Vinto Pizzeria

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Ever since I first read about Vinto Pizzeria early last year, I have been wanting to try it.  We live about an hour away from Downtown Salt Lake City, so it hadn't happened until last week  Becky, also know as The Vintage Mixer or @slcfoodie on Twitter, put together a dinner for some of us local bloggers.  (You can read her post here.)

It was really fun to see familiar faces and say hello to new and old bloggie friends--Annalise from Completely Delicious, Heather from the Salt Lake Examiner, Barbara from Barbara Bakes, Ryan from SLC Eats, Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod, Jenny and Matthew from SLC Cheap Eats, Mike from Foodie from Scratch, Marsha from About.com Salt Lake, and Kelley from Mountain Mama Cooks.

Vinto has won some local awards and most recently was featured in Sunset Magazine--pretty good for a restaurant that's only been around for two years, I say.

Did it live up to the hype?  Why, yes, it certainly did.

The decor is really hip, fresh, and fun.  Not too fancy, and not too casual.  Perfect, in other words.

We were late, as usual.  (Don't get me started on traffic and construction in Utah.  It is never ending.)  Everyone was so nice to us.  We were able to catch up on the appetizers that we'd missed.  But first we started out with some Italian sodas.  I ordered peach and my husband ordered hazelnut.  I'll tell you what, that's a good drink--one that I hope to recreate throughout the rest of the summer.

Becky joined us at our table and we discussed the Sorrel Soup made with potatoes and cream.  Chef Clay makes sure to use as many local ingredients as he can, and he picked up some locally grown sorrel for this soup. If you've never had or even heard of sorrel, it's like a lemony spinach--including the bright acidity of lemon.  It was refreshing and balanced out the richness of the creamy soup.  Becky recreated it at home and I can't wait to try out her recipe.

Then our antipasti were brought out.  Caprese Arrostito made with roasted San Marzano tomatoes, giant basil, and fior de latte mozarella; followed by Grilled Artichokes with wild arugula and a shallot vinaigrette.  I could have a steady diet of those artichokes and never tire of them.

Mmm...I want some more artichokes right now.

Next came the Housemade Meatballs, which I did not try because they weren't gluten-free.  My husband assured me they were incredible.

The chopped salads came out next.  I was very excited to try the Verdura salad.  My husband said it was the kind of salad I would make at home--an eclectic mix of ingredients that tasted really good together.  (Thankyouverymuch.)  Completely vegan and delicious.  The lemon-basil vinaigrette was fresh and delightful.

The Italiana Chopped salad seemed to be the favorite of my husband--greens, chicken, pancetta (from Caputo's Market), pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, fontina with a red wine vinaigrette.  It was very satisfying.

After the salads, the tantilizing smell of orange wafted by as the Fettucine Arancione was brought to the table. Again, I didn't try this, but Becky was smitten with it.  A creamy orange citrus sauce with prosciutto sounds great, right?

Then it was time for the pizza--the moment I had been waiting for.  I'm relatively new to eating gluten-free.  I've been doing it on and off for about a year, but recently I've been more dedicated to it.  It has been awhile since I've had pizza and I miss it.  I almost told Becky I wouldn't be able to go to the dinner because I wouldn't be able to eat anything anyway.  But I did a smart thing--I checked Vinto's menu online and saw that they had gluten-free pizza.  So, I requested a little special treatment for the night.  I had never tried GF pizza before, and there aren't a lot of places around here that do that.  When I got to Vinto, Becky said they were excited to hear what I thought about the GF pizza because it's something they've been trying to get perfect for their GF customers.

I really like those kinds of details--it means a lot to know you are valued as a customer.  Now, if the pizza had not been delicious, that might not have mattered quite so much, but it was delicious.

Now, when you go to Vinto, you won't be able to get a 3-in-one pizza.  This was a special thing they did so I could taste the same varieties as everyone else.  But, my advice is to go there and just order three pizzas.  You'll want to try them all.

There were the three kinds--Margherita (fior di latte mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil), Tuttabella (housemade sausage, caramelized onion, fresh tomato, garlic, roasted peppers, fontina, and fior di latte mozzarella), and Patate (sliced yukon gold potatoes, fontina, goat cheese, rosemary, wild arugula, and white truffle oil).

I was blown away with the deliciousness of these pizzas.  The housemade sausage is worth the trip alone.  Best sausage ever.  The patate pizza is right up my alley and I loved every bite.  What a great combination of flavors and textures.

The crust was fabulous.  They really took great pains to find the perfect GF crust to make available to their customers.  It isn't housemade, but they don't rip you off either.  It's only an extra $2.50 per pizza.  They give it to you at cost--no price gouging because you have a food allergy or sensitivity.  Awesome.

The secret to their great pizza (besides great ingredients and a great chef)?  The wood-fired oven.

What came out next?

