Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

Marinade/Dressing:

• 1/4 cup SOOC 18 year Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tablespoon SOOC Basil Olive Oil
• 2 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Salad:

• 4 chicken thigh fillets, skin removed (no bone)
• 5 cups Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 cup mini mozzarella
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Whisk marinade ingredients together to combine. Place chicken into a shallow dish; pour 4 tablespoons of the dressing / marinade onto the chicken and stir around to evenly coat chicken. Reserve the untouched marinade to use as a dressing.
2. Heat about one teaspoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, or grill marinaded chicken until golden, crispy and cooked through. Once chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest.
3. Slice chicken into strips and prepare salad with lettuce, avocado slices, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and chicken. Top with basil strips; drizzle with remaining dressing; season with salt and pepper.

 

Read Full Post »

Balsamic Glazed Ham

Ingredients

• 1 – bone-in skinless smoked ham, shank or butt end portion, 6-8 lbs.
• 1 cup SOOC Maple Balsamic or SOOC Cinnamon-Pear Balsamic
• 2 tablespoons Dijon or grainy mustard

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325.

Line a large roasting pan with foil.  With a sharp knife, score the fat all over the ham in a diamond pattern.  Place the ham, cut side down, in the roasting pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake  for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, reduce the balsamic to 1/2 cup, by gently simmering it in a medium sauce pan set over low heat.  This process should be done slowly, taking approximately 25-30 minutes to complete.  When the balsamic has become thick and syrupy and is reduced by half, remove from heat and whisk in the Dijon mustard.

After baking for an hour, remove the ham from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350.  Using a pastry brush, liberally apply the balsamic glaze all over the ham, paying special attention to working it in to the scored portions.  Cover just the shank end with a small piece of foil to prevent it from burning.  Return the uncovered ham to the oven and roast for approximately 35 minutes, or until the glaze has caramelized and the ham is golden brown.

Read Full Post »

Rosemary Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water, 110-115˚ F
• 2 tsp white sugar
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 3 Tb SOOC Rosemary Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 ½ cups bread flour
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• Extra EVOO for brushing on top and serving (I used SOOC garlic EVOO)
• Coarse sea salt and dried rosemary for sprinkling on top
• Serve with SOOC  Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast into 1 cup warm water. Mix in the sugar and salt. Let sit for about 10 minutes or until it foams. Add in Rosemary Olive Oil. Add flour and knead (by hand or mixer) for about 10 minutes. Add black pepper, and oregano. Knead another 5 minutes. Dough should come together well at this point; slightly sticky is fine. Place dough ball in well oiled bowl (I use Garlic EVOO) turning dough a few times so that dough surfaces are protected by oil. Tightly cover owl with cling wrap. Place in warm, draft-free area to rise until dough is doubled, approximately 1 hour, depending on room temp.
2. After dough is doubled, punch it down and shape into a rounded loaf. Using sharp knife, make a criss-cross design on top. Place rounded loaf on greased baking sheet. Cover up loaf with large mixing bowl inverted over it. Make sure bowl is large enough that it gives your loaf room to rise. Let rise until doubled again, approx. 1 hour.
3. After dough has doubled again, gently brush with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and a bit of rosemary. Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes. Bake until top is a nice golden brown, taking care not to over bake.
4. Serve bread fresh and warm, with your favorite SOOC olive oil, ground pepper and SOOC balsamic vinegar.

Read Full Post »

Vinaigrette Dressings

Cherry Lime Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1 cup SOOC Persian Lime Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup SOOC Black Cherry Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions: Combine cherries with balsamic vinegar and let sit for 15 minutes. Combine with remaining ingredients and whisk together. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Honey Lime Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1/3 cup SOOC Persian Lime Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
• 3 Tbsp SOOC Cranberry-Pear White Balsamic Vinegar (or you can use your favorite SOOC White Balsamic Vinegar)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions: Whisk together all ingredients, serve immediately or refrigerate.

Asian Butternut Squash Seed Oil (or Pumpkin See Oil) Dressing

• 1/2 cup SOOC Butternut Squash See Oil or SOOC Pumpkin Seed Oil
• 1/2 cup SOOC Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (or horseradish mustard)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions: Whisk together all ingredients. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

 

 

Read Full Post »

Red White & Blueberry Trifle

Ingredients:

-1 Angel Food Cake, Cubed

-1 box vanilla pudding mix, made according to box directions

-1/4 cup milk (in addition to milk used in pudding)

-1 1/2 cups raspberries

-1 1/2 cups blueberries

-1 1/2 cups strawberries

-1/3 cup SOOC Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar

-1/3 cup SOOC Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar (or Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar)

-2 cups heavy whipping cream

-2 Tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. Make the vanilla pudding mix, adding the extra 1/4 cup milk; the pudding will be runny. Whip with mixer, two cups of heavy cream with the two tablespoons of honey until stiff peaks form.

2. In a large decorative glass bowl, add half of the cubed Angel Food Cake to the bottom. Add a layer of mixed berries (using about 1/2 of the berries). Pour half of the pudding mixture over the berries. Then drizzle half of the Balsamic Vinegar over the pudding. Next add a layer of 1/2 the whipping cream over the top.

