1 pound fresh wild salmon fillet(s) 1 bunch of thin, tender asparagus, woody stems discarded, 1 pound dried pappardelle pasta cooked al dente (or see my recipe for fresh dill pappardelle below) 1 thinly sliced shallot 1 clove minced garlic 1/2 cup crisp, dry white wine 2 cups heavy cream 5 tablespoons Wild Frenleaf Dill Olive Oil 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon fresh dill and/or flat leaf parsley to garnish salt and fresh ground pepper to taste Rub the salmon and toss the asparagus spears with a mixture of 2 tablespoon of dill olive oil whisked with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Season amply both the salmon and asparagus liberally with salt and fresh ground pepper. Grill or broil until just cooked, being careful to err on the side of under-cooking both the salmon and asparagus. The most important thing here is to sear the salmon and asparagus on the exterior. After grilling, cut the asparagus in to 2" pieces and break the salmon in to large meaty chunks and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the dried pasta based on the package directions. If using the fresh pasta recipe below, cook for two minutes and drain well. In a saute pan, heat two tablespoon dill olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook until tender. Add the garlic and saute for another minute being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the wine and lemon juice. Continue cooking until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the cream and the remaining dill olive oil. Stir until the mixture simmers and thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, add the asparagus to the pan with the sauce and cook for an additional two minutes, being careful not to make mushy. Add the salmon chunks and cook to warm through, being careful not to break the chunks up. Ladle over drained pasta and serve garnished with dill and or flat leaf parsley.
Fresh Dill Infused Pappardelle Pasta 2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup semolina flour 4 large eggs, whisked 2 tablespoons Wild Fernleaf Dill Olive Oil 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh dill (optional) In a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor, mix together the flour. Make a well in the center of the flour if not using a food processor, and add the eggs, olive oil, and dill if using. Begin incorporating the flour into the eggs a little at a time, mixing until a very loose messy dough forms. If using a food processor, blend until a shaggy dough forms, and either case finish by kneading the dough by hand until a smooth dough forms. Wrap the dough and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. Roll it out with a pasta machine, or by rolling pin, and then cut in to desired shapes
Ingredients 2 trimmed, thinly sliced fennel bulbs 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley 4 tablespoons Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground pepper to taste 1/3 cup finely shaved Pecorino Romano 3 Cups mixed baby greens for presentation - optional Instructions Place the shaved fennel in a resealable Ziplock bag or bowl large enough to hold it. Thoroughly whisk together the Gremolata Olive Oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chopped flat leaf parsley. Pour over the fennel and toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for two hours. In a bowl or large platter, arrange a bed of washed mixed baby greens. Arrange the fennel over the greens, pouring any remaining dressing over the fennel and greens. Sprinkle evenly with shaved Pecorino and fresh ground pepper. Serves 4-6
The primary ingredient in mustard is vinegar! And do you know what that means? The vinegar used to make a given mustard is HUGELY important in terms of the overall flavor and quality of the mustard. I'm here to demystify the mustard making process, (which is already easy as pie), and have all of you making your own fantastic (vastly superior) varietal vinegar mustard today!
Ingredients 1 cup ground yellow mustard seed 2/3 cup vinegar (Sherry, tangerine balsamic, maple balsamic, Champagne, serrano honey or jalapeno (for heat), oregano, white wine, red wine, peach, honey ginger, traditional, tarragon... and on, and on. 1/3 cup honey (omit this if you are using a sweeter vinegar such as tangerine balsamic) 1 teaspoon sea salt, truffle salt, pink mineral salt, or...??? Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium to medium-low heat for 6 minutes. Stir frequently until it thickens and then remove from heat. Allow the mustard to cool before storing it in an airtight container. You can also play around by adding herbs, sea salts, ale, wine, chillies, peppercorns, horseradish, and on and on. The possibilities here are endless. Depending on how spicy you like your mustard, you can refrigerate it at this point, which will preserve its fiery characteristic, or allow it to sit at room temperature for a day +/- which will mellow it's flavor the longer it sits out. Now peep this... ready? A tablespoon of this mustard is all you need to emulsify (hold together) a great vinaigrette or marinade. Place the mustard in a bowl, and slowly whisk in the vinegar of your choice. Whisking quickly and continuously, follow with the olive oil of your choice. The key here is to whisk briskly so that it creates a homogenous emulsification that holds the oil and vinegar together as opposed to what it would normally do which is separate. Mind blown? I hope so. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
1/2 teaspoon salt Directions Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease two standard loaf pans, or one 9"x13" pan. Whisk the oil, molasses, sugars, eggs, and zucchini in a large bowl. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the dry to the wet ingredients and mix just until no dry spots of flour remain. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted in to the center comes out clean. Cool and serve with whipped cream.
