Spicy Shrimp Puttanesca with Garlic Olive Oil and Olive Tapenade

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Rounding out our menu of pasta dishes for National Pasta Month, we have a puttanesca recipe made with our new Olive Affairs Gourmet Olive Tapenade and our very own garlic olive oil. Taking another opportunity to reduce ingredients and save some prep time, the olives, capers, garlic and other great flavors come from a few scoops of the tapenade and our garlic olive oil. We used medium-sized shrimp that came peeled and deveined. You can even find some that come with the tails removed. The spice level in this dish is kid-friendly; however you can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to suit your heat level.

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 ounces linguine pasta
  • 3 tablespoons Olive This! Garlic Olive Oil, divided
  • 12-16 ounces shrimp, medium-sized, deveined and peeled
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomato, with liquids
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons Olive Affairs Gourmet Olive Tapenade
  • 1/3 cup chopped basil
  • sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Put a large pot of water on high heat for your pasta, salt the water if desired.

Cook linguine according to package directions.  Drain the pasta and set aside.


While the pasta is boiling, cook the shrimp. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the red pepper flakes and the shrimp. Stir frequently and cook the shrimp until opaque, about 4 minutes. Remove shrimp to a plate and set aside. Do not clean skillet; it will be used to prepare your sauce.


While the shrimp is cooking, chop onion and basil.


In the same skillet you used to cook the shrimp, add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chopped onion, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, olive tapenade and stir well.


Let sauce simmer, uncovered, for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.


Add cooked shrimp back to skillet. Stir into sauce and let simmer for 1 minute until heated through. Stir in chopped basil and serve over pasta. Enjoy!

SERVES 4

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.

Bulgur Wheat Salad with Blood Orange Olive Oil and Vermont Maple Balsamic

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We experimented with a handful of some of the most nutritional foods we eat and threw them all together into what we call “a bowl full of healthy.” This salad really shows off the great pairing of our maple flavored balsamic and our blood orange extra virgin olive oil. We were invited to present our products at a tasting party last night and we served this to accompany our oil and vinegar products. The guests loved the flavors (and healthiness) of this dish and wanted the recipe. Thank you to Kristy and the Piper Glen ladies for a wonderful event and for encouraging us to share this dish with the broader OT community!

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Prepare 1 cup of the bulgur wheat according to package directions. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

SERVES 2

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.

Homemade Orange Tarragon Mayonnaise with Blood Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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So, here’s an interesting question: Do you love mayonnaise? Have you ever tasted fresh, homemade mayonnaise made with premium extra virgin olive oil? Our friend, fellow foodie, and super supportive customer, Penny Eisenberg, makes the best mayonnaise we’ve ever had. It’s crazy good. Continue reading “Homemade Orange Tarragon Mayonnaise with Blood Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil”

Fusilli Pasta, Sausage and Roasted Asparagus with a Harissa Olive Oil and Strawberry Balsamic Cream Sauce

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Our Harissa Olive Oil is made with smoked chili peppers, garlic, caraway, coriander and cumin. Paired with our Strawberry Balsamic, the sausage and cream sauce in this dish have the perfect balance of spicy and sweet. The asparagus roasts in the oven while the pasta boils and the sauce is prepared on the stove top. With the majority of the flavors coming from the Olive Oil and balsamic, you will cut down on ingredients and save in the prep time. This has been a very popular pairing in the store; we even offer twin gift packs (a pair of 60ml bottles) we call ‘Sweet Heat’ though you’ll need more than the sampler size for this recipe. Come into the store for a free tasting of this unique combination; however, take this recipe with you as you’ll most likely end up stopping at the grocery store for the remaining ingredients!

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a pot of water to a boil for your pasta – add salt to the water, if desired.


Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus and cut the remaining spears into 1-inch pieces. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon of the Harissa Olive Oil, salt and pepper to taste (we toss everything with our bare hands).  Roast until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

While the asparagus is roasting, place your pasta in boiling water and cook according to package directions.


Meanwhile, prepare your remaining ingredients. Remove sausage from casings, chop onions and parsley.


In a large skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of Harissa Olive Oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the sausage and the parsley. Stir to combine well. Use the back of the spatula or wooden spoon to break sausage into small crumbles.


Add the strawberry balsamic and cook the sausage for about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and let the sausage cook for 5 more minutes. Stir occasionally.

Drain the pasta well. To a large serving bowl, add the cooked pasta, the sausage cream sauce and the roasted asparagus. Stir well to combine and serve immediately.

SERVES 6

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.

Parmigiano-Crusted Penne Pasta with Garlic Olive Oil, Prosciutto, Cauliflower and Zucchini

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This “baked” pasta dish is done mostly outside the oven and with shortcuts like boiling the pasta and vegetables together, you’ll be done before you know it. In fact, the total oven time is all of two minutes. Our garlic infused olive oil is used in the cream sauce as well as flavoring the crispy Parmigiano-panko topping. While cauliflower seems to make another starring role in this recipe the pasta and prosciutto are sure to play best supporting actors. You can use rigatoni or penne; we used whole wheat pasta. This is our adaptation of Melissa Rubel’s recipe from Food & Wine magazine.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 ½ tablespoons Olive This! Garlic Infused Olive Oil, divided
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ pound penne or rigatoni pasta
  • 1 small head of cauliflower, about 1 ½ lbs.
  • 1 small zucchini
  • 1 small yellow squash
  • 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto cut into ½-inch wide by 2-inch long ribbons
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

Put a large pot of salted water on high heat to boil. Preheat the broiler.

Cut the zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise into quarters and chop into ¼-inch slices. Cut cauliflower into 1-inch florets. Set aside. You can combine all chopped ingredients in a large bowl as they will be used together.


