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.

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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.

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Grilled Salmon with White Truffle Oil & Fig Balsamic

Ingredients: 4 (4oz) salmon filets

• 2 tbs SOOC Fig balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbs SOOC White Truffle oil
• 1/4 C lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 sprig rosemary, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Season salmon with salt and pepper and place into a shallow dish. Combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and rosemary in a small bowl. Pour mixture over the salmon filets, and coat well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Pre-heat grill to a medium heat. Lightly brush grate with oil.

Remove salmon from marinade and place on grill. Cook until salmon is opaque and flakes with a fork, about 4-5 minutes per side. Drizzle fig balsamic over the salmon filets, if desired. Serve with your favorite roasted vegetables, salad greens, or brown rice!

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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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Marinated Grilled Chicken and Tomatoes

Serves 4-

3 Tbsp SOOC fig balsamic vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp minced garlic

3 Tbsp SOOC Arbosana EVOO

1 pt cherry/grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup sliced red onion

1 1/2 lb chicken breast cutlets (1/4″ thick)

4 cup baby arugula or mixed greens

  

1. Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Add oil in slow stream, whisking to combine. Season to taste. Divide between 2 bowls. Add tomatoes and onion to one bowl and chicken to the other. Marinate 15 minutes.

  

2. Preheat grill to medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade). Grill chicken, turning, until golden brown and cooked through, 6 minutes. Transfer to plate and cover to keep warm.

  

3. Toss arugula or mixed greens in bowl with marinated tomatoes and onion to coat. Halve chicken and divide among 4 plates. Top with salad.

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Shredded Brussels Sprouts With Balsamic Vinegar and Pine Nuts

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 pound small Brussels sprouts

Sea Salt

1/4 cup pine nuts

3 tablespoons Cilantro and Roasted Onion Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 small onion, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons Fig Balsamic Vinegar

Directions

Bring several quarts of water to a boil in a saucepan.

Meanwhile, trim and discard a layer or two of loose outer leaves from each Brussels sprout. Trim a thin slice from the stem end of each sprout. Add the trimmed sprouts and salt to taste to the boiling water. Cook until sprouts are almost tender, about 4 minutes. Plunge into a bowl of ice water. Cut the sprouts crosswise into thin strips and set aside.

Place nuts in a large skillet over medium heat. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally to turn the nuts, until they are golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a small plate.

Briefly heat olive oil in the empty skillet. Add onion and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add Brussels sprouts and salt to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts have browned slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vinegar and cook just until the liquid coats the Brussels sprouts, about 1 minute. Stir in nuts and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.

Per serving (based on 6): 75 calories; 2g fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 3g protein; 12g carbohydrate; 3g sugar; 5g fiber; 35mg sodium; 35mg calcium.

Variation: Replace the pine nuts with an equal amount of pecans. Add 1 teaspoon grated orange zest with the garlic. Replace the vinegar with 1/4 cup orange juice.

Adapted from “Vegetables Every Day,” by Jack Bishop (HarperCollins, 2001)

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