Page 23 – Olive This!

Olive This! Certified to Have Non-Genetically Modified Organisms

Posted on October 2, 2013January 13, 2022

We’ve always known our products were not genetically modified but now we have a certification to prove it. The Non-GMO Project (a non-profit organization committed to preserving and building the non-GMO food supply, educating consumers, and providing verified non-GMO choices) awarded our supplier, Veronica Foods, with a Certificate of Compliance . We believe that everyone deserves an informed choice about whether or not to consume genetically modified organisms. To find out more about the Non-GMO project, click here.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Orange Olive Oil and White Balsamic Glaze

Posted on September 26, 2013July 19, 2023

Nothing beats fresh, warm cinnamon rolls on a cool weekend morning. We were inspired by a recipe from Sally McKenney that proved making cinnamon rolls from scratch is definitely worth it. Not only are you using fresh ingredients but we tweaked her recipe a bit replacing all the butter with extra virgin olive oil. Continue reading “Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Orange Olive Oil and White Balsamic Glaze”

Goat Cheese Tartlets with Fig Balsamic Vinegar

Posted on September 18, 2013July 19, 2023

A great appetizer doesn’t always need a lot of ingredients. This recipe comes to us from our friends Jamie and Greg from California whom we met on vacation this summer and immediately found a lot in common. One of those things is our love of good food done simply. Phyllo (also called filo or fillo) are paper-thin sheets of unleavened dough used for Middle Eastern and Balkan dishes. Handling the phyllo can sometimes be intimidating but we offer a few tips to make it easier. Continue reading “Goat Cheese Tartlets with Fig Balsamic Vinegar”

Why Cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil is ALWAYS Better For You

Posted on September 16, 2013July 19, 2023

Smoke Point vs. Free Fatty Acids

Below you will find a handy dandy chart relating specific FFA (Free Fatty Acids) of extra virgin olive oil to its smoke point. However, FFA as it relates to the smoke point of an extra virgin olive oil is not the end of the story. The phenols found in fresh extra virgin olive oil also protect the oil from forming aldehydes which are more or less toxic to our cells, whether we eat them or inhale them while cooking. Aldehydes will begin to form in any type of cooking oil as soon as it begins to oxidize as a result of being heated up. Furthermore, aldehydes are increased when an oil is heated for a long duration or at very high temperatures. The phenols (antioxidants) unique to fresh, well made extra virgin olive oil “sacrifice” themselves to this heat oxidation thus preventing or diminishing the formation of toxic aldehydes, which makes a strong, if not iron clad case for exclusively cooking with high phenol, low FFA extra virgin olive oil above all other cooking oil options available.

Beyond this, when we use high phenol olive oil for higher heat applications, we may still be left with some phenols and of course the flavor they impart, which does not speak strictly to the prevention of bad compounds, but also addresses the sensory and health benefits unique to fresh, well made EVOO.

The following diagram shows the influence of FFA on the smoke point of an extra virgin olive oil. The green band shows the smoke point range of good quality low acidity extra virgin olive oil. The pink band shows the smoke point of lower quality high acidity oils. In culinary terms, these real differences are huge!

Grilled Chicken with Honey Ginger Balsamic Teriyaki Sauce

Posted on September 12, 2013July 19, 2023

Want to grill without having to marinate the meat ahead of time? Tired of the bottled teriyaki sauce with preservatives and ingredients you can’t pronounce? We concocted an easy recipe for a glaze you can use at the grill. With our honey ginger balsamic and garlic infused olive oil you can still achieve rich flavor but with fewer ingredients and less prep time. This is a staple in our house and always good to have on hand. Don’t forget to pass some extra sauce after serving.

INGREDIENTS

¾ teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons Olive This! Honey Ginger Balsamic Vinegar
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup sugar
1 clove of garlic
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons Olive This! Garlic Infused Olive Oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, mix together the honey ginger balsamic vinegar and cornstarch until combined. Set aside. Start heating up your grill.

In a medium sauce pan, combine the soy sauce, sugar and garlic over medium-high heat. As you bring it to a boil, recombine the balsamic-cornstarch mixture and add to sauce, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, lower heat to medium-low.

Stirring frequently, reduce to about ¾ cup; sauce will become thick and syrupy, about 4 minutes. Divide sauce in half: one half for basting on the grill and reserve the other half for drizzling and passing sauce during serving. Keep the reserved sauce covered and warm.

While your grill is heating, prepare the chicken. Trim fat from thighs and place on large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle chicken with garlic infused olive oil and season thighs generously with salt and pepper.

Oil grill grates liberally. Grill chicken thighs on first side until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 170 degrees, about 10-12 minutes. Flip chicken pieces.

Baste grilled side of chicken with teriyaki glaze. After 2 minutes, flip again and glaze the other side. Flip again and grill for the final 2 minutes. You should be achieving nice grill marks and bits of charring in spots. Be careful, the sugar in the glaze can create a burnt crust very quickly.

Grilling Summary:

Grill first side for 10-12 minutes, until center of thickest piece registers 170 degrees.
Flip and baste. Grill second side for 2 minutes.
Flip and baste again. Grill for final 2 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice chicken pieces into strips and place on serving platter. Drizzle chicken with reserved teriyaki sauce keeping some to pass during serving.

Enjoy!

MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS

Have a comment? We’d love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below (providing your email address is not necessary).

