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With the “Stay Safe, Stay Home” directive in effect across Utah and similar orders for multiple counties, several Salt Lake City restaurants and cooking schools are selling make-at-home meal kits that are ready to pick up and prepare at home.
Each kit comes with all the ingredients and instructions needed to get a delicious and filling meal on the table fast and to rave reviews.
Salt Lake Culinary Education (SLICE) • Known for teaching Utahns to cook in its beautiful, state-of-the-art kitchens, SLICE is taking its classes virtual and into every home kitchen now.
The weekly make-at-home kits are designed to enable even the most novice chef to whip up something special for dinner. This week, try the green chile chicken enchiladas kit ($18.50) with corn tortillas, shredded chicken, jalapenos and lime crema, or the vegetarian offering of red chile roasted corn, poblano and black bean enchiladas ($16). All the chopping and measuring have already been done. Simply put together, heat and serve. Each order serves four.
Add chips and SLICE salsa ($7.50) to snack on while dinner is heating. Finish the evening with two dessert options: the Mexican brownie mix ($10) or a dozen Abuelita Mexican hot chocolate cookies ($7.25).
Online orders must be placed at saltlakeculinarycenter.com by Tuesday for pick up on Thursday between noon and 4 p.m. Call 801-464-0113 upon arrival and your order will be brought out to your car.
Cucina • Chef Joey Ferran is sending his wildly popular handmade pasta specials home with customers — complete with instructions on applying the green chile “paint” to the plate — bound to impress the entire family.
Choices include a trio mix of garlic, cilantro and achiote tagliatelle with chorizo Bolognese as well as a new Saturday offering of porcini and spinach pappardelle with turkey bacon meatballs, arugula and truffle breadcrumbs. A generous supply of mushrooms from Intermountain Gourmet Mushroom allowed Chef Joey to build an entire dish around the fabulous fungi for the week.
Both options are $30 and feed two. Call 801-322-3055 to place an order.
Sobe Eats • This new culinary concept from the Soberanis brothers is offering a build-your-own tostada package serving two, four, six or eight people ($19-$95). Choose two proteins — boneless short rib, slow-roasted chicken, spicy shrimp or veggie guacamole — to layer on oven-baked tostadas with refried beans, spicy aioli, salsa verde, crema, cotija cheese, radishes, fresh guacamole and cilantro.
Located in Murray, Sobe Eats also partners with a variety of food trucks to build full meal menus like the Quarantine Survival Kit ($40-$128). The deal includes build-your-own tostadas, six-pack(s) of filled churros from San Diablo churros and drinks from Thirst Drinks. There’s also a “super fun board game called reverse charades,” says owner Sal Soberanis.
Orders can be placed online at quarantinesurvivalkit.square.site for curbside pickup or delivery on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m.
Gourmandise The Bakery • Both locations of Gourmandise are offering a family-style meal menu designed to feed four to six people and available via curbside or drive-thru. Newly introduced meals include the Bordeaux pulled pork and polenta served with roasted vegetables, rolls and frozen cookie dough — all ready to heat and serve. For more casual fare, try the brisket and Havarti panwiches complemented by seasonal vegetables, scratch-made rolls and ready-to-bake cookie dough.
All family meals are $37.50 and can be ordered online at gourmandisethebakery.com.
Este Pizza • Throw a home pizza party with the help of Este Pizza. Its Sugar House location is offering take-home meal kits featuring two pizza doughs, pizza sauce and cheese for $25. The Park City location is serving up 25 varieties of take-and-bake pies ($18-22), including vegan and vegetarian choices.
Visit estepizzaco.com to order online. Delivery and pickup are available.
Hub and Spoke Diner • Don’t forget a brunch cocktail kit for the weekend. Hub and Spoke is mixing up a bloody mary kit with housemade mixer plus all the garnishes for six or more people. You supply the vodka.
Order online at hubandspokediner.com for pickup.
Heather L. King is a Utah-based freelance food writer who loves Utah’s locally owned restaurants as much as her own kitchen. She also owns www.slclunches.com and can be found on social media @slclunches.