Make the cream sauce by putting 1 tablespoon of the garlic olive oil into a medium skillet. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir often. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.


Cook the pasta according to package directions. About 6 minutes before the pasta is done, add the chopped vegetables to the pot to cook along with the pasta. Drain the pasta and vegetables together but reserve two tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.


While the pasta is cooking, toss the panko, Parmigiano and remaining 2 ½ tablespoons of garlic infused olive oil into a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and combine ingredients well.


Return the drained pasta and vegetables to the pot. Add the cream sauce, prosciutto, and reserved pasta water. Toss until all the ingredients are well coated.


Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle the panko-Parmigiano mixture evenly over the top. Broil for about two minutes just until the topping is evenly brown. Watch this carefully and rotate the dish often.


Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve immediately. Enjoy!

SERVES 6

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 Tuscan Herb, Fresh Basil, Tomatoes and Avocado

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October is National Pasta Month and this week we have something everyone can make. We love juicy tomatoes, fresh basil and ripe avocados but when we put them together with penne pasta and our Tuscan Herb Olive Oil we were amazed with how such few ingredients created such a delicious flavor combination. Our good friend Patric was visiting with his mother last weekend and he introduced us to this wonderfully simple, yet tasty dish. How simple you ask?  With this dish, “cooking” dinner means boiling water for the pasta.  The rest of the three ingredients can be prepared while the pasta cooks. The only “sauce” to this dish is olive oil and our premium, all-natural Tuscan Herb infused extra virgin olive oil fits the bill perfectly.

INGREDIENTS

  • ¾ lb. penne pasta
  • 3-4 ripe avocados, diced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 1 pint ripe grape tomatoes, halved
  • ¼ cup Olive This! Tuscan Herb Olive Oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • grated parmesan cheese to finish (optional)

DIRECTIONS


Cook pasta al dente according to package directions.


While the pasta is cooking, chop basil, grape tomatoes, and avocados.


Combine cooked pasta, basil, tomatoes, and avocado in a large bowl. Add the Tuscan Herb Olive Oil.


Generously salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Finish with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

SERVES 4

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.

Wild Alaskan Cod with Lime Coconut Red-Curry Sauce

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Our Persian Lime olive oil is perfect for sautéing this white fish and a key ingredient for the curry sauce too. You may need to go to the Asian market for the fish sauce however it’s inexpensive and the bottle lasts forever. A jar of red curry sauce is readily available in the international section of your grocery store. The spice level of this dish is kid-friendly – adjust the amount of red curry sauce to your taste. Unlike other fish recipes, we’ve reversed the order: you’ll make the sauce first and keep it warm as you prepare the fish fillets. Continue reading “Wild Alaskan Cod with Lime Coconut Red-Curry Sauce”

It’s All About Those Polyphenols

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As recent as last week, the Washington Post published an article about polyphenols; one of those measurements we keep talking about in our store and on our Single Varietals web page to describe the benefits of our olive oil.  Take a look at the article…

Washington Post Article (9/11/12): Olive Oil’s Health Benefits?  It’s a Slippery Question

Roasted Pears and Raspberries with Lavender Balsamic Vinegar and Lemon Olive Oil

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For this dessert, all the ingredients are in the title. Our friend Susan from Brattleboro, Vermont introduced us to this recipe and we gave it our Olive This! twist. It’s a sweet dessert without the added sugar or butter and with just four ingredients it’s as easy as coat, roast, flip and drizzle. The prep time is just 15 minutes and about an hour later you’ll be serving. This is perfect for company as it doesn’t require constant attention and guests will enjoy it straight from the oven. At only 10 calories per tablespoon the Lavender Balsamic is an excellent substitute for all that sugar. Click here for nutritional information.

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut pears in half, core and cut again into quarters.


Toss pears with 2 tablespoons of the lavender balsamic until pears are completely coated; all white areas of the pears should be covered. Let set while you prepare baking sheet.


Generously coat a large rimmed baking sheet with about 2 tablespoons of lemon olive oil. Place pears with one of the cut sides down on the baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes.

Turn pears placing the other cut side down and roast for another 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, toss raspberries with 1 teaspoon of the lavender balsamic in a bowl and set aside.

When the pears are done roasting, remove from oven and preheat broiler. Turn pears to face up with skin side down.


Add balsamic-coated raspberries to the baking sheet with pears. Broil until raspberries soften and release juices, about 5 minutes.

Divide pears and berries onto serving plates or bowls. Be sure to roll the pears in the sauce from the baking sheet before removing to serving dish. If desired, accompany with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or crème fraiche.


Lightly drizzle with lavender balsamic to taste (including over the ice cream, if added).  Enjoy!

SERVES 5-6.

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.

Turkey Meatloaf with Tuscan Herb Olive Oil and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar Glaze

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This meatloaf packs a basket of veggies but the nice balance of flavors from the balsamic glaze had the kids asking for seconds. Our Olive This! Tuscan Herb olive oil had all the flavors infused so we didn’t need to add any dried herbs separately. We did our own take on a Food Network recipe adapted by the UC Irvine Medical Student Wellness group.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE MEATLOAF

  • 2 tablespoons Olive This! Tuscan Herb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 small zucchini, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
  • 1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated or shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons Olive This! Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

FOR THE GLAZE

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat.

Add the zucchini, bell peppers, garlic and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.


Whisk the egg.  In a large bowl add the egg to the turkey, panko, cheese, ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.


Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the remaining ¼ cup ketchup, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the entire loaf. (You may have some extra glaze left over so don’t worry if you can’t make the entire amount).

Bake for 1 to 1¼ hours. Plan for more time if you use turkey that is less than 90% lean – the extra moisture seems to take longer to cook.


Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.  Serve and enjoy!

MAKES ONE 9” x 5” LOAF

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.

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