Desserts.  Oh, the desserts.  We were able to try three different desserts--Butterscotch Budino, the Gelati-Sorbetti sampler, and the Vanilla Gelato with olive oil and grey sea salt.  The basil gelato was out-of-this-world.

We got to meet the pastry chef, Amber and ask her some questions.  Then I asked Chef Clay if I could see the gelato machine--a Capriani imported from Italy.  Amber makes all of the sorbet and gelato fresh each day in small batches.

Left to right, back row:  Orange Honey, Dark Chocolate Sorbet, Lemon Sorbet.  L to R, front row:  Basil, Fresh Strawberry, Chocolate Chip.  Some of the best gelato and sorbet I've ever tasted.

While I recommend all of the flavors I tried, the orange honey and basil are my very favorites.  I was in love with this machine and begged my husband to buy one for me.  I even offered to trade in my car for one. :)

The vanilla with olive oil was surprisingly good.  The olive oil was very fruity and the grey salt was nice in contrast with the sweet gelato and the fruity olive oil.

The budino (Italian for pudding) was addicting.  I think I ate the most of the three of us at our table.  I totally dig that kind of dessert and the salted caramel on the top was just right.

My hubby with Chef Clay.

Should you visit Vinto?  The answer is a resounding YES.  The food was spectacular.  The prices are as fantastic as the food.  We looked at the menu and had to rub our eyes because the prices are so good.  You could easily eat our for under $20 for two people and not go away hungry.  They even have a kids menu.  The service was quick and friendly.  The servers use a cool new high tech gadget when they take your order so that as they enter it in, the kitchen receives your order and starts to prepare your food immediately.  No waiting around forever to get your food.  A huge plus if you are eating out with small children.  And if you aren't in a rush, then you can still get your food quickly and sit and leisurely enjoy your food.  All around a great place to go.

Thanks to Becky and the people at Vinto for a great dinner.  (And the leftovers for lunch the next day.)  We will definitely be back again and again.

Should you want to visit, here is all the info:

Vinto

418 East 200 South

Salt Lake City, UT

801.539.9999

Like Vinto on Facebook

Weekend Plans.

Wow, it's Friday already?!  The summer is flying by.

We have a holiday weekend here in Utah--Pioneer Day.  We celebrate becoming a state and our Pioneer heritage.  It's a fun, fun time to be in Utah.

Tomorrow my kids will take part of the Children's Parade in my town and then on Monday morning we'll stake out a claim for the Fiesta Days Grand Parade.

On Monday we'll head up north to Salt Lake City to swim with cousins and hopefully snag some more GF pizza at Vinto.  (I am dying to tell you all about this place. It's my new fave.)

Hope you all have a good weekend.  I'll be back next week with some fun posts and recipes.  I also want to tell you about my cool new job with Jacob's Cove, a local farm and CSA.  Good things all around. :)

Until then, my friends!

Fast Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

A friend in need is a friend indeed. And sometimes you have friends who need a good meal brought to them. Furthermore, if you bring these enchiladas to a friend in need, they will be your friend indeed.

These are pretty special. (Come closer--they are super easy to make. Don't tell though. Tell everyone you spent hours slaving away.)

I like to use the poached chicken I posted about yesterday when I make enchiladas. You can't beat the flavor. Also acceptable is any leftover chicken you have--maybe you picked up a rotisserie chicken from Costco (great time-saving tip). Or maybe you haven't made it to the store all you've got is canned chicken. It's all good.

The choice of green enchilada sauce is up to you.  My tomatillo plants have not produced mature fruit yet, so I used a can of green enchilada sauce made from chiles.  Both are fantastic, but have different tastes.  If you like the tangy flavor of tomatillo sauce, then by all means use it.  In a pinch I will use bottle mild green salsa and proceed.  But like I said, either is great.

Fast Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

1 large (about 32 oz.) can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium) or homemade
1/2 cup cream or sour cream (optional, but tasty)
10-12 white or yellow corn tortillas
a little canola oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano (don't sub Italian oregano, just leave it out)
1/2-1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, half minced and half whole for use as a garnish
2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

If using, mix whisk the sour or heavy cream into the enchilada sauce.  Set aside.

Heat a little canola oil in a large skillet.  Add the onion and cook, while stirring until it softens and starts to turn golden.  Add the chicken, dried oregano, cumin and a few tablespoons of fresh cilantro.  Add enough of the enchilada sauce to the chicken to make it moist, but not too saucy, about 1/2 cup.

Lightly grease a 9 by 13" or 8 by 11" baking dish.  Ladle about 1/2 cup of the remaining enchilada sauce into the baking dish, tilting to make sure it covers the entire bottom.

To prepare the tortillas, brush a little canola oil (or use a non-stick cooking spray) onto 5 of the tortillas and put them onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.  Put them into the oven for about 4 minutes, or until they soften.  Remove them from the oven and place about 1/4-1/3 cup of the chicken onto each tortilla, top with a little cheese and gently roll.  Place each rolled tortilla into the pan.  Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken.  You should end up with between 10-12 enchiladas.