Roasted Sausages and Grapes with Traditional Balsamic Vinegar Aged Up to 18 Years

Posted on September 4, 2013July 19, 2023

At first you’d think this is a rather strange combination but once you taste the pairing of flavors – and the deep, flavorful sauce this dish renders – you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it a long time ago. We saw this on a recent episode of Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa where Chef Johanne Kileen shared her recipe for this Tuscan classic. She’s been serving it at her Al Forno restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island for over 30 years. A few things attracted us to this recipe: it’s very easy to make, there are very few ingredients, no chopping or slicing required and good quality balsamic vinegar plays a major role in this dish. After we tried it in the OT Kitchen, we were very impressed with the depth of flavor achieved and we loved the combination of sweet and savory in each bite.

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds of sausages (a mix of Italian spicy and Italian sweet sausages, or just one type)
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
5 to 6 cups of seedless grapes, red or green, with stems removed
2/3 cup of dry red wine, like Chianti
about 3 tablespoons of Olive This! Traditional Balsamic Vinegar Aged Up To 18 Years
Fresh Focaccia bread, to serve on the side

DIRECTIONS

Put a pot of water on high to boil. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Parboil the sausages for about 8 minutes to remove any excess fat. You’ll be roasting them in the oven so you are not fully cooking them at this stage.

While the sausages are boiling, rinse the grapes and remove stems. Set aside.

In a large roasting pan, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the grapes and toss to coat with the butter. Add the 2/3 cup of Chianti wine and stir with a wooden spoon until the wine has reduced by about half.

Transfer the parboiled sausages into the pan with the grapes and sauce. Place the roasting pan into the preheated oven for about 30 minutes until the sausages brown and the grapes soften. Turn the sausages half way through the roasting time.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and place on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Scrape up any brown bits; deglazing the bottom of the pan. Let the balsamic vinegar and natural juices combine until thick and syrupy. This sauce is what makes this dish!

Transfer the sausages and grapes to a serving platter. Top with remaining sauce and serve immediately with the fresh bread or Focaccia on the side. You might also enjoy serving this with our Garlic Olive Oil Smashed Potatoes – another very easy recipe. Enjoy!

MAKES ABOUT 5-6 SERVINGS

Have a comment? We’d love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below.

Penne Pasta with Tomato-Garlic Tuna Sauce and Mint

Posted on August 26, 2013July 19, 2023

It happens way too often. It’s mid-week, you’re busy (and tired) and find yourself standing in the pantry at 6pm searching for ideas. With all the back-to-school activities this time of year it can happen to anyone. A few years ago we stumbled upon this recipe from Cooks Illustrated that has now become one of our “rescue” dishes that we can prepare faster than take-out delivery. Continue reading “Penne Pasta with Tomato-Garlic Tuna Sauce and Mint”

Olive This! Becomes First Store in Charlotte, North Carolina to Earn Ultra Premium Certification

Posted on August 19, 2013January 4, 2022

Ultra Premium (UP) is a new grade in the industry that distinguishes the highest quality olive oil in the world from what dominates the so called “gourmet” and “premium” olive oil markets.

The absurdly low standards created and fostered by numerous trade associations and government agencies responsible for policing them has only contributed to the confusion and misinformation around extra virgin olive oil. Lack of enforcement and testing by these trade associations and governmental agencies has led to a marketplace dominated by inferior oils and rife with adulteration. The self serving overemphasis on “Where” extra virgin olive oil is produced continues to dominate perceptions at the expense of the far more significant “When, What, and How” the oil is made. The UP standard has as its principal barometers Chemistry and Freshness. These two underappreciated variables can be objectively measured, quantified, and certified. Since the highest quality extra virgin olive oil comes from high quality fruit coupled with high quality production processes, the UP standard encompasses strict requirements for both the end-product and the production process.

The UP standard is reserved for the finest extra virgin olive oils in the world and as such, the grade of UP exceeds all existing European, Italian, Spanish, Greek, North American or any other standard known as extra virgin olive oil. In order to qualify for Ultra Premium grade, the extra virgin olive oil must meet or exceed a comprehensive set of production, storage, transportation, testing, chemistry, and organoleptic requirements. We’re both excited and proud of this certification.

To find out more, (and see us on the certified list) click here!

Roasted Chicken Gremolata with a Crispy Panko Crust

Posted on August 8, 2013March 7, 2022

Our Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil is a classic Italian combination of garlic, lemon and parsley with a hint of mint. It’s also the star ingredient in this “mock fried chicken” recipe we adapted from Ina Garten. We roasted the chicken in the oven and used a Dijon-white wine mixture (rather than egg/flour batter) as a coating to adhere the flavorful panko crust. Continue reading “Roasted Chicken Gremolata with a Crispy Panko Crust”

Blood Orange Olive Oil and Dark Chocolate Balsamic Marinade-Dressing

Posted on August 5, 2013July 19, 2023

We discovered this flavor combination on meats when we made the Blood Orange Olive Oil and Dark Chocolate Balsamic Roasted Chicken recipe. Many of our customers have asked us to post this marinade recipe on its own because they’ve used it for several other meat and fish dishes. Start with the fruity citrus flavor from the Blood Orange Olive Oil, combine it with the bitter-sweet flavor of chocolate balsamic vinegar, garlic and lemon and you’ve got a marinade that doubles as a savory dressing. Enjoy the versatility! Continue reading “Blood Orange Olive Oil and Dark Chocolate Balsamic Marinade-Dressing”

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

MAKES ABOUT 5-6 SERVINGS

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