Mango Salsa

2 c. fresh mango, chopped

Gazpacho

1/2 English cucumber, coarsely chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 lbs. ripe beefsteak tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/4 c. Carter & Cavero Picual Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. Carter & Cavero White Balsamic Vinegar
2 small green bell peppers
Sea Salt and pepper to taste
Ice water or tomato juice (optional) 

For Garnish:

1 c. garlic croutons (see Tips)
2 c. diced tomatoes
1/2 c. diced cucumbers
1/2 c. diced bell peppers
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion

Put the soaked bread, cucumbers, onion, garlic, most of the chopped tomatoes and 1 of the bell peppers in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth and pour into a large bowl.

Serve gazpacho in bowls and allow guests to add garnishes as desired.

Fish Taco Relish

1 c. fresh, cooked corn kernels (2 ears of corn)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c. Carter & Cavero Coconut White Balsamic Vinegar

Carter & Cavero Habanero Sea Salt to taste.


In a large bowl, combine corn, tomato, lime juice, red onion, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste with Habanero Sea Salt.

Fish Tacos

1 lb. white flaky white fish, such as Mahi Mahi or Cod.

Fish Taco Relish or Mango Salsa

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place fish in a medium size dish. Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, Habanero sea salt and cilantro and pour over the fish. Let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the fish from the marinade place onto a hot grill, flesh side down. Grill the fish for 4 minutes on the first side and then flip for 30 seconds and remove. Let rest for 5 minutes then flake the fish with a fork.

Place the tortillas on the grill and grill for 20 seconds. Divide the fish among the tortillas and garnish with the Fish Taco Relish or Mango Salsa.

Grilled Corn and Habanero Salt

4 ears of shucked corn

¼ c. and 3 Tbsp. of Carter & Cavero Chipotle Olive Oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (28-ounces) crushed tomatoes

¼ cup of Carter & Cavero Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tbsp. Pommery Fireman's Mustard

2 tsp. brown sugar

½ tsp. Carter & Cavero Hickory Smoked Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat ¼ cup of chipotle oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, mustard, brown sugar and smoked sea salt. Simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by a fourth, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Working in batches, purée sauce in a blender. Add the 3 remaining tablespoons of chipotle olive oil while blender is running. Season with additional smoked sea salt and black pepper. Refrigerate in a jar up to 2 weeks.

Umbricelli, Olive Oil and Tomatoes

1/3 cup of Carter & Cavero Hojiblanca extra-virgin olive oil or another robust olive oil

1 lb. of Umbricelli pasta
1 tsp. of salt for the pasta
2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
12 to 15 grape tomatoes
20 basil leaves
1/2 lb of fresh mozzarella, cut into squares
Parmesan cheese to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot cook the Umbricelli pasta.  Add a teaspoon of salt plus 2 tablespoons of the Hojiblanca olive oil to the pasta water.  When the pasta is cooked al dente drain the water using a colander.  While the pasta is cooking take a large pan and heat the olive oil on medium to low heat.  Add the Spaghettata.  Let cook for 1 minute.  Toss in the sausage.  Cook for a few minutes until the sausage begins to lose its pink color.  Add the garlic and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes until sausage in thoroughly cooked and the garlic has browned.  Reduce heat if garlic begins to brown too quickly.  Toss in the tomatoes.  Continue cooking until tomatoes begin to soften.  Toss in the cooked pasta into the pan with the sausage mixture.  Continue cooking, add the basil leaves and Parmesan cheese.  Remove from heat and fold in the fresh mozzarella cheese.  The residual heat should be enough to melt the cheese slightly.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.  Serves 6  people. 

Umbricelli is a wonderful, thick pasta that holds tons of flavor due to its twisted folds and "s" shape.  This pasta is popular to use with simple sauces such as the one in this recipe.  The oil and Spaghettata spices are absorbed and gradually tucked into the folds producing a much richer tasting pasta.  Umbricelli is also a choice pasta for much thicker, heartier sauces with mushrooms and chunks of tomatoes.  For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and add broccoli heads.  Make it a sea food dish and replace the sausage with shrimp

Basil Olive Oil

 With Spring and Summer just around the corner, we would like to mention one of our favorite summertime herbs. Basil is one of our favorite herbs of all time, so if you’re looking to use Basil Olive Oil, here are some suggestions that will get your imagination going.

Drizzle your Basil Olive Oil in warm pasta. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. Toss in some fresh basil leaves and top off the meal with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Happy Cooking!

Tuscan Bean Soup with a a Soffritto Base

There’s a reason so much Tuscan cuisine features olive oil; the oil is incredible!! Olive oil is used to bring out the flavor in tomatoes, the popular black kale or to spice up a delicious bean soup. Herbs and salt are also key ingredients in Tuscan dishes. Always be prepared to be generous with these ingredients when cooking a Tuscan dish. Local ingredients are important in creating a careful balance of flavor and technique. Italians tends to eat foods that are in season. Anything else could produce a tasteless and foreign flavor.

For this month’s issue of Old World Flavor we feature a two part recipe. For the first part of our meal we create a Soffritto, an Italian flavor soup or stew starter. I love to use the Soffritto to add flavor and depth to many of my dishes. You can also use it in a simmering sauce or for braising meats.

The second part of the recipe is a Tuscan Bean Soup that is both simple and full of flavor. The Tuscan Bean Soup can be eaten as a leftover or frozen to eat at a later date. In fact, bean soups tend to tastes better the day after they are made.

Soffritto

      My experiences with Soffritto has always been one to emphasize spicy flavors. This one however, focuses on herbs. The rosemary and bay leaf in the Soffritto add both depth and subtlety to our Tuscan Bean Soup recipe that will follow.

