As you may know from reading our site, we are settling well into our relatively new office space in Union Square and are excited to have one important missing piece of the puzzle finally in place: the kitchen! We teamed up with Del Monte® to fully outfit our brand new pantry, and invited some of our favorite fellow foodies over to celebrate.
First, a little more about the awesomeness in our pantry. Thanks to Del Monte® we’re now fully stocked with yummy fruits and veggies.
Naturally, we had delicious drinks and bites in tow, thanks to Natalia Bushyager of Picnic on Third.
They turned the contents of our pantry (full of Del Monte® goodies) into a truly gourmet feast, with Avocado Lime Dipper, Falafel Bites and Meatballs topped with Tangy Tomato Jam, Prosciutto, Caramelized Peach & Mozzarella Bites with Saba Glaze, Spinach Dip with Scallions and Creme Fraiche, Zesty Jalapeno Gazpacho, and decadent Deviled Eggs topped with Green Beans. Yes, please! (Be sure to scroll to the bottom for our favorite recipes from the evening!)
The goodness didn’t stop with savory dishes. There was a DIY dessert station complete with mascarpone, pound cake, brownies, dark cherries, peaches, and more. Just looking at the photo is making me a little hungry!
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Brit + Co. event without a little DIY action. Guests got to create their own custom-etched glass jars to take home to their own pantries.
For a full how-to on how to make your own jars, head to this tutorial.
And finally, everyone got a gift bag to take home, packed with Del Monte® goodies and recipes from the evening.
All in all, we couldn’t be more pleased with our brand new pantry, and can’t wait to come up with more creative ways to cook with all those yummy fruits and veggies.
As promised, here are some of the recipes we loved!
Spinach Dip with Scallions and Creme Fraiche
Ingredients:
– 1 can (13.5 oz.) Del Monte® Leaf Spinach-No Salt Added
– 1 cup sour cream
– 1/2 cup creme fraiche
– 1/2 cup aioli (garlic mayonnaise)
– 1/2 cup small diced red pepper
– 1 jalapeno chili pepper stemmed, seeded & minced
– 1/2 cup scallions sliced very thin
– 1 lemon, zested and juiced
– salt and black pepper, optional
1. Drain spinach well, rinse and squeeze dry.
2. Mix together all ingredients and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
3. Refrigerate several hours or overnight to blend flavors. Serve with crudite & cracked coriander pita chips.
Avocado Lime Dipper
Ingredients:
– 1 can (15 oz.) Del Monte® Sweet Peas-No Salt Added, drained
– 4 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
– 1 medium jalapeno chili pepper, (seeded, if desired)
– 3 limes, zested & juiced
– 2 cloves garlic, peeled
– 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
– salt to taste
1. Combine all ingredients (except cilantro) in a blender or food processor; process until smooth
2. Season with salt & more lime juice if necessary. Mix in chopped cilantro.
3. Serve with cracked coriander pita chips and crudite.
Tangy Tomato Jam
Ingredients:
– 2 cans (14.5 oz. each) Del Monte® Diced Tomatoes, drained
– 2 shallots, minced
– 4 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
– 1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
– 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
– 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
– 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
– 1/4 tsp. paprika
– 1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
– salt & black pepper to taste
1. Combine all ingredients in a large nonstick skillet; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium; cook, uncovered, 15 minutes or until tomatoes are very tender and thickened, stirring frequently, mashing large tomato pieces with back of a spoon.
What are your pantry essentials? Talk to us in the comments below.