Balsamic vinegar health benefits comprise reduced risks of heart diseases, cancer and other infectious diseases. Moreover, balsamic vinegar decelerates the aging process, controls diabetes, assists in digestion, etc.
Originated from Italy, this condiment is an aromatic, thick, dark, syrup-like aged type of vinegar, prepared by the reduction of cooked grapes. Balsamic vinegar, though popularly referred to as wine vinegar is not made from wine, but is prepared from grape pressings, whose fermentation process has been hindered. The best balsamic vinegar is prepared in the hills of Modena, in Italy, where unique and flavorful balsamic vinegar is formed. This vinegar is known to be a cut above the other types of vinegar. Unlike the sharp taste of vinegar, balsamic vinegar has a rich, sweet flavor. You need to taste it to believe it!
Italians have been relishing balsamic vinegar for centuries, however, the American palate has been able to savor this only since the past two decades. Today balsamic vinegar is one of the most popular condiments available in American grocery stores and is used in various sauces, marinades, salad dressings, dips, desserts, etc. The popularity surge of this dark, syrup-like condiment is not only because of its remarkable taste, but balsamic vinegar health benefits also play a major role in adding points to the popularity chart.
Health Benefits of Balsamic Vinegar Balsamic vinegar retains most of the nutrients present in the parent grapes and comprises nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus and magnesium in adequate amounts. Thus, incorporating balsamic oil in the daily diet will benefit one immensely. Let us look at the different balsamic vinegar health benefits.
Antioxidant Properties Oxidation reactions taking place in the human body to produce energy, conduce to formation of cell damaging free radicals as natural by-products. Free radicals damage cell membranes and manifest themselves in terms of premature aging, hardening of arterial walls and cancer. Antioxidants from balsamic vinegar destroy these free radicals and prevent cells from being destroyed.
Fights Cancer The grapes from which balsamic vinegar is formed is known to contain a bioflavonoid called quercetin, which has antioxidant properties. Along with vitamin C, this antioxidant strengthens the immune system to fight cancer and other infectious diseases and inflammations. Balsamic vinegar also contains polyphenols which are anticancer agents.
Reduces Risks of Heart Attacks Balsamic vinegar is low in saturated fat and is believed to reduce cholesterol. Moreover, since it is low in sodium, it enhances heart health and reduces high blood pressure.
Controls Diabetes Research reveals that consumption of at least 5 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar a day enhances insulin sensitivity. The greater the insulin sensitivity, the better the diabetes control.
Natural Pain Reliever In ancient times, folk healers used this vinegar to relieve people of their body pain. Moreover, they also used balsamic vinegar to treat wounds and infections. The anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties in the vinegar healed wounds.
Assists Digestion The polyphenols in balsamic vinegar stimulate the activity of pepsin enzyme in the body. Pepsin is a digestive enzyme, which helps break proteins into smaller units (amino acids). Moreover, these polyphenols also assist the intestine in absorbing amino acids expeditiously. Efficient amino acid absorption enables the body to utilize it for cell building, repair and other body maintenance work. Thus, balsamic vinegar aids the digestion process.
Besides these balsamic vinegar health benefits, this vinegar also reduces the frequency of headache inceptions, strengthens bones (calcium absorption), energizes the body, slows down aging process and prevents anemia. It also helps in weight loss by suppressing one's appetite. Authentic balsamic vinegar would have been aged for a minimum period of 3 years to a maximum period of 100 years. The longer the aging process, finer the vinegar quality. However, commercially produced balsamic vinegar produced in a few hours is also available in the stores.
Spring. It is an epic time in the kitchen namely because we have access to fleeting ingredients like green garlic, ramps, and squash blossoms. This recipe harnesses several delightful seasonal ingredients and weaves them in to a flavorful and eye-catching culinary tapestry.
