My Love Affair With Olive Oils

Friday, July 26, 2019

Roasted Garlic Spread with a little "Extra Something".

I have a family that loves, loves, loves garlic. The smell of garlic awakens our taste buds and opens our appetites. But we've found if we add a little extra something to garlic, the flavor becomes even more spectacular. In this case, we are preparing roasted garlic with Joe and Son's Basil Olive Oil.

The larger the pieces of garlic, the less pungent the taste. Whole roasted cloves are still very aromatic, but impart a sweet, buttery taste.... as you'll find in this spread.

This garlic spread smeared on a crusty slice of bread or crackers is a simple and easy way to enjoy it. Toss it with some roasted potatoes. It could also be used on chicken, fish or steak before grilling. Once you make this spread you'll want to use it on almost everything you prepare.

Look at this picture. Isn't your mouth watering already?

Ingredients:

4 large heads of garlic

1/4 cup of Joe and Son's Basil Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove much of the papery outer layers from each garlic head.

Trim off the the top of each head to expose the garlic cloves.

Leaving the head of the garlic intact, place the bulbs, head size down,in a roasting pan lines with foil. Drizzle the Basil Olive Oil evenly over the garlic bulbs and cover the pan tightly with foil.

Roast for about 40 minutes or until the centers are soft when pierced with a fork.

Let the garlic cool and then press on each clove so it comes out of the paper.

Spread on bread, crackers or any meats you are preparing.

Stored in the refrigerator, it will stay fresh for 2 weeks.

Monday, March 4, 2019

Strawberry Corn Salsa

It's strawberry season and there are many ways to use strawberries other than desserts. This salsa is great for scooping up with chips or as a side to fajitas or roasted chicken. It's pretty much spoil proof so serving it at an outdoor event won't be a problem.

I love that it tastes good, it is simple to prepare and the colors add to eye appeal.

Strawberry Corn Salsa

2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped

2 cups grape tomatoes, chopped

1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen corn, thawed

2 green onions, chopped

3 Tblsp. minced fresh cilantro

½ cup green bell pepper, finely diced

1/3 cup Joe and Son’s Chipotle Olive Oil

3 Tbsp. Joe and Son’s Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tbsp. lime juice

½ tsp. salt

Crumpled Feta Cheese, optional

Tortilla chips

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lime juice and salt.

Drizzle the dressing over the strawberry mixture and toss to coat.

Sprinkle with crumbled Feta Cheese, if desired

Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Serve with Tortilla chips.

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Truffle Almonds

The taste of Truffles is unique. A person either falls into the category of absolutely loving it or just simply finding it tastes awful. There seems to be no middle of the road camp.

This recipe is for those who find the taste delicious. It's a good snack just to pick on or makes a wonderful addition to meat and cheese trays for party fare.

TRUFFLE ALMONDS

3 cups (1 pound) raw, whole almonds

2 tablespoons Joe and Son’s Truffle Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt…. or more to taste
Sprinkling of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary crumbled into tiny pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, toss together all ingredients until almonds are well coated. Spread the almonds in a single layer onto a large baking sheet. Roast for 5-6 minutes, stir, and continue roasting for another 5 minutes until fragrant and golden brown.

Cool completely before serving.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Mango/Pineapple Chutney

Whenever I'm planning a holiday meal, I look for (quick and easy) recipes that won't spoil in the heat and don't need to be refrigerated. This chutney can be made a few days ahead of time and can be set out on a cookout table without fear of spoilage. If you're looking for some sweet heat...this is it!

It's colorful and really tasty!

Mango/ Pineapple Chutney

3 Tablespoons Joe and Son's Chipotle Olive Oil
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced onion
3 Tablespoons Joe and Son's Coconut Balsamic Vinegar
2 cups mango, diced into small pieces
2 cups drained, canned, crushed pineapple

1 teaspoon brown sugar if the fruit isn't sweet enough for your taste

Pour the Chipotle Olive Oil into a sautéing pan and warm to low heat. Place the bell peppers and onions in the pan and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir while cooking. Add the Coconut Balsamic Vinegar and continue cooking over low heat until the vinegar has reduced and the mixture is thick.

Add the mango and pineapple pieces and stir to coat the fruit evenly. At this point you can mash the fruit pieces slightly to create a chunky puree or leave as is.

Refrigerate or serve at room temperature.

Serve with tortilla chips. This chutney also goes well with shrimp, fish, pork or chicken.