3. Repeat the layers with Angel Food Cake, berries, pudding, balsamic vinegar, finishing with a layer of the whipping cream.

4. Garnish with fresh berries. Keep chilled before serving.

Read Full Post »

Almond-Cilantro Sauce

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup blanched almonds
• 4-5 tsp. anchovy paste (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 Tablespoon SOOC Butter Olive Oil
• ½ cup SOOC Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used Garlic Olive Oil)
• 2 tsp. SOOC white balsamic vinegar (I used Sicilian Lemon)
• ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro (or more to taste)
• 1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
• Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions for sauce:

In a small frying pan, toast nuts over low heat, shaking often, just until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

In a food processor, combine almonds, anchovy paste if using, garlic and butter olive oil, pulse until smooth. Mix in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then white balsamic vinegar. Mix in cilantro and red pepper flakes (if using).

Spoon sauce around each wedge of Whole Roasted Cauliflower.

 

Read Full Post »

Balsamic Ganache Truffles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Steaming hot heavy cream
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 8 ounces best quality dark chocolate in chip form, or chopped
• 3 tablespoons SOOC dark or white balsamic – my favorite options for this are: coconut, raspberry, tangerine, strawberry, espresso, or traditional 18 year.
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder for rolling the truffles or use 6 oz. tempered (melted chocolate) for coating the truffles.

Directions:

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium size heat proof bowl.
2. Heat the cream and salt in a heavy bottom sauce pan over low heat until it just begins to steam.  Do not allow it to simmer or boil.
3. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes without stirring.  Stir the mixture gently until all the chocolate is melted.  Add the balsamic and stir well.  Cool to room temperature and then place the bowl in the refrigerator, covered until the ganache has become cold and can be scooped and formed into balls.
4. Have a baking sheet covered with parchment paper ready that will fit into your fridge or freezer.
5. Take 1 teaspoon of cold balsamic ganache and quickly roll between your hands to form a ball.  If you spend too much time trying to get the shape just right, you’ll begin to melt the ganache and it will be a mess.
6. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet and then place in the fridge or freezer to firm up the truffles.
7. Once truffles are firm, you can roll into cocoa powder or in tempered (melted) chocolate.  Best stored in single layers, separated by parchment or wax paper in a sealed container in the refrigerator.  Truffles can be served at room temperature.

Makes approximately 30-40 truffles

Read Full Post »

Chocolate-Raspberry Balsamic Glazed Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients for the Cake

 

3 cups all-purpose flour +1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup SOOC Extra Virgin Olive Oil +1 tablespoon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Generously grease the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with extra virgin olive oil. Add a tablespoon of granulated sugar.  Tilt and rotate the pan to evenly distribute the sugar in the bottom and sides of the greased pan. Tap out any excess sugar.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sift.

With an electric mixer beat the eggs until they are pale and light; slowly pour in the sugar while beating. Next whisk together the sour cream, extra virgin olive oil and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Add the flour to the wet ingredients beating after each addition, scraping down the bowl a couple times in the process.

Bake in the center of the oven for 45-50 minutes until a cake tester or wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then carefully invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate-Raspberry Balsamic Glaze

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped or in chip form
1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons SOOC Raspberry Balsamic

Directions

In a microwave proof bowl, heat the cream on high for 1 minute.

Add the chocolate to the bowl and allow to sit for 2 minutes without stirring.  Whisk well until all the chocolate has melted and there are no lumps.  Add the balsamic and whisk well.

Pour the still warm liquid glaze over your cooled cake.  Allow the glaze to set up on the cake at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Read Full Post »

Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Ingredients:

– 1/2 C SOOC Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar
– 12 slices French bread
– 1 tbs SOOC Basil EVOO
– 1 pound strawberries, diced
– 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
– 1 C goat cheese, room temp
– Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

– Dice strawberries and combine with the thyme leaves in a bowl. Set aside.
– Pour vinegar into a small skillet over medium-low heat. Simmer about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until reduced to about half. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
– Prepare grill for high heat. Place bread slices on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush bread slices lightly with SOOC Basil EVOO. Grill approximately 2-4 minutes per side, until slightly crispy.
– Spread goat cheese on bread slices, and salt and pepper to taste. Add reduced vinegar to the strawberry and thyme, coating evenly. Spoon mixture over the goat cheese topped bread. For a sweeter option, try substituting SOOC Strawberry Balsamic for SOOC Dark Chocolate Balsamic!

Read Full Post »

Parmesan and Garlic Chicken Wings

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 quarts cold water
• 1/3 cup SOOC 18 year or Espresso balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 Tbsp SOOC Garlic Olive Oil (plus as needed to coat foil)
• 1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 lbs chicken wings (separated at joints, tips discarded)
• 2 Tbsp bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat foil with SOOC Garlic Olive Oil.

Combine water, balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup salt, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and rosemary in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Add chicken wings, return to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Remove chicken wings with a slotted spoon to a cooling rack and allow to dry for 15 minutes.

Mash garlic and a pinch of salt together in a mortar and pestle until smooth.

Combine mashed garlic, olive oil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add chicken wings and bread crumbs, toss to coat. Sprinkle with ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until browned, 20-25 minutes.

Read Full Post »