Blood Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 ½ cup sugar
• 1 ½ cup skim milk
• ½ cup SOOC Blood Orange Olive Oil
• ¼ cup orange juice (blood orange preferred)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 ¼ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup powder sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a 12 C Bundt pan with cooking spray or Olive Oil; dust with 2 tablespoons flour and set aside
2. Combine sugar, milk, Olive Oil, 3 tablespoons juice and eggs in a large bowl. Combine 2 ¼ c flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to Olive Oil mixture stirring until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 F for 55 minutes or until golden brown and cake pulls from the edge of the pan. Cool cake upside down on a wire rack and then invert onto a plate.
3. Combine powder sugar, remaining tablespoon juice and butter, stirring well. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake

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Olive Oil Cake with Stawberries

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

3 eggs

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt

½ cup SOOC Lemon Olive Oil

Strawberry Topping:

2 pints fresh strawberries

Lemon juice to taste

Whip cream topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare an 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pan with oil and a piece of parchment paper large enough to form an overhang along the length of the pan.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, yogurt and vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the egg mixture and stir.  Add the olive oil and stir until blended. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.  Test with toothpick to make sure the cake is fully cooked in center.

Cool the cake for about 10 minutes and lift it gently out of the pan. Remove the parchment and let cool completely.

Slice the strawberries and add the lemon juice to taste.  Let them sit for about half an hour.

Add strawberries and whip cream topping to each slice of cake.

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Blood Orange Grilled Salmon

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 pounds salmon filet with skin on (sockeye salmon is great if still in season)
1/4 C SOOC Blood Orange Olive Oil
1/4 C SOOC Tangerine Balsamic Vinegar
4 garlic cloves (minced)
2 Tablespoons fresh herbs chopped (chives, cilantro and parsley or whatever your herb garden is plentiful of)
Dash red pepper flakes (depending on the level of spice you want)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Marinate your salmon filet with the Blood orange olive oil and the tangerine balsamic for up to two hour or if time doesn’t allow then baste your filet before grilling…..marinating adds more flavor. Sprinkle filet with mixture of remaining ingredients.
Preheat your grill to approximately 400 to 450 degrees or on high.
Place salmon steaks skin side down on grill for 3-5 minutes or until skin gets dark and crispy. Then place the filet on a piece of aluminum foil for remainder of cooking time for 6-8 minutes (depending on thickness of the filet). Press on the thickest part of the filet with a fork and it should still feel somewhat soft and squishy with creamy fluids releasing. Do not overcook the filet…..salmon is a fatty fish and will still be very moist but fully cooked.
I always drizzle a little more tangerine balsamic over the filet on the plate as we’ll for added flavor. Enjoy!

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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.

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Espresso Granola

Ingredients:

– 5 C rolled oats
– 1 C wheat germ
– 1 tbs ground cinnamon
– 1/4 C brown sugar
– 1 tsp ground nutmeg
– 1 tbs vanilla extract
– 1/2 C dried coconut flakes
– 1/4 C SOOC Espresso balsamic vinegar
– 1/2 C SOOC Blood Orange extra-virgin olive oil
– 1/4 C water
– 1/2 C raisins or craisins
– 1/2 C sliced almonds

Directions:

– Preheat oven to 325 degrees
– Mix oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, coconut, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Add Blood Orange EVOO, Espresso balsamic, vanilla extract, and water. Mix all ingredients well and spread onto a baking sheet.
– Bake about one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Granola should be crunchy when it is done. Combine granola, almonds, and raisins/craisins into a bowl and mix.

Enjoy this granola over your favorite yogurt or with milk!
–

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Balsamic Glazed Apricot Chicken

Ingredients:

– 2 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
– 20 dried apricots, halved
– 1 cup chicken stock
– 1 cup apricot preserves
– 2 tbs SOOC Blood Orange olive oil
– 1/4 cup SOOC Fig balsamic vinegar
– 1 large onion, chopped
– 2-3 cloves chopped garlic
– 1 tbs fresh chopped thyme

Directions:

– Heat Blood Orange EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, until edges are slightly crispy, but still pink in the center. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook for 3 more minutes. Reduce to a medium heat, and pour in the Fig balsamic vinegar and allow to reduce for a couple minutes.

– Halve 10 apricots, leaving the other 10 whole. Place apricots and chicken stock to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Stir in the apricot preserves and thyme. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until apricots have softened. Salt and pepper to taste.

– Serve over your favorite steamed vegetables or quinoa! You can also substitute the Fig balsamic vinegar with Espresso balsamic for an even richer flavor. Enjoy and eat in good health!

