Contact: Corinne Fay
The Lisa Ekus Group
413.247.9325
lisaekus@lisaekus.com

Indianapolis, IN — For the second year in a row, American Roland Food Corp. is thrilled to support the Taste of the NFL event. Held annually on the eve before the big game, the Taste of the NFL brings together the country’s top chefs, NFL players, and hundreds of volunteers to “Party with a Purpose®”. With over 3,000 guests in attendance, the event raises millions of dollars to help fight hunger in America.

“Roland Foods is thrilled to be participating in The Taste of the NFL again this year” said Lisa Kartzman, Director, Public Relations for American Roland Food Corp. “The Taste is a special event in that the money raised is dispersed to hunger relief organizations around the country. It is a great way to reach those in need across our country.”

Roland Foods will provide participating chefs with high quality specialty food items for their featured dishes. Chef Marc Payero, Executive Chef/Director of Restaurant Associates, and Executive Chef at the Huddle Café at NFL Headquarters in NYC, will be using Roland® Chipotle peppers in his Chipotle Chicken Chalupas with Smoked Corn Salsa and Crumbled Blue Cheese. Other Roland ® products will be featured on the dazzling plates on Saturday, as well as the VIP Friday Night Huddle event for all the chefs, players, and select special guests.

Roland Foods is committed to making food available to those less fortunate, and participates in a variety of hunger relief events throughout the year. For more information on American Roland Food Corp please visit us at www.RolandFoods.com. To follow all the culinary happenings on the ground in Indy, become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

The Taste of the NFL is a premier food and wine event with more than 32 restaurant and chef stations (one from each NFL city), providing fabulous food and wine pairings for guests to sample. Chef stations also feature an NFL player (either current or alumni) to sign autographs and snap photos with lucky attendees. Each year the money raised is allocated to food banks across the country in each NFL team’s home city. Special emphasis is placed on a food bank from the hosting city, and this year it will be Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana.

This year’s “Party with a Purpose®” will take place at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, one of the largest food banks in the United States. Gleaners Food Bank has graciously offered to host this year’s event in its 300,000 square-foot warehouse. Transformed for the evening, the space will offer thousands of guests the opportunity to see firsthand the important role of a food bank within a community.

The Taste of the NFL has raised and distributed over $11 million to food banks across the country. For more information on how you can get involved please go to www.tasteofthenfl.com. For a complete list of the top chefs participating in the event, please go to http://www.tasteofthenfl.lcom/chefs.

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Piquillo Peppers
American Roland Food Corporation
December 2011
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Contact:  Corinne Fay
The Lisa Ekus Group
413.247.9325
lisaekus@lisaekus.com

Bring Color & Flavor to Winter Cooking with the Piquillo Pepper

Envision a rich, sweet pepper, hand-picked from the hills of Peru and fire-roasted before being packed so perfectly that each pepper is ready to use, straight from the jar. Roland® Piquillo peppers are delectable and easy-to-use.  Their vibrant color and piquant, roasted flavor makes them the perfect ingredient to liven up winter cooking. Sandra Gutierrez, chef and author of The New Southern-Latino Table, makes a scrumptious Chicken Stew with Piquillo Peppers and White Wine (recipe below) that will bring warmth to your kitchen.

“Piquillo” is Spanish for “little beak,” which describes the beak-like shape of the pepper. Traditionally grown in Spain, Roland® Piquillo peppers are grown in Peru in a similar climate and soil. Bright red, sweet, and tangy, the Piquillo is a great addition to salads, stews, and sandwiches. The slightly smoky flavor adds a depth and intrigue to dishes.

Because the piquillo is so delicately packed, it is perfect for stuffing or serving whole. The peppers are nearly uniform in size, color, and shape which makes them easy to use with little waste.

TIPS

• Drain the piquillo peppers and blot them dry with paper towels so they’re easier to slice.
• Don’t rinse piquillo peppers under running water; doing so, removes flavor.
• Use piquillo peppers in place of roasted red peppers in your favorite recipes.
• To make a deliciously flavored sandwich spread or dip, simply process 3 or 4 piquillo peppers with 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 grated garlic clove, until smooth.
• Add finely minced piquillo peppers to your next pot of chili for a sweet touch.
• Stuff piquillo peppers with a creamy salad (such as egg, potato or tuna) for a quick, easy, and elegant appetizer.

RECIPE

Chicken Stew with Piquillo Peppers and White Wine

By Sandra A. Gutierrez

1 large chicken cut into 8 portions
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons Roland® extra virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced white onions
1-½ cups sliced Roland® Piquillo peppers
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes
8 ounces white wine
¼ cup Roland® capers
1 cup black Roland® olives (like Kalamata), pitted and left whole

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season liberally with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, set over medium-high heat, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, brown the chicken pieces on all sides, until golden brown. Remove the chicken to a separate plate and set aside; remove pan from the heat and with a spoon, remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat rendered in the pan (discard the excess fat). Set the Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the onions and cook, while stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until onions have begun to soften. Add the piquillo peppers, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf stir well, until combined and cook for 30 seconds. Add the plum tomatoes and the wine, stirring well and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot (and any juices that collected on the plate as it rested) and bring the liquid to a boil; cover, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the capers and black olives and cover again; simmer an additional 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (the juices will run clear when pierced with a fork). Before serving, season with more salt and pepper, to taste. Note: I like to serve this in deep bowls with plenty of crusty bread to help me sop up the juices. It’s also delicious when spooned over an easy pilaf made with rice (or farro) or over cooked noodles.

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Friday, November 18 – Georgia Organics (Atlanta, GA)
Saturday, November 19 – Cook’s Warehouse Brookhaven (Atlanta, GA)
Monday, November 21 – Cook’s Warehouse (East Cobb, GA)
Wednesday, November 30 – Viking Cooking School (Franklin, TN)

For more info, visit www.virginiawillis.com