Ladle the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas and top with all of the remaining cheese.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until you see bubbles around the edges and middle of the baking dish and the cheese has completely melted and turned golden.

Before serving, sprinkle the remaining cilantro leaves and sliced green onions over the top.  Serve with extra sour cream, chopped tomatoes, sliced olives, shredded lettuce, or whatever you like on your enchiladas.

Serves 5-6 people.

We like black beans and rice on the side, as well as a salad or fresh fruit.

Chicken Poached with Cumin, Laurel, and Oregano

I like poaching chicken because it's super easy. I'm busy, you're busy. We're all busy. Poaching the chicken in a flavorful broth is the way to go because it only takes a few minutes to do. And bonus points because it also works well if you forgot to thaw out the chicken overnight or during the day.

You can mix up the herbs and spices here according to what recipe(s) you'll be making. A 3-4 lb. chicken will give you roughly 4-5 cups of cooked chicken. That should definitely be enough for a casserole and a pot of soup or a salad.

I like to use a whole cut up chicken because it has more flavor than boneless, skinless breasts and/or thighs.  Remove as much of the skin as you can so the resulting broth isn't too fatty. Discard the giblets, except for the neck. Some packages of chicken come with the back. Use that too. Fresh herbs are awesome here, but use dried if that's what you have. This time I didn't have fresh, so I used dried.

Here we go:

Into a large pot (6 quart is a great size for this), we will add:

One 3-4 lb. chicken, cut into breast, thigh, wings, and drumsticks
2 laurel (bay) leaves
1-2 tsp. cumin
1-2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried cilantro
1 Tbsp. salt (you can use more, but don't use too much)
2-3 garlic cloves, whole or crushed
1 large onion, halved
Cold water to cover by a few inches

Bring to a boil and skim the foam/scum off the surface. Lower heat and let simmer for 30-45 minutes. I find a longer simmer gives me better flavor and more tender chicken.

Remove the chicken from the cooking liquid.  Strain and reserve liquid.  (Don't throw it away!)

Let chicken cool and with your hands remove the meat from the bones.

It's now ready to be used in a recipe. Stay tuned tomorrow for Fast Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce.

Lemon Ginger Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

My oldest daughter has been begging me for weeks and weeks to make sugar cookies or cupcakes for her so she could decorate them. There are times as a parent, specifically as a mother, when you have to ask yourself:   Just how much colored sugar am I willing to clean up today? 

And the answer was: I can't handle it today. We'll use candied lemon peel instead.  And it was alright because at least there was fluffy, delectable honey cream cheese frosting available.  (And maybe a promise of sugar cookies with sprinkles another day.)

We really like lemon, ginger, and honey in any way, shape or form.  Particularly in baked form.  And if you are my kids, in the shape of a cupcake before dinner.

These are tasty little cupcakes.  I will not tell you to NOT eat the frosting by the spoonful because that would be mean and you wouldn't listen to me anyway.  So instead I will tell you that you MUST eat the remaining frosting with a spoon straight out of the bowl.  There has to be order in the kitchen, and that's an order. :)

Lemon Ginger Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
makes 2 dozen cupcakes

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
Juice of 1 lemon plus enough whole milk to make 1 1/2 cups total
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. table salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat butter, sugar, ginger and lemon zest on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. Whisk dry ingredients together and add alternately with the lemon juice/milk mixture, beginning and ending with they dry ingredients.

Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners. Divide the batter evenly between the cups. (You might have a little leftover.) Bake for about 16 minutes, checking to see if the tops spring back and that they are lightly golden brown.

Honey Cream Cheese Icing

4 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. honey
Powdered sugar (edit:  add 2-3 cups or enough to make it spreadable)

Beat together until spreadable. Chill if too thin. Spread over the cupcakes after they have cooled.

M+T: Garden Vegetable Chili

I'm over at Make and Takes today sharing my recipe for Garden Vegetable Chili--the perfect marriage of all of my favorite summer veggies.  You can check it out here.

Also, in a few minutes I'm heading out to attend a photo workshop in Salt Lake City given by the absolutely fabulous Helene Dujardin of Tartlette.  I am incredibly excited.

See you tomorrow!

Mermaid Party from One Charming Party.

My youngest turns three at the end of the month. She's obsessed with mermaids, particularly "Princess Ariel Mermaid" because they both have red hair. I'm dreaming of giving her a Mermaid Party like this from One Charming Party.

Mermaid Party Invitation

Credits:
Styling & party design: Sara Westbrook & Brittany Egbert for One Charming Party www.onecharmingparty.com
Photography: Nicole Hill Gerulat www.nicolephoto.com (used with permission)

You can buy the Mermaid Party Plan from the One Charming Party shop.