As complicated as it may look at the outset, there are really just a handful of ingredients that come together to make this dish shine, and as you would expect, olive oil is a among them. Ingredients For the Filling
1 small shallot chopped 1 green onion, chopped 1 tablespoon EVOO oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup Mascarpone 1 large egg beaten
8 oz. jumbo lump crab meat (Dungeness, if you can get it), picked through for shells
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
12 medium to large fresh zucchini squash blossoms
For the Batter
1 cup seltzer water
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
UP EVOO for frying (I used the Hojiblanca from Melgarejo for this)
Combine the shallot, onion, olive oil, lemon juice, mascarpone, egg, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to finely chop the ingredients and combine. Place the filling in a medium size bowl, and with the utmost of care, gently fold in the crab meat being very careful not to break it up too much. Adjust the seasoning, cover, and refrigerate the filling for 1/2 hour.
In a shallow dish or bowl whisk together the seltzer water, flour, baking powder, and salt.
Heat 2 inches of UP EVOO up to 350 F. in a heavy bottom pot or pan.
To Assemble
Make sure the blossoms are clean of debris. Gently remove the flower stamens. Using a spoon, gently fill each blossom with approximately 1 heaping tablespoon of chilled crab filling. Gently twist the ends of the petals to seal. Swirl each filled blossom in the batter rotating it in the same direction that you twisted the petals so as not to undo your blossom. Place in the heated oil and fry each blossom for approximately 2 minutes, turning once until light golden brown on all sides.
Remove the blossoms from the oil to a rack to drain. Serve warm.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground fine black pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups aged, shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
1 cup garlic UP Garlic Infused Olive Oil (try experimenting with other infused olive oils)
Alternatively, For Cheesy White Truffle Crackers
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground fine black pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup UP Certified Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons White Truffle Oil
Instructions
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to distribute. Add the cheeses and pulse again to finely chop the cheese into the dry ingredients. Add the oil(s) and continue to pules until the oil is incorporated thoroughly. Gather and press the dough in to two flat discs. Wrap each disc and chill for an hour. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet. Roll out one disk at a time to 1/4" thick. Cut in to squares, rounds - whatever floats your boat. The way you choose to cut the crackers will not affect their taste. Bake for 9-11 minutes until the edges become golden.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, eggs, sugar, and almond extract. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cherries, almonds, and salt. Add the dry ingredients in to the wet ingredients and knead until no spots of dry flour remain. (The dough will be very stiff, and is typically best mixed by hand unless you have a very powerful mixer.) Portion the dough into two equal parts, and then shape each in to a long rectangle approximately 1/2" thick, by 4" wide, by 12" long. Bake each sheet in the center of the preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes until the log is just tuning golden brown. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and using the sharpest knife in your possession, slice the log into cookies 1" long cookies - for approximately 12 cookies per log. Return the cookies to the oven, cut side up to bake again until golden brown and crisp for 10-15 minutes.
Makes approximately 24 generously portioned biscotti
Preheat the oven to 425. Cut 24 slits in to all sides of the roast and insert garlic slivers in to each slit. Liberally slather the roast with Tuscan Herb Olive Oil and coat with a blend of dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Place the roast onto a rack set in a roasting pan. Roast at 425 F. in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, and then add the beef stock to the roasting pan. Cover the roast with foil and reduce the heat to 300 F.. Slow roast for an additional 3 hours covered with foil.
This roast is delicious on its own. However, you can also slice it paper thin for Italian Beef Sandwiches. Serve the warm sliced meat dunked in to the seasoned roasting broth, on sturdy rolls with pickled vegetables and or peppers and a drizzle of Tuscan Herb Olive Oil to finish
1 teaspoon citrus zest (from the lemon or lime used above)
2 tablespoons Pumpkin Seed Oil
4 tablespoons tahini
1 lb roasted winter squash or 1-15 oz can of pumpkin/squash puree
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon chili powder
Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
Method
Put cleaned garlic cloves into food processor, pulse until chopped fine. Place cilantro in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add all other ingredients (except pumpkin seeds) and blend until smooth.
Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
At service, garnish hummus with additional pumpkin seed oil and pumpkin seeds.
Why is our Extra Virgin Olive Oil so good and different? The answer is simple and proven. The olives are grown right - in the correct conditions, organically. They are...