Ingredinets:

3/4 cup of Carter& Cavero Leccino Olive Oil (or any medium flavored extra-virgin olive oi)
2 large onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves peeled and left whole, crushed with the flat side of the knife
1 cup of carrots, finely chopped
1 cup of celery, finely chopped
1 rosemary sprig, left whole
2 bay leaves, left whole

Preparation:

In a large pan warm the olive oil. Add onions and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes or until the onion are transparent. Next, add the garlic and continue cooking for a few more minutes. Then, add the celery, carrots, rosemary sprig and bay leaves. Continue cooking for 25 minutes until all vegetable are cooked and flavors have blended together. Remove the rosemary and bay leaves before using. Put 1 cup of the Soffritto aside to use with the Tuscan Bean Soup recipe. Store the rest in the refrigerator or freezer for future use.


Tuscan Bean Soup

I love to drizzle our Frantoio Extra-Virgin Olive Oil for my bean soups. It has a peppery and fruity flavor that is emblematic to cuisine in Tuscany. This recipe will bring out the best in you olive oil.

Tuscans are known for using beans in their meals. Beans, legumes and grains can be dried and stored from the summer quite easily and therefore are used very frequently in the colder season when little else grows. Tuscan soups tend to be a bit thick. They are eaten with a drizzle of the best olive oil available and a piece of bread that can be used as an edible spoon or broken into the soup for an even thicker consistency. Be sure to soak the beans the night before when deciding to make this dish.

Herbs also play a major role in Tuscan cuisine. They provide an easy way to infuse big flavor to any dish. The longer you leave the rosemary and bay leaf in the Soffritto, the more intense herb flavor you will have in your soup.

Ingredients:

1lb of dry Cannellini beans (soaked from the night before)
1 cup of Soffritto ( see recipe from top of page)
1 Prosciutto bone, ham bone, pancetta or smoked bacon
1 pint of chicken stock
1 tsp of course sea salt (Fleur de Sel)
Carter & Cavero Frantoio Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling

Preparation:

Cook the beans in water. Be sure to have enough water in the pot so the beans are about two inches below the water line. Bring the beans to a boil and cook on medium to low heat for 45 minutes. When the beans are almost done, braise the meat in a large pan for a few minutes using a couple of tablespoon of the Soffritto. Then add the beans to the pan. Add the chicken stock and the remaining Soffritto. Add the salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes until the soups had become well blended and the flavors have been absorbed. For a creamier texture, mash some of the beans with a wooden. Serve in a soup bowl and don’t forget to drizzles a generous amount of olive oil on top before eating. For a vegetarian version, leave out meat all together.

 Chipotle & Blood Orange Olive Oil Marinade

I find the best time to write about food is when I'm hungry. So, as I sit here at 11:59 am with absolutely no possibility of getting anything to eat for the next two hours, I thought I would mention two of my favorite summer oils. I've got to tell you, I'm craving grilled food right now! I completely forgot the amazing flavor you can create by mixing the Chipotle and Blood Orange oils. I had pork chops with my husband the other night and I was mildly disappointed because I totally dropped the ball with the marinade. The smokiness and heat from the Chipotle Oil combined with the sweetness of the Blood Orange Oil create the perfect balance in your marinade. And so, before I break down from hunger and have run to that fast food joint around the corner (pleh! ), here's a quick recipe to add sooooo much flavor to your next meat or vegetables.

Chipotle Olive Oil 1/4 cup

Blood Orange Olive Oil 1/4 cup

Ground Cumin 1/4 tsp

Garlic powder 1/4 tsp

Course Sea Salt (a nice Hawaiian Red Sea Salt will do the trick)

In a small bowl whisk first four ingredients. Add the sea salt before and after grilling.

 

Roasted Asparagus

Here's a quick and delicious recipe for the holidays! Roast your asparagus with a robust olive oil for a fantastic nutty flavor that will leave your guest wanting more. It's incredible how much flavor a really good olive oil adds to a very simple dish. Get ready to become an Asparagus Lover if you aren't already one!!

1. Clean and break off tough ends of asparagus.
2. Coat asparagus in our Hojiblanca Extra Virgin Olive Oil (use a zip lock bag)
3. Place asparagus on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender and crisp
5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with course sea salt and freshly ground pepper
6. Get adventurous and drizzle on some of our Red Apple Balsamic Vinegar before serving!

 

 Mixed Greens with Fruits and Nuts

   

The changing of the season from Summer to Fall is always bitter-sweet. We long for those warm summer days of barbecuing but look forward to Autumn for our crunchy red apples to our sweet butternut squash.

Our Recipe of the Month eases you into Fall with the taste of our Red Apple Balsamic Vinegar and a full flavored aged cheese.

Mixed Greens with Fruit and Nuts

-1 bag of mixed greens or any other type of lettuce, torn into pieces;
-12 to 15 grape tomatoes;
-1 sliced cucumber;
-1 Jonathan (or your favorite) apple peeled and cut into slices;
-1/4 lb. of aged Pecorino Romano cheese sliced thin and cut into bite size pieces;
-1 handful of chopped walnuts;
-sea salt and pepper to taste.

For the Dressing:

-1/4 of Carter & Cavero Red Apple Balsamic Vinegar;
-1 tbsp. Dijon mustard;
-1 tbsp. Carter & Cavero Garlic Olive Oil;
1/4 cup or less of Carter & Cavero Organic Arbequina Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.

Combine the Red Apple Balsamic Vinegar and mustard in a mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the Garlic and Arbequina olive oils.

Preparing the salad:

Combine the greens and cucumbers in a large bowl. Layer the greens with the tomatoes, walnuts and apple slices. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss. Finally scatter the cheese on top. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.