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Pear and Gorgonzola Salad with Walnuts

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoon Cranberry Pear White Balsamic

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

5 tablespoons Blood Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 teaspoons shallots, finely minced

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad

4 cups torn Bibb lettuce or romaine or mixed field greens, washed, patted dry

1 small pear, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

4 tablespoons gorgonzola cheese, blue cheese or feta cheese

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

To make the vinaigrette: In a food processor or blender, mix the balsamic vinegar, salt and mustard. Slowly drizzle in the oil while the processor is on and process until an emulsion forms. Adjust the seasonings as necessary. Add the shallots and black pepper. Make this up to 2 to 3 days in advance and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature, whisk before using.

To make the salad: Place the greens in a large bowl. Drizzle a few tablespoons vinaigrette over the greens. Toss gently to coat the leaves. You might not use all the vinaigrette.

Divide the greens on 2 plates. Top each with a few pear slices and sprinkle with crumbled cheese. Sprinkle on some coarsely chopped walnuts. Drizzle more vinaigrette on top of the walnuts if desired.

Cook’s note: To toast the nuts, place on a tray in a toaster oven. Toast about 4 minutes or until fragrant. Watch carefully; they can burn easily.

http://www.freep.com/article/20110210/FEATURES02/102100395/Pear-Gorgonzola-Salad-Walnuts

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Clementine-Cranberry Pan Sauce

Clementine-Cranberry Pan Sauce
Makes about 6 servings

Four fresh clementines or small, plump tangerines, divided into segments
Defatted pan drippings in the pan in which pork tenderloin or chicken has been roasted (see note)
About ⅓ cup to ½ cup chicken broth
14- to 15-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/8 cup Tangerine balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 teaspoons honey (preferably orange blossom)
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

Notes: If you prefer to omit the pan drippings, substitute with a 1/4 cup Blood Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Directions

Using the tip of a sharp knife, remove any seeds or pits from the clementines or tangerines; segment the fruit and set aside.

Place the pan containing defatted drippings over one or two burners on the stovetop. Add the broth and, working over medium heat, gently stir and scrape drippings to loosen any crispy bits stuck on the pan. (Or add the EVOO to a pan and bring to a simmer.) Stir in the cranberry sauce, heating just until the sauce begins to bubble. Stir in the citrus segments, balsamic vinegar and honey to taste, and cook until the fruit is heated through and takes on a translucent appearance. Remove from heat. Stir in the crystallized ginger, if desired.

Transfer mixture to a warm sauce boat. Serve over slices of roasted pork, chicken or other fowl. If prepared using butter or vegetable oil (without pan drippings), you can spoon the sauce over plain cake, ice cream or custard.

Recipe from Joe Crea, Food and Restaurants Editor, The Plain Dealer.

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Pan-seared Arctic Char with Fennel and Onions

Ingredients

1 to 2 small – to medium sized fennel bulbs, sliced

1 good-sized yellow onion, sliced

4 tablespoons  SOOC Blood Orange Olive Oil

1/2 cup orange juice

3/4 cup SOOC Tangerine balsamic vinegar

1 1/4 – 1 1/2 pounds arctic char fillets, cut into 4 to 6 pieces, depending on your appetite.

Citrus-pepper seasoning, or seasoning of your choice for fish or salt and pepper.

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Trim and cut fish. Sprinkle flesh side with seasoning or a little salt and pepper, set aside. Add the olive oil to a saute pan. Once hot add onions and fennel to pan and sauté over medium-high heat until light brown. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the juice and vinegar, bring to light simmer and cook liquids down, reducing by at least one-half. Set aside and save some for garnish.

Heat another saute pan with two tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat. Once hot add the fish skin side down, and cook for 4 minutes. Flip fish in pan to flesh side down, and place pan in your preheated oven to cook for another 4 to 6 minutes to finish cooking.

While fish is finishing in the oven, add the vegetables back to the first saute pan with the orange juice-vinegar reduction, toss with remaining syrup to coat till vegetables are hot. When fish is done, plate some of the vegetables and slide a piece of fish on top, drizzle plate and, or fillet with the reserved syrup and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Jane Ward, http://www.localinseason.com, 2010.

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Granola Recipe

4 cups rolled “old fashioned oats” (not instant)
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup SOOC Fused Blood Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
Cranberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, cashews, coconut, brown sugar and salt.  Whisk to combine the blood orange olive oil and maple syrup.  Pour evenly over the oat mixture and toss to thoroughly distribute.  Spread the mixture onto two rimmed baking sheets and bake, stirring every 20 minutes to ensure even browning.  Granola will be done when it’s golden brown and well toasted.  Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl.  Add cranberries and mix until evenly distributed.

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