Appetizers & Soup
Bruschetta Soup
6 slices of course-textured bread cut
¼” thick
6 Slices tomato
6 Tbsp Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 fresh basil leaves
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
¼” thick
6 Slices tomato
6 Tbsp Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 fresh basil leaves
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
Toast the bread slices, and brush Garlic Olive Oil on each slice.
Add a slice of tomato, basil, a little salt and plenty of pepper.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Add a slice of tomato, basil, a little salt and plenty of pepper.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Tuscan White Bean Spread
1 pound of dried, rinsed Great Northern white beans
2" sprig of fresh rosemary4 cups low chicken or vegetable stockand water to cover beans
1 medium onion, diced
2 whole garlic cloves, smashed
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large celery rib, diced
2 oz. can of diced tomatoes in juice
2 teaspoons sea salt
Pepper to taste
cup + 2 Tbs. bold extra virgin Olive Oil (Nevadillo Blanco, Picual)
In a 6 quart or larger stock pot, add all of the ingredients except the olive oil. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, partially covered for approximately 4 hours or until the beans are tender and fully cooked through. Add more water as necessary. Allow the beans to cool completely. In the bowl of a food processor, ladle two cups of cooked beans along with liquid they were cooked in. Add ¼cup extra virgin olive oil and process until smooth or desired consistency is reached. Serve at room temperature drizzled with two tablespoons of reserved early harvest, fresh pressed extra virgin olive oil. The spread can be served with crudités, crackers, pita, or crusty bread. Makes approximately 2 cups white bean spread
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Tuscan Stuffed Onion
1 large sweet onion
Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp minced garlic
Fresh rosemary, chopped
-Make slices ¾ of the way down the onion (do not cut all the way through the onion), then turn the onion and make a series of cuts at right angles to the first cuts so that you have created a series of “squares”.
-Inside the cuts put the chopped garlic and Rosemary - stuffing into cuts.
-Drizzle Garlic Olive Oil over entire onion.
-Wrap onion in foil and bake in preheated 350-degree oven for approximately 1.5 hours.
Enjoy!
*actually, any Extra Virgin Olive Oil will be awesome prepared like this!
-Inside the cuts put the chopped garlic and Rosemary - stuffing into cuts.
-Drizzle Garlic Olive Oil over entire onion.
-Wrap onion in foil and bake in preheated 350-degree oven for approximately 1.5 hours.
Enjoy!
*actually, any Extra Virgin Olive Oil will be awesome prepared like this!
The Best French Onion Soup
3 Red Onions
2 White or Yellow Onions
1/3-cup Butter Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (plus extra for brushing baguette)
¼-cup dry red wine
1 ¼ tsp sugar
2 (14-oz cans) low salt Chicken Broth
2 (14-oz cans) low salt Beef Broth
Bay Leaf
Sea Salt and Ground Pepper, to taste
1-tbsp Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
Gruyere and/or Parmesan and/or Asiago cheese
Baguette
Chopped parsley for garnish
~Slice onions into medium thick slices (medium slices give a much fuller taste than thin slices)
~In a large non-stick skillet, over medium heat, cook onions in the olive oil. After Onions cook a bit and become limp, sprinkle them with sugar and stir well
~Caramelize onions thoroughly until they are a rich brown color (they need constant attention at this stage while continuing to turn them over and over – approximately 45 minutes) Caramelize, caramelize and then caramelize some more!
~After onions are done, add a can of beef broth to the skillet and deglaze the pan. DO NOT DRAIN OFF SKILLET, and pour everything into a stockpot
~Stir in the rest of the broths, wine, and bay leaf. Bring to a SLOW boil. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes
~Add the Balsamic Vinegar and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and pepper
~Let the soup cool down and then heat it up again prior to serving. If soup is too thick for your taste, just add more beef broth.
~Cut Baguette into 1 inch thick slices for large croutons. Lightly brush with Butter Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and place on a cookie sheet. Toast well in oven
~Ladle warmed soup into bowls, add one or two croutons in a single layer. Sprinkle on cheese to taste, stick under the broiler to melt the cheese and crisp out the crouton. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Enjoy!
~In a large non-stick skillet, over medium heat, cook onions in the olive oil. After Onions cook a bit and become limp, sprinkle them with sugar and stir well
~Caramelize onions thoroughly until they are a rich brown color (they need constant attention at this stage while continuing to turn them over and over – approximately 45 minutes) Caramelize, caramelize and then caramelize some more!
~After onions are done, add a can of beef broth to the skillet and deglaze the pan. DO NOT DRAIN OFF SKILLET, and pour everything into a stockpot
~Stir in the rest of the broths, wine, and bay leaf. Bring to a SLOW boil. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes
~Add the Balsamic Vinegar and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and pepper
~Let the soup cool down and then heat it up again prior to serving. If soup is too thick for your taste, just add more beef broth.
~Cut Baguette into 1 inch thick slices for large croutons. Lightly brush with Butter Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and place on a cookie sheet. Toast well in oven
~Ladle warmed soup into bowls, add one or two croutons in a single layer. Sprinkle on cheese to taste, stick under the broiler to melt the cheese and crisp out the crouton. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Enjoy!
Strawberry Balsamic Appetizer
For one dozen appetizers:
12 Triscuit Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil crackers
12 tsp. softened cream cheese
6 ripe, sweet strawberries, halved
Strawberry or traditional Balsamic Vinegar
(Note: If you can’t find the triscuits, you can mix a little olive oil and lots of cracked black pepper into the cream cheese and use a neutral flavored cracker.)
Wash the strawberries, remove the tops and cut them in half. You want to use the sweetest, ripe strawberries you can find for this. The contrast in flavors between the sweetness of the strawberries with the balsamic vinegar and black pepper is what makes this so interesting.
Place a teaspoon of cream cheese on each of the crackers. Top with a strawberry half.
Place the assembled appetizers on a serving dish and add a drop or two of balsamic vinegar to the top of each strawberry.
Enjoy!
Wash the strawberries, remove the tops and cut them in half. You want to use the sweetest, ripe strawberries you can find for this. The contrast in flavors between the sweetness of the strawberries with the balsamic vinegar and black pepper is what makes this so interesting.
Place a teaspoon of cream cheese on each of the crackers. Top with a strawberry half.
Place the assembled appetizers on a serving dish and add a drop or two of balsamic vinegar to the top of each strawberry.
Enjoy!
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