remove tea bags, sweeten to taste and allow to cool. Place lemon slices and ice in pitcher and add tea.
3. Just before serving add frozen berries. Garnish with fresh mint.

Chef’s Product Pick: Certified Angus Beef

ShopRite is proud to offer Certified Angus Beef to our family of customers. While other stores offer “angus” beef, only the top 8 % of the angus beef qualifies for the CAB label. Certified Angus Beef is the only brand of angus beef that’s good enough for our customers. Sure, it’s a bit more for an outrageously good burger or steak when you select this super premium quality, but it’s still 1/3rd the price you’d pay in a restaurant. You’re worth it!

Chef’s Product Pick: Cabot Vintage Choice Extra Sharp Cheddar

Tucked away in our gourmet cheese case, you will find a purple waxed bar of cheddar that may be one of the best cheddars you’ve ever tasted. Aged up to 24 months and hand selected by the president of Vermont’s Cabot Creamery, this cheddar will turn your ho hum burger into a gourmet burger any day.

Ultimate Backyard  Cheeseburger

By Chef Faith Alahverdian

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 1/2lbs. Ground Certified Angus Beef from ShopRite

3 Tablespoons low sodium beef stock or cold water

1 teaspoon steak seasoning from spice section

ShopRite Grapeseed oil

Romaine lettuce leaves, washed & dried well

Vine ripened tomatoes, washed & sliced

8 oz. Cabot Vintage Choice Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, sliced

Maille whole grain mustard from France

6 artisan baked rolls from ShopRite, sliced halfway

Gloves for food handling

Directions:

1. Preheat outdoor grill. Make sure the grill grates are very clean and oiled before use.
2.  Place ground beef, water and steak seasoning in a medium bowl.  Using gloved hands, gently combine ingredients. Form into 6 patties and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment.
3.  Brush each burger with a bit of grapeseed oil to prevent sticking.
4.  Place burgers on the preheated grill and cook on each side until desired doneness. Add cheddar cheese before the burger is fully cooked to allow it time to melt. The U.S.D.A. recommends that ground beef should be cooked to 160 degrees farenheit.

Assemble your burgers and enjoy !

Chef’s Product Pick: Fresh summer Apricots

Fresh apricots are in prime season right now. Incredibly tasty just on their own, tossed with a spinach salad or stirred into vanilla ice cream, fresh apricots are a versatile and delicious summer fruit.

Here’s an elegant but easy summer dessert recipe your family and friends will rave over.

Honey Almond Roasted Apricots

By Chef Faith Alahverdian

Ingredients:

 12 Fresh Apricots

¼ cup La Tourangelle Almond oil

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon almond extract

¼ tsp. Lemon zest

½ teaspoon orange juice

½ teaspoon lemon juice

A very small pinch of salt

3 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons sliced blanched almonds, toasted

One Pyrex baking dish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Boil water in a medium saucepan. Prepare an ice water bath in a medium size mixing bowl. With the point of a paring knife, lightly place an X on one end of each apricot and place in boiling water using a slotted spoon.
2.  Blanch 1 minute and remove from water with spoon to ice bath. After 30 seconds, slip off the apricot skins and remove pits. Place gently in a strainer. After they have drained well, pat dry and place in the Pyrex dish. (If you don’t mind the skin of the apricot, omit this step and place the raw, halved fruit directly in the baking dish.)
3. In a small bowl, combine the next six ingredients and pour over the apricots. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
4. Serve warm with vanilla yogurt sauce or ice cream.

Vanilla Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

¼ cup whipping cream

¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ tsp. Coriander

¼ tsp. Cinnamon

1 cup of Whole Milk Vanilla Yogurt

1 Tablespoon ShopRite Honey

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the  above ingredients.
2. Serve with Honey Almond Roasted Apricots.

Happy summer and Happy